Thriving Together-November - The Wesleyan Church

Thriving Together is a newsletter for women serving in or preparing for ministerial leadership in The Wesleyan Church. Each month, we want to embody 1 Thessalonians 5:11:

“Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing.”

Answering the Call

You saw me before I was born. Every day of my life was recorded in your book. Every moment was laid out before a single day had passed. Psalm 139:16

A call to full-time ministry is a beautiful thing. It’s also beautifully unique to each person. I know many have heard that call at a camp or youth conference. Many have walked to the altar and knelt with others as an answer to that call. However, the ask is always unique because each ask comes from God, who is outside of time. He is already in the future of each person’s call. He knows exactly what the journey will be and who we will encounter and impact on the kingdom. Each call is unique.

I was a junior at Bartlesville Wesleyan College (now named Oklahoma Wesleyan University). I remember it was a beautiful afternoon, and I was walking on campus chatting with the Lord. At that moment, He revealed the first part of my call to me. “I want you to be a pastor’s wife.” When I say that I was surprised, that’s an understatement. I did not want to be known as just a wife. I wanted to stand on my own two feet and do great things for the kingdom. Clearly, I needed to learn some humility. But as a 20-year-old young woman, I wanted to honor the Lord. So I agreed. Then I reminded the Lord, that at this point, there was not a boy in the picture. He seemed undeterred. So I trusted.

Soon, there was a young man. He was on his way to being a pastor, and the Lord made it clear to us that we were to be a team. He turned our individual calls into a team effort that led to two youth pastor jobs and then to planting a church together. A few years into our new church plant, I heard another call. This time, the call was for me to enter into full-time ministry myself. I began the journey of classes and DBMD (District Board of Ministerial Development) meetings as our kids entered middle school, and we added a baby to the family through adoption. It was a crazy time! But I knew it was right and that I was obedient.

Each call is unique. The Lord knew just where He wanted me. He also knows me and my husband. He knew the journey we needed to take in order to be united in our call to see captives set free. This journey, which protected us from competition and the division it can bring to a marriage, was designed by Him before we were born. Now, as a team, what we accomplish, we do together, working together and cheering each other on.

Your call is unique. Your journey in ministry, with each victory and challenge, is unique. It’s beautiful, and no part of it is a surprise to the Lord. He is trustworthy, and his plans are good.

Rev. Stephani Tague is the Creative Pastor at Ransom Church in Sioux Falls, SD. She loves preaching and leading worship. She has been married to Phill for 22 years, and they have 3 amazing kids: Trinity(20), Truitt(18), and Tucker(9).

Wesleyan Holiness Women Clergy has a long history of creating events for women exploring and living out their call to ministry and the ministry leaders who support them.

The WHWC team is excited to announce our next event, E2024, will be held March 7-9, 2024 in Dallas, Texas and registration is now open. E2024 is a unique opportunity to connect with like-minded women clergy spanning many denominations. This is a place where you will be re-energized, reaffirmed, and re-ignited as you explore and live out our diverse callings.

Help another Wesleyan sister be able to go to E2024….

Donate to the E2024 Wesleyan Scholarship Fund. Thank you for considering a contribution to support women in ministry. Your gift will provide E2024 scholarships to female ministry students and female clergy who express a financial need. The Wesleyan Holiness Women Clergy (WHWC) E2024 is a conference that seeks to serve and empower women in ministry within the holiness tradition.