5 challenges women face as they live out their calling at work
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My journey to discovering these challenges began in 2006. As a newly minted Christ-follower at 45, I searched for a tribe to join, finally deciding I belonged with other Christian professional working women.
But during my search, I couldn't find them in any of the Atlanta-area Christian marketplace events. In fact, I was the only woman in those meetings.
The Lord was revealing something was amiss, and I felt led to develop Christian women CEO roundtables starting around 2010. While filling these groups was difficult, we did pull several together. I interviewed hundreds of women during that time, and many of their stories and the desires of their hearts moved me.
In 2015, the Lord nudged me to write a book about leadership journeys of Christian women CEOs in the marketplace. The process of transcribing, writing and editing the book brought the challenges up to the surface, but not in complete clarity.
It wasn't until 2019, while working with Jim and Martha Brangenberg at the iWork4Him podcast, that I brought these issues up to them. We discussed where we could find and engage more women in conversations about faith at work.
And then it hit me. During all those interviews for my book, the women had told me what kept them from being in and visible in the marketplace with their faith. They shared what impeded them from thriving in their calling.
Before I get into these top five challenges, I want to express that this post is written to, and for, both men and women. We all need to be more aware of how to lift up our sisters in Christ.
1. Many Christian working women are not affirmed in their spiritual gifts or their natural gifts, talents and abilities.
It's been my personal experience and observations where I live, work and play, that it's rare for Christian working women to be surrounded by people who affirm them in their spiritual gifts, natural abilities, skills or talent.
These gifts are not often acknowledged by their peers or management. Neither are they often affirmed in their home, and it's rare that women are affirmed or even invited to use their gifts in their church.
What can we do? Become sensitive to the women at your workplace, your home and your church. Observe the culture in these areas. If you see women left out or ignored, speak up, include them, be a role model that recognizes and affirms them in your speech and actions, and affirm the God-given abilities, gifts and talents in these women, especially your female family members.
2. Christian working women are rarely affirmed in their work or their calling.
This sounds like the first challenge, but it's different. Christian working women are rarely affirmed at work, or in their chosen career or industry. They have rarely been spoken to about their calling (the tugging in their heart or the previous journeys God has led them on which often disclose a pattern), been coached or mentored in their calling, or educated in their calling.
What can we do? If a woman in your sphere (work, church or family) has a clear calling, talk to her about it. Look her in the eyes and say, "I see your gifting. I believe in the calling God has placed on your life." If there is training, a seminary or college you have ties to or a mentoring program available, open a space up for her. Connect her or refer her into the program.
3. Christian working women are rarely mentored by other Christian professional women.
This is the one that most grieves my heart. And the one that most needs to be called out. Women do not often mentor other women, even in Christian circles.
We need to consciously change this now. This is a biblical mandate. Men have been mentoring each other since the beginning of time. We women have no excuse. We simply don't do it.
What can we do? Women, mentor another woman. Just one. It doesn't have to be another thing on your to-do list. Invite her into your existing life, i.e. family dinner or event, work life, meetings you lead, Bible studies you're a part of, etc. Zoom over a cup of coffee, let her tell you what she needs, and see if you can make it work, for both of you.
4. Christian working women have very little community and what they do have access to is limited.
We all know churches offer groups and Bible studies for women. And in this day and age, there is no reason our churches and organizations cannot provide myriad formats, days and times convenient for working moms and working women in general.
What can we do? If you are a leader in a church, non-profit, business, parachurch or other organization that offers classes, training or small groups, are they working-woman friendly? Are they single-woman friendly? Are they working-mom friendly? Do they encourage the integration of faith and work? If not, the groups are shutting out easily half the women that need to be served. And they're stunting the Kingdom growth these women could contribute to in the marketplace and other areas of culture.
5. Christian women leaders struggle to engage with peers because their schedules are so full.
Many women have two jobs, often three. My mother used to say, "A man may work from sun to sun, but a woman's work is never done."
Women often don't have assistants or a partner that shares half the load at home. A woman's job may end at 5 pm, but her other two jobs are just starting up again: managing the house and caring for the family.
What can you do?If you are a woman, learn how to say no and live from your priorities. Learn how to be a master of time management. Outsource parts of your work and home management. If you're a man who has a woman in his life, help her. Take the Sabbath (whatever day that is for you) together. Ask her what you can do to be of most help.
Intentionally affirming women in their gifts and calling will help build the Kingdom of God more fully. Let's not leave half of the body of Christ wondering about themselves. We can—and should—help them develop the confidence and clarity they need to live their calling.
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More on Faith in the Workplace
- There are no excuses for not sharing your faith (by Tom Crenshaw)
- Steps to Launching Your Personal Workplace Ministry (by )
- Why politically driven CEOs are prone to breaking the rules (by Christian Muntean)
- At work…on two jobs! (by WorkLife Success)
