Coming Alongside Women in Hard Places with Amy Gower
“Discipleship in a fallen world is discipleship in a hard place.” This is how Amy Gower approaches discipleship as she ministers to women who have recently been rescued from human trafficking and addiction situations. Join Amy and Hunter as they discuss what it looks like to root yourself in God’s Word while walking through the open door of ministry in difficult places.
INTERVIEW QUESTIONS
Can you share about the work you’re doing with women coming from hard places?
How does Jesus’ life and example inform how we are to engage with people of different cultures, contexts, and demographics?
We often assume we need to have lived through the exact circumstances of the person we’re discipling. How can we have confidence we can still be a spiritual encouragement to a sister who is walking through something we’ve never experienced ourselves?
What are some helpful ways you’ve relationally connected with women who are coming from this context? (When we were in the military, sometimes I would find it hard to ask my usual questions about a person’s background because it can feel intrusive. Any insight you have regarding building friendships would be helpful!)
What are some helpful things to keep in mind as you are responding to the needs of women undergoing financial hardship, addiction, etc?
How do you incorporate Bible study in your time together?
Are there any particular passages that you’ve found instructive as you’ve sought to come alongside women who are different from you?
As a mother of young children, how would you encourage someone in my season to engage with people in hard places?
What joys have you experienced as you’ve sought to do spiritual good to other women? How have they been a blessing to you, too?
NOTES & QUOTES
One thing I want to make clear to any sister listening who may be thinking, “Oh, wow, she's discipling in a hard place and I'm not discipling in a hard place.” Jesus has called us as believers to disciple. And discipleship in a fallen world is discipleship in a hard place.
If we were dead in our trespasses and sins and He's made us alive, we're now His workmanship created in Christ Jesus for good works that He prepared so that we should walk in them. He has good works for me to walk in and good works for you to walk in.
We are broken people loving and serving broken people.
We have to pray.
It is not about me. I am a thief of glory. I want everyone to like me, and I really love doing things well. So I need to be reminded often and loudly that it is not about me or through me, but through Christ in me.
The buying and selling of human beings is on all levels an abomination to the Holy God who created people. But man, it is easy for us to try to wiggle our way out of serving those less fortunate by judging their circumstances as unworthy of ministry. And Jesus didn't.
You don't have to have the same life context to have the same heart problem. Remember your own heart problem. Be honest about the fact that we were dead in our trespasses and sins and that while our circumstances may not be the same, many of the questions and the heart struggles are.
As we are connecting with people who are in different circumstances to remember the greatest need. And the greatest need and comfort I have to offer to any woman in any context is not connection with my story or my life experience. It is the good news of a God who loved them enough to suffer death on a cross and rise again for them.
Ask the Lord to help create a connection.
We feed their bodies and see if they will choose to stay and let us feed their souls.
Working hard to get the text right, but then working equally as hard to get it across in a way that will resonate with these women by God's grace for his glory.
“Scripture is always the way to prepare for whatever the Lord calls you to.” - Hunter Beless
Start by asking the Lord to show you and recognize that whatever that thing is–a valuable open door he's giving to you.
If you've got a friend whose primary ministry is going to be caring for disabled kids, find out what you can do to give her a break. Whether it's if you can't provide care yourself, but you can provide the resources for her to have some home help.
Ask the Lord to show you how you can be involved and then recognize that it is such important kingdom work that it is no small thing to provide meals that encourage women to stay to hear God's Word.
It is such a joy to continuously be reminded that God really does still work in big, mighty ways. And I forget that a lot in everyday life. I forget it a lot. Getting a front row seat to see some of those moments in the lives of other women help me remember we have a mighty, powerful God, the kind of God that brings dead things to life.
Do not wish away your current season. The Lord has put you where you are, when you are, for a purpose. So ask him to help you and do not wish it away.
Don't think less of the door that God has opened for you. It is so easy to be tempted that someone else's door is the highest and best open door. And whatever it may be, as if that other door, whether it's a podcast or a book or teaching Bible at NAHT, is so much more important than the conversation that you have with the coworker who's been devastated in her broken marriage, or the mom on the playground who silently confesses that she's been struggling with addiction or that she was abused, or that she had an affair or that she feels tempted to hurt her kids, or for the one caring for their aging parent that finds themselves honestly saying, “Lord, I'm struggling with wishing she didn't have to do this anymore.” Those are incredibly important open doors, take them seriously.
Do not waste your precious energy trying to open doors for yourself or resenting the doors that are not open to you. Use that energy to get ready for the door the Lord will open.
If life in a fallen world is discipleship in a hard place, which it is, I would encourage all of my believing sisters to take very seriously what you believe in your theology of suffering. If we're content to kind of hang out in the shallow end of the theological pool, at some point a wave is gonna hit us and we're gonna find ourselves in the deep end. Always reading your whole Bible.
RESOURCES
Memorizing Scripture by Glenna Marshall
Suffering and the Sovereignty of God
Suffering and the Heart of God by Diane Lanberg
Titus: Displaying the Gospel of Grace by Hunter Beless and Courtney Doctor
Discipling: How to Help Others Follow Jesus by Mark Dever
Growing Together: Taking Mentorship Beyond Small Talk and Prayer Requests by Melissa Kruger
Yet Not I but Through Christ in Me song
SCRIPTURE REFERENCES
Ephesians 2:1-10
Colossians 4:2-6
Ephesians 6:10-20
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
How does the gospel shape how you approach discipling people in difficult situations?
What can we glean from Jesus Christ’s life and ministry when preparing ourselves for the good work the Lord has set before us? How might modeling you prayer life after Jesus’ affect how you go about discipleship?
What is one open door for ministry that the Lord has for you right now? How might you prepare right now for this good work?
How can developing a robust theology of suffering (rooted in God’s Word) help you in discipleship contexts while also keeping in mind the other person’s greatest need in that moment?
What might you do or implement based on what you learned in this week’s episode?
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IMPORTANT NOTE
Journeywomen interviews are intended to serve as a springboard for continued study in the context of your local church. While we carefully select guests each week, interviews do not imply Journeywomen's endorsement of all writings and positions of the interviewee or any other resources mentioned.
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