Celebrating Women’s History

Our pastors and staff share about the women who have inspired, encouraged, and influenced them in their lives and/or ministry. (Updated weekly)

In honor of Women's History Month I would like to celebrate my mother, Jeanne Bapov. As a single mother, she worked hard to support our family and provide for us. I remember when she moved us from a two bedroom home, where I and my brothers shared one room, into a three-bedroom home. That is huge. Looking back now that I have my own family I understand the significance and sacrifice of it.

She took on the task of raising three hyperactive boys and did her best to ensure that we would have a bright future. She is an over comer. I appreciate her tenacity to advocate for us. This is seen helping my older brother have what he needed to get into a performing arts school and for my twin brother, John and I do get the learning support we needed. She made sure to work with our teachers to help reach our potential. Even when we didn't cooperate, she didn't give up on us, and John and I got into — and caused — A LOT of trouble. Her determination allowed all three of us to go onto college and graduate despite personal challenges with learning in a traditional way. I went from barely graduating high school, to graduating college with a 3.8 GPA. This is a testament to what she taught me about working hard and staying with it.

Now as a grandmother she helps me navigate the parenting world, thinking through the best way to care for my son, Ray. He has learning and medical issues, delays and differences and my mom reminds me just how special he is and how we are the perfect parents for him. God's pick. She is a reassuring presence and a wise counselor as I am on this adventure called parenthood

I am thankful for how she’s always prayed for us and asked God to work in our lives. Her faith changed our lives and the story of our family. It's from her that my love for Jesus began and she helped to cultivate a hunger for God's word. She still sends us Bible verses to read and prays on my behalf. She would share with our youth pastors and leaders about how having a male figure would do wonders for us. Little need she know that decision would plant in me and my brothers a vision that the local church could be an incredible force for good in the world and the local community. She continues to serve the local church I grew up in. I am thankful for her love for the local church.

She taught me the value of being compassionate to people around me and to see them and care. Her example would lead me to be an advocate for others and myself by using my voice and asking. She lives out “you have not because you ask not.” That has been very helpful in my leadership journey.

I am so thankful for this woman who is worthy of honoring and celebrating, and a woman that I happen to call: mom.

—Pastor Joe

“I love the Lord Jesus with all my heart.”

— Florrie Evans

Florrie stood up and said this after a church service and in front of a group of fellow teenagers and young adults. She was answering the question “What does the Lord Jesus Christ mean to you?” And her simple answer was all it took to start a revival. I love her story, though there isn’t much known about her beyond her honest, real declaration of faith. She was a fairly “new” Christian, only just finding herself able to call Jesus “Lord.” She was young, only 19 at the time. She didn’t do an exegetical study on scripture before standing up and speaking. She simply felt the Holy Spirit compelling her to speak, and she responded in obedience. I love the takeaway from this. You don’t have to be a certain way or achieve a certain status to spark a movement. We need only to know Jesus, and make him known.

— Grace Ross

If you haven’t heard of Florrie Evans, or of the Welsh Revival of 1904, you should definitely read about it.

“Forgiveness is the key that unlocks the door of resentment and the handcuffs of hatred. It is a power that breaks the chains of bitterness and the shackles of selfishness.”

This quote was from Corrie Ten Boom, a Dutch watchmaker who (along with her family) provided a hiding place in her home for Jews in Germany during World War II. Her actions eventually led to an arrest and imprisonment within a concentration camp.  Her book, “The Hiding Place”, is a biography that recounts the story of her family's efforts and how she found and shared her ever-present hope in God during this time. 

As I read through this book, I found her continual faith in the midst of unspeakable atrocities deeply inspiring, as well as the ministry that would form from her story: to point us to God’s loving forgiveness of our sins, coupled with a riveting challenge to personally forgive those who have harmed us… an effort that can only be fully achieved through the supernatural power of the Holy Spirit working within us.

She recounts within her book when her challenge was put to the test after one of her speaking engagements in 1947… When a “vicious” guard that frequently mocked the women from her concentration camp approached her a few years after her release…

But I remembered him and the leather crop swinging from his belt. I was face to face with one of my captors, and my blood seemed to freeze.

“You mentioned Ravensbrück in your talk,” he was saying. “I was a guard there… But since that time,” he went on, “I have become a Christian. I know that God has forgiven me for the cruel things I did there, but I would like to hear it from your lips as well. Fraulein” — again the hand came out —“will you forgive me?”

“I wrestled with the most difficult thing I had ever had to do. For I had to do it — I knew that. The message that God forgives has a prior condition: that we forgive those who have injured us.”

And as I [lifted my hand], an incredible thing took place. The current started in my shoulder, raced down my arm, sprang into our joined hands. And then this healing warmth seemed to flood my whole being, bringing tears to my eyes. “I forgive you, brother!” I cried. “With all my heart.”

For a long moment we grasped each other’s hands, the former guard and the former prisoner. I had never known God’s love so intensely as I did then. But even so, I realized it was not my love. I had tried, and did not have the power. It was the power of the Holy Spirit.

Corrie ten Boom’s story of obedience to forgive the “unforgivable” is a testament to God’s generosity and love for her through the darkest of days. By humbly submitting her resentment and anger to God, she was able to point countless individuals toward the loving arms of Jesus Christ. As you think about Jesus' perfect love for you, ask yourself who you need to extend forgiveness to today.

— Pastor Chris

"You cannot give away what you do not have. Stay fresh in your walk with Christ."

Ruth McWhite was my mentor as I went through my college years at North Greenville University. She was over the women's ministry at NGU and I served as her intern for my junior and senior year. The impact that this woman has had on me and my ministry will last my entire lifetime. It would take WAY too much space to tell you everything she taught me, but something that stands out is how to be authentic and how to continually pursue my relationship with Jesus in the midst of life. Ruth allowed me into her life and was very open with me about how she was striving to become like Christ through the good and bad. I think two of the most impactful and practical things she demonstrated and instilled in me were the spiritual disciplines of memorizing scripture and journaling. Her walk with God has inspired so many people and I'm incredibly grateful for my time serving with her!

— Katie Casamassa