Women evangelists and church leaders are finding expanding roles in charismatic and Pentecostal bodies and are creating new mentoring networks for younger women, according to Charisma (June) magazine. Women clergy have generally found more acceptance in Pentecostal and charismatic churches than in other conservative bodies, usually serving as co-pastors with their husbands (though also including such famous leaders and evangelists as Katharine Kuhlman and Aimee Semple McPherson). Today there are more women heading their own ministries and churches, such as Paula White, Beverly Crawford and Joyce Meyer, writes Maureen Eha.
The new generation of women leaders have created groups and networks to mentor younger leaders. Mentoring conferences, such as Apostolic Women Arising and more individualized networks founded by women leaders provide continuing leadership training to women pastors and heads of ministries. “The current emphasis on mentoring is an encouraging sign to many that women who have paved the way in church leadership will not be the last of their breed. Besides training up their own replacements, they are equipping a large number of other women leaders to fulfill their unique calls,” Eha concludes.
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