Theresa Broom, Women’s Ministry Leader

“Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant looking for fine pearls. When he found one of great value, he went away and SOLD EVERYTHING HE HAD and bought it.” Matthew 13:45

“In the same way, any of you who does not GIVE UP EVERYTHING HE HAS cannot be my disciple.” Luke 14:33

I love Jesus’ clear teaching on the price we must pay to be a part of his eternal kingdom. In order to be his disciple I must be willing to GIVE UP EVERYTHING – nothing less will do. This is a challenge at any stage of my life but when I meditate on Jesus’ sacrifice in giving himself up on the cross I am sobered and humbled to gain perspective that my own sacrifice pales in comparison: I have not yet begun to sacrifice. I have not yet begun to give. And I have not yet begun to suffer for my LORD and Savior Jesus Christ. I thank God for the message of the cross! Jesus’ example of sacrifice inspires me to respond out of gratitude and with joy. Because of Jesus’ loving sacrifice I get to have something that I don’t deserve – a relationship with God. This is my greatest joy and my richest reward! God himself is my very great reward (Genesis 15:1).

I’ve seen how I do not understand the concept of sacrifice until I myself am called to make sacrifices. It’s been impossible for me to fully respect or appreciate the sacrifice of others until I’ve been called to make similar sacrifices. For example, I could never fully appreciate the love and sacrifice of my own mother until I had my own two children. Now I call my mother often for advise and support. Only now I can appreciate my mother even more for having raised five children as a single mom. For years she denied herself an education but instilled in all five of us the value of education. All five of her children went to college because her passion to learn was instilled in us. My mother worked many low-paying, menial jobs in order to provide for us. In fact, if she couldn’t find or afford proper childcare for us she would quit her job for our sake and take on a new job as she was able. Only after she had raised and helped her own children go to college did my mom pursue a teaching degree while in her 50s. What I admire the most about my mother is the joy and satisfaction with which she shares about her role of being a mother. She doesn’t share resentfully about all the sacrifices that she made for us. She shares with joy that “[she] was born to be a mother and has enjoyed that role more than any other in [her] life.” Wow! What an inspiring example for myself and any young mother.

In 1980, as a high school senior, I was influenced by my friend Damaris to “pray Jesus into my heart.” At that time I gave up impurity, smoking, swearing and drunkenness. I began to pray earnestly that God would “send me to the college of his choice.” Within a week I received an acceptance letter to Boston University with a full academic scholarship. I met a Christian on my second day at campus and have not stopped reading my Bible, praying or going to church for the past 26+ years. I praise God “who determines the times and the exact places where we should live… so that we would reach out and find him” (Acts 17:26-27).

Soon after moving to Boston I went back to the Lehigh Valley, Pennsylvania to visit my family for Thanksgiving holiday. During this time I visited a mainline Church of Christ to worship God on a Sunday. An elder in the church approached me and asked me to not come back because I was associated with the “Boston Movement.”

As none of us has any control over where we were born – neither do we have any control as to where we are “born again” spiritually. Since I had never grown up going to or even knowing about any Churches of Christ, I had no relationships in that Pennsylvania church; therefore, it was no sacrifice for me to not go back. I do not harbor any bad feelings. I believe the elder was simply doing what he thought was best.

Jesus taught that “where two or three come together in my name, there am I with them” (Matthew 18:20). If people who obey God come together, God’s presence among them is undeniable. Likewise, everyone who is born of the Spirit lives a life as unpredictable as the wind (John 3:8). I do not believe that God confines his presence to any single man or group – whether a small Bible study group, a house church, any single church, group of churches or even an entire “line of fellowship.” I should remember the words of Peter in Acts 10:34: “I now realize how true it is that God does not show favoritism but accepts men [and women!] everywhere who fear him and do what is right.”

My husband Chris and I prayed fervently as we deliberated on the decision to move to Chicago: “If your Presence does not go with us, do not send us up from here” (Exodus 33:15). This decision was not an easy one to make. As a member of the 1983 New York City Mission Team sent out of Boston, I have many long-time relationships with dear friends in New York. However, because of our decision to follow God in this current direction we have been labeled, shunned and called divisive.

As church leaders we were very careful to consider the effects of our decision on the entire Syracuse congregation. As the youngest member of the Chicago Mission Team, Ashley Boea along with other teens and campus students made incredible sacrifices to give up lifetime relationships and transfer into new schools and neighborhoods. I am so proud of our youth ministry.

