Answer the Call!
God’s heart is yearning for oneness with us. Over time, something happens inside when we take time to simply experience His peace and His heart towards us. The more we see who God really is, the more something begins to rise up on the inside of us—a vision, a calling, a dream. God longs to reveal Himself to the world through us, His people. The very glory and presence of Jesus have been poured into us (John 17:22) to put His goodness on display for the world. Jesus Himself lives in us—the very hope of glory (Col. 1:27). The world—and even creation itself—is longing for the manifestation of the children of God (Rom. 8:19).
Dear daughters of God, there is no indication whatsoever in Scripture that there is a different, more reserved call for women or that He calls men first while we women are backups. Across the world, more and more women are answering the call to know God, hear from Him, and step into His direction for their lives. It is exciting to hear reports that tens of thousands of women are answering the call, even in parts of the world where they are held back culturally. Statistically speaking, the typical Christian today is a young, dark-skinned woman from the Majority World.
God is calling on His daughters in the West as well. And right now, we have a unique opportunity to respond and join the beautiful throng of women who proclaim good news.
I hear God moving us forward in a bold advance—a “Bold Venture.” I hear the rumbling of women mobilizing to preach the Word He has announced through Jesus Christ. I see us gathering to encourage each other to keep going and come up higher. I see a joining of the generations, where the older women mentor the younger and the younger inspire and challenge the older.
We are very thankful for all the godly and honorable men in our lives and in the body of Christ. We need them and want to walk alongside them. But in this article, and for this month, we send out a call specifically to you women. During a very special event entitled, Bold Venture on September 19–21 in Tulsa, Oklahoma, we are coming together before the Lord to enjoy community with each other around the theme, “Answer the Call.” We would love to have you there.
What is Bold Venture about?
It is a meeting of generations. Those of us who are older have been called to mentor and bring forth the next generation of women who answer God’s call. At Bold Venture, we will have panels that address the need of all age groups of women. We have speakers who are in their 20s up to those in their late 60s. We will meet in small groups and make connections over four shared meals. Truly this will be a time of allowing God to knit hearts together.
Bold Venture is a time of receiving healing and refreshment in His presence. Through vibrant times of worship, God will speak to you in your heart and bring new hope and reassurance for the specific things that concern you. You will hear speakers who will challenge you, and your giftings and God-given dreams will be rekindled and clarified.
You will begin to recognize any conditioning that has held you back in the past. As women, we often struggle to truly possess and embrace the place in the body of Christ that God has given us. Some of us have been conditioned by culture and teaching to leave leadership and initiative to men. Well, literally thousands of years ago, Joel prophesied that “your sons and your daughters shall prophesy” (v. 28, emphasis added). To “prophecy” means to preach, to declare, to bring forth God’s message. It means to take initiative and use one’s voice! The host for Bold Venture, Lee Grady, says that it is time for women to turn up the volume. God needs our voices in this time!
I believe that all who attend will leave this event with a new understanding and awareness of answering God’s call as His “image bearers” in the earth. This may look different for each one of us, but two things are sure—we don’t have to go it alone and we all have the capacity for a fulfilling and fruit-bearing life in Jesus.