Wake Up, Rise in Strength सवागत हैं, welcome, willkommen, bienvenue, 欢迎

Our prayer is that you improve your Biblical understanding of women in leadership

And develop practical leadership skills

Think about women you know in leadership roles.

What are they like? Do you like them? What do you feel when you are with them? What do you admire about their leadership? Are there things they handle badly on occasions?

Day 1, Session 2 Activity 1

Some women Jesus encountered:Adulterous woman, woman at well, his mother, Mary of Magdela, mother of James and John, Peter’s mother-in-law, woman with bleeding,

How did Jesus speak to them?How did he treat them? What did he expect of them?What changed??

Day 1, Session 2 Activity 3

Think about women you know in leadership roles.

What are they like? Do you like them? What do you feel when you are with them? What do you admire about their leadership? Are there things they handle badly on occasions?

Day 1, Session 4 Activity 2

1.What is being said about women in this text? Write each point on a different cardEg. Men and women received the Holy Spirit; in Christ there is neither male nor female2. What does each point tell us about women’s roles?3. What do you think about that point? Do you agree/disagree and why?

Day 1, Session 4 Activity 2

1.What is being said about women in this text? Write each point on a different cardEg. Men and women received the Holy Spirit; in Christ there is neither male nor female2. What does each point tell us about women’s roles?3. What do you think about that point? Do you agree/disagree and why?

Day 1, Session 4 Activity 2

Colossians 3:18 Wives, submit yourselves to your husbands, as is fitting in the Lord.Ephesians 5:22-23Wives, submit yourselves to your own husbands as you do to the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the church, his body, of which he is the Saviour.

Day 1, Session 4 Activity 2

I Timothy 2:9-15A woman should learn in quietness and full submission. I do not permit a woman to teach or to assume authority over a man; she must be quiet. For Adam was formed first, then Eve. And Adam was not the one deceived; it was the woman who was deceived and became a sinner. But women will be saved through childbearing—if they continue in faith, love and holiness with propriety.

Day 1, Session 4 Activity 2

What is each passage saying about how women should behave?Eg wives submit to husbandsWhat do we need to understand about the position of women in the culture?

Day 1, Session 4 Activity 2

Martha and Mary (Luke 10:38-42)As Jesus and his disciples were on their way, he came to a village where a woman named Martha opened her home to him. She had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet listening to what he said. But Martha was distracted by all the preparations that had to be made. She came to him and asked, “Lord, don’t you care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself? Tell her to help me!” “Martha, Martha,” the Lord answered, “you are worried and upset about many things, but few things are needed—or indeed only one. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her.”

Day 1, Session 5

The crippled woman (Luke 13:10-17)On a Sabbath Jesus was teaching in a synagogue, and a woman was there who had been crippled by a spirit for eighteen years. She was bent over and could not straighten up at all. When Jesus saw her, he called her forward and said to her, “Woman, you are set free from your infirmity.” Then he put his hands on her, and immediately she straightened up and praised God. Jesus told people, “Shouldn’t this woman….be set free on the Sabbath day from what bound her?”

Day 2, Session 3

The crippled woman (Luke 13:10-17)Continued…The crippled woman is bound physicallyShe is bound mentally and emotionallyShe has spiritual bondageThe crippled woman encountered Jesus He saw her He called her He touched her He set her free

Day 2, Session 3

How to express opinions positively

1. How would you express your opinion in a meeting of the church elders? Would you - be respectful and polite; be willing to submitbe cautious about disagreeing;express opinions openly; be willing to speak strongly; stay silent

Day 3, Session 1

Continued….2. How would you express your opinion in a community discussion with other women about the local hospital Would you - be respectful and polite; be willing to submitbe cautious about disagreeing;express opinions openly; be willing to speak strongly; stay silent

Day 3, Session 1

Genesis 27: RebekkaWhen Isaac was old and blind, he wanted to bless Esau, his older son.His wife Rebekka wants her younger son, Jacob, to get the blessing so devises a plan to deceive her husband. She persuades Jacob to go along with the plan and is even willing to have a curse fall on her if it means Jacob is blessed.She and Jacob go ahead with the trick and Jacob is blessed while Esau misses out.

Day 3, Session 1, Activity 3

Continued…….Discuss how we respond to Rebekka’s motives and actions and the consequences.How is power important in the story?

Look at Matthew 20:20-28 Read the story of Zebedee’s wife What do you notice about her motives and actions?How does Jesus respond in Matthew 20:16?What heart and character issues are important in a leader?

Day 3, Session 1, Activity 3

Zebedee’s wife and sons 3 C’sBe compassionateJesus is centred on understanding othersBe cleansedWe need a clean heart, not following the world’s sense of recognition and statusJesus deals with the wounds caused by the disputeBe consecratedWe need complete commitment to the Kingdom – to be servants

Day 3, Session 1, Activity 4

Day 3, Session 3 Activity 1

Which leaders do you know? Sum him/her up in 3 words.Princess Diana, Donald Trump, Gandhi, Beyonce, Kim Jong-un, Mother Teresa, Nelson Mandela, The Beatles, Adolf Hitler, Malala Yousafzai, President Mubarek, Angela Merkel, Mohammed V1 (Morocco), Pope Francis

Day 3, Session 3 Activity 1

Genesis 16 - Sarai and HagarSarai has no children. She tells Abram to sleep with her slave Hagar “perhaps I can build a family through her.”Abram agrees – and Hagar conceives.When she knew she was pregnant, Hagar began to despise her mistress. Sarai blames Abram, “May the Lord judge between you and me.”

Day 3, Session 3 Activity 1

Continued…..Abram takes no responsibility: “Do with her whatever you think best.” Sarai mistreats Hagar; so she flees to the desert.The angel of the Lord finds Hagar and tells her to go back to Sarai and submit. He promises, “I will increase your descendants so much that they will be too numerous to count.”

Day 3, Session 3 Activity 2

Skills women need to lead menDon’t get aggressive or bullyingBe assertive and be direct Be prayerfulShow respect but also know that God has called youDon’t be afraid to be a nurturerDon’t try to be like a manRespond with a balance of reason and emotion Choose not to be offendedKnow that sometimes you may ‘lose’

Day 3, Final Session

Questions for personal reflection and sharing

What am I taking away?

What has God shown me personally?

How will this impact my ministry?

What about things I can’t change in the short-term eg power structures. How can God help me?