Women's Ministry, as it exists now, was completely different years ago, but the call remains the same. Hear from Dr. Rhonda Kelley as she gives advice to young women being called into women's ministry.

Rhonda Kelley was called by God to minister to women. She and her husband Charles S. (Chuck) Kelley Jr. live in New Orleans, Louisiana, where Chuck serves as the president of New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary. In addition to her responsibilities as the president’s wife, Rhonda is a teacher, an author, and a speaker.

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The entire video is above, and the transcript is below.
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I'm grateful that at the age of fifteen the Lord Jesus Christ called me to ministry and service. At that time, He said, "Rhonda, I want you to minister to women." Now that was a long time ago and I didn't really know at that time what Women's Ministry would look like. 

But I am grateful that I was obedient and followed the Lord and walked through every door He opened in order for me to do what He had called me to do. 

So today, if I was giving advice to younger women who are called to women's ministry, first and foremost, I would say, spend time with the Lord and listen when He calls you. Because you're going to be surprised! I was surprised at fifteen years of age. I didn't know who God called, but I sure was surprised when He called me. But I'm so grateful that He knew me and He had created me and gifted me in order to serve Him. So listen! Spend time with Him in prayer and then don't ignore Him when He calls you.

Then I would encourage you to do everything in your power to prepare to serve Him to the best of your ability. I am so very grateful that today there are so many wonderful opportunities for women for training, to prepare you to be be able to serve the Lord more effectively. Not only at all of our Southern Baptist Seminaries, but wonderful opportunities through LifeWay Women for training. We have training conferences; we have training resources! You have so many things at your disposal - materials and people. Let people mentor you that have gone before you in leadership.

So pray, seek the Lord, and prepare yourself, because you never know what He's going to call you to do. If I would have known at fifteen the many opportunities that God has given me in teaching and speaking and writing, I think I would have been scared to death. But instead I just faithfully let the Lord build me and grow me. I just grew personally and spiritually. I tried to train myself, equip myself to be ready for any opportunity that came my way.

So ladies, I'm excited for you. It's amazing to be a woman today - a woman of the Lord - and to know that His Bible teaches us who we are and helps us to know how we can serve. I pray that as you follow Him faithfully, you'll do it according to God's plan for your life, not the world's plan for your life. And you'll see the Lord open up amazing opportunities for you to, not only do ministry on larger scales, but what a precious privilege to disciple women one-on-one. 

So I'll be praying for you and encouraging you. I look forward to seeing what God's going to do in and through, not only you, but the many, many women He calls in the future. God bless.

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