Two weeks ago was exceptional as 50 teens and campus students from both Chicago and Syracuse met together in Sandusky, Ohio for a roller coaster road trip. I was so excited on Friday night that I was in tears and could not sleep. The fellowship was energized and electric. Pat Warner, Joe Lentini, Pat Boea and Joel Parlour spent all of Friday night singing songs and praying to God in a cold autumn field. Their energy was unstoppable! Joel said, “It was the best time of prayer that I had ever had.” On Sunday Pat Warner and Anthony Franklin preached with conviction on the topic of grace and truth. Sharon Groman from Syracuse shared that she was most moved by seeing the new faces of our newly baptized brothers and sisters. Yes, many of us and our children have made sacrifices but these have only fueled the Spirit to accomplish more miracles.

I believe that this reunion meant so much to everyone because of the sacrifice that so many had made. The church in Syracuse sacrificed the loss of Chris leading the church after seven years. They also sacrificed the loss of “pillar” families such as the Parlours and Boeas. The loss of younger families like the Pullens and Fellis’ was also felt along with several campus and teen students.

During the week of October 23rd, Chris was able to meet with many members of the Syracuse church individually and collectively in order to strengthen, encourage and unify the Chicago and New York churches. Chris shared that while having dinner with Bob and Mary Thomas, Bob expressed, “you’d be so proud of the job that Andrew is doing.” Many new people were rising up and taking on new leadership roles and many new people were being baptized under the capable hands of Andrew and Patrique Smellie.

One of my heroes in the faith is Lisa Johnson. She studied the Bible with me back in 1980 in Boston. Only in the past year have I begun to fully appreciate what it meant for her to have the courage to step out on faith and become a woman who God would use to lead many to Christ. Now I’m beginning to understand how much she and Steve sacrificed when they moved to Boston back in 1979 to be trained in the ministry and later to be sent out to lead the church in New York. They lost many relationships through their decision to serve God in Boston and later in New York. I believe that they followed God’s Spirit and he led them in both of these moves.

Similarly, I believe God’s Spirit has led Chris and I to serve him in Chicago at this time. As I watch more and more women get baptized this is confirmed for me. Last Sunday, Rosalyn (a woman who was baptized in August) said “You know Theresa, we have studied the Bible with a lot of women who have not made it yet but we can’t give up on them. We need to go to God in prayer and fasting.” She was right! This week has been a refreshing time of repentance for me. It’s been a time to fast and pray with tears for God’s Spirit to lead. I can’t wait to see all of the miracles that our heavenly father will perform throughout the second half of this week!

In Matthew 28:19 Jesus said, “Go!” Since Jesus is my LORD and Savior I pray to have the courage to do just that. My sacrifice in obeying my LORD may mean loss of relationships, being misunderstood, being persecuted and sometimes feeling scared. But I do not want to resist the path the Spirit has put me on – even if it feels like a narrow ledge. My God is able to sustain me and he will lead me to the women who he has put me in this city to teach and train. Now that there are 300,000,000 people in this country alone I am convinced that there is plenty of work to go around. I am praying for many women to come and join me so that we can grow together and be used by God to produce a crop, multiplying thirty, sixty, or even a hundred times what was sown (Mark 4:8).

Recently, I’ve been inspired by the Francine Rivers’ book on Tamar entitled Unveiled (see Genesis 38). This was a woman who did something that was seemingly so sinful and unorthodox that she was about to be burned to death – but God had a different plan! She is an incredible example of a woman who was willing to risk EVERYTHING and God blessed her! I sat in tears as I read her story. I recommend all of the Francine Rivers novellas as excellent reading for all women.

I’ve also been inspired by the woman who anointed Jesus before his burial. Again, this was a woman who risked EVERYTHING and worshipped her LORD with EVERY fiber of her being. Even though she was rebuked harshly (Mark 14:5), the LORD defended her actions and even promised that what she did would be told throughout the world – wherever the gospel was preached (Mark 14:9).

May God grant courage and strength to every woman who is willing to give up EVERYTHING for our LORD and his glorious kingdom. Then we will know the peace that comes from sacrificial obedience.

Theresa Broom

Categories: Articles, Women's Ministry
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