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Leader's Spotlight

Pastors’ Wives Need Friends Too

By Alison R. Young

The role of pastor’s wife calls a woman to a unique lifestyle and walk with the Lord. As you walk the ministry path with your husband, you grow with each curve and bump on the road. Throughout this journey, there are often relocations and saying goodbye to those you love. When entering a new church, there can be judgment and fear from other women within the congregation—especially the leaders. These things can make the pastor’s wife’s journey a very lonely one at times.

Wendy Griffith, of The Genesis Mission, has experienced such curves and bumps in her journey alongside husband Robert, Children & Family Ministries Pastor at San Diego First Assembly of God. Both Wendy and Robert are native to the Chicago area. That is where they met, went to school and began their ministry. However, when God opened the door to relocate to San Diego, they eagerly accepted the position and said goodbye to the comfort of the familiar.

In San Diego they have found a new home and Wendy has discovered how she can use her past experiences to assist other pastors’ wives in their journey. Along with her advisory board, she has founded The Genesis Mission.

“[The Genesis Mission is] a relational network that connects women and provides them the opportunity to encourage, inspire and challenge one another in whatever season of life with one another, putting hands and feet to ‘bear ye one another’s burdens.’”

Wendy and her team recognize the need for women in this unique position in life to have support from other women with similar life experiences. The team also recognizes the need to reach out to the women of their communities.

In the summer of 2006, San Diego First Assembly of God’s Women’s Ministries launched “Hot Summer Nights.” This program gives women in the group who are not on the leadership team the opportunity to lead a meeting once a week. Originally envisioned as a way to utilize the group’s talents and provide a venue to share their messages from the Lord while giving the leadership team a rest, it experienced great success and became one of the biggest events of the year.

The church also hosts a “Military Wives Spa Day,” which reaches out to the large community of military families in the San Diego area. On Easter Sunday the church campus is covered with ten thousand eggs for the “Community Easter Egg Hunt.” And in the fall, hundreds of community residents look forward to the “Family Fun Night,” hosted by the church.

“Both the church community and the greater San Diego community have responded well to our church’s outreach opportunities and [they have] brought new families into our fellowship. Our ‘Military Spa Day’ and ‘Community Easter Egg Hunt’ are covered by the local news stations each year.”

Wendy’s heart is to reach women in any place and season of life. She strives to use her position and the vision she has from God to develop the gifts He has placed in others.

“The most inspirational aspect of leading women is having the opportunity to empower and enable women in the local fellowship to do ministry. They are no longer ‘passive observers’ in the church but become active participants in changing and shaping the world around them…I have been so blessed in my life. Not only do I have a beautiful family and supportive husband but I have been surrounded by sharp and talented women of God. Women, some of which are pastor’s wives themselves, who inspire me to be the best leader I can be and to always dream big!”

As she reflects on her own journey as a woman, leader and pastor’s wife Wendy acknowledges the support she has received and desires to give the same to other women. Throughout her ministry she has reached out to the women within her physical community. She and her team are excited to now have the opportunity to bring together a community of women in the unique position of pastor’s wives.

“My heart’s desire is for pastors’ wives to never feel isolated or devalued, but to know they are designed to be an integral part of what God is doing and that they have a unique gift that only they can offer to one another… the ability to empathize with, encourage, pray for and laugh with a special sisterhood of women.”

The Genesis Mission will host its first local event in San Diego in May 2007.  A Web site will be launched by the first of March. Until then you may e-mail Wendy at thegenesismission@yahoo.com with inquiries or to share ideas and/or suggestions with her and her team.

ALISON YOUNG is editorial assistant to the Leadership Development Coordinator for the national Women’s Ministries Department. Alison has a bachelor’s degree in Communications Studies from Evangel University, in Springfield, MO. When not reading, writing, or volunteering at the local Christian community theatre, you will find Alison cheering on her favorite teams, “I watch sports like a boy.“

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