Written by: Amy Tyson
Amy Tyson is married to Adam and they’re raising two boys. After living for nearly a decade in Sheffield, England, the Tysons now live in California where they’re part of Sovereign Grace Church of Bakersfield. Amy previously taught English and is grateful for ten years of work in research, writing, and editing for Christian organizations.
This following content was originally published on Acts 29’s website, linked here: https://www.acts29.com/supporting-pastors-wives-for-long-lasting-ministry/
While serving Christ’s church involves sincere joy and purpose, there are times when the unique challenges of church planting and pastoral ministry feel overwhelming—not just for pastors, but for their wives, too. Acts 29’s commitment to planting healthy, multiplying churches extends beyond caring for pastors and includes caring for pastors’ wives.
The Acts 29 US wives support team works to provide a safety net of care for every pastor’s wife in our US network. These women come alongside hurting and overwhelmed wives in their region with the encouragement to press on in ministry.
When the road seems too dark and difficult to navigate alone, these wives stand together as sisters in arms, encouraging one another in faith, marriage, and ministry. Here are just three stories showing the sustaining impact of supporting pastors’ wives.
Help in the Moment
One wife shared how another Acts 29 wife’s simple, sincere care helped her move through a panic attack brought about by ministry challenges:
“We’ve had a lot of really painful conversations at our church the last few months. It felt endless. I confided in some of the Acts 29 wives in my area and asked for prayers and advice. One day it was particularly bad, and I started having what I now know was a panic attack. I texted the Acts 29 wives for prayer. One of these women reached out immediately to ask if she could call me. She listened to a five-minute synopsis of how to pray and then prayed over me on the phone. I cried through her entire prayer, but it was exactly the release I needed to keep going. I finally took a deep breath and was able to function. It was a memorable moment in our friendship.”
Through the wives support team, women can ask for prayer from those who understand but aren’t mired in the same difficult situation. A little distance from the drama plus a lot of empathy and biblical wisdom can be a moment-by-moment lifeline during challenging times. I cried through her entire prayer, but it was exactly the release I needed to keep going. I finally took a deep breath and was able to function.CLICK TO TWEET
Taking a Break to Carry On
Sometimes a pastor and his wife need time alone, away from church pressures. This isn’t a luxury but a necessity for ongoing, healthy, gospel ministry. Even good things, like rapid growth, can lead to severe challenges. Sara Davis serves as the Acts 29 wives support coordinator for US West. She told the following story of one overwhelmed couple getting support when they needed it most:
“One Acts 29 pastor was having a hard time after experiencing explosive growth in the church. While the growth was positive, it was overwhelming because the church didn’t have all the systems to manage and connect the influx of new people in place. On top of that, this pastor was experiencing health problems. His wife reached out to her Acts 29 lead support wife to share the situation and mentioned that getting out of town for the night would help them. Our Acts 29 lead support wife jumped into action. She booked them a hotel for that very weekend. During their visit, our lead support wife and her husband heard their story, shared lunch, and cared for them—all with just a couple of days’ notice.”
The Simple Power of Connection
Recently, an Acts 29 church had to face a difficult staffing situation which upset many church members. They began calling and writing letters to the elders, and the lead pastor spent hours meeting with many upset people. One of our lead support wives reached out to this pastor’s wife with a simple check-in—and found that she wasn’t doing well. They arranged to meet for coffee. Sara Davis said,
“This wife shared that she cried when she received the text. So many people were upset with her husband, no one had taken the time to see how she was doing, and she was really sad. She’d lost a friend during the whole ordeal and struggled to watch her husband under fire. By the simple act of one fellow pastor’s wife asking how she was doing amid all the pressure, she felt seen and loved.”
The Acts 29 wives support team steps into difficult situations to offer gospel counsel and steady friendship.CLICK TO TWEET
Whether it’s quick action in a crisis or the prayers and phone calls of an understanding friend, the Acts 29 wives support team steps into difficult situations to offer gospel counsel and steady friendship. To endure as a Christian—not to mention in ministry—we all need fellowship and help from brothers and sisters who will point us to our glorious Savior.
If you’re an Acts 29 pastor’s wife in the US and you’re not connected with the wives support team, contact the Director of Wives Support today.
