Three years ago, Anne Brown prayerfully sought a way to help connect and support the pastor’s wives in the Charis Fellowship. Thrive Pastor’s Wives Network was born through monthly Zoom meetings for prayer, regional shepherds offering encouragement, and even a few regional gatherings. Thrive set out to gather, encourage, and equip the women who find themselves called to the ministry of pastor’s wife.
Pastors and their families are a vital piece of the local church. Pastor’s wives are as unique and varied as the families and roles in which they find themselves. But no matter the church size or structure, no matter the role or responsibilities, we need each other. So Thrive continues to grow and serve our Fellowship.
Recently Anne stepped down to focus on her role as grandmother and the ministry began to pray for the next director and for the future of the ministry. It was recently announced that Megan Johnson is the new incoming director. Megan and her husband, Adam, minister at Journey Church in Warrington, Pa.
Below is a word of hope from Megan herself.
My name is Megan Johnson and I have been married to a Charis pastor for 17 years.
After a decade of serving in youth and young adult ministry in western and central Pennsylvania, Adam and I moved to the Philadelphia suburbs to help plant what would birth JOURNEY Church. It is a gift of grace to worship with a beautiful group of believers here and minister not only as the pastor’s wife but as JOURNEY Church’s Director ofDiscipleship as well. This is secondary to the gift and privilege of nurturing, shepherding, discipling and stewarding four awesome humans: Isaiah (15), Toby (12), Jack (9), and Josie (6).
Over the years, the only thing I’ve found to be more unique than this calling of “pastor’s wife” is the uniqueness of each woman fulfilling it! Because of this, the role of “pastor’s wife” can often feel isolating, confusing, exhausting, and lonely, even as it is fulfilling, exhilarating, sanctifying, joyful, and beautifully purposeful.
The heart behind Thrive’s ministry is that even in your unique personality, unique gifting, and unique context, you would discover a sisterhood of women with whom you can pursue Jesus alongside. It is our hope that you would find encouragement, safety, understanding, accountability, and support as you run the race to which God has called you.
As I prayed about the ministry of Thrive, Psalm 144:12 came to mind. There the psalmist prays,
“May our sons in their youth be like plants full grown, our daughters like corner pillars
cut for the structure of a palace…” (ESV)
Corner pillars are load bearing beams that support the very structure of the palace. They are valuable, strong, and crucial to the stability of the building. The NIV translates this word picture as “pillars carved to adorn a palace.” Friend, you are valuable to the Church and your very life is meant to show the incomparable beauty of the gospel of Jesus. Your current load may be heavy, but you serve a Savior whose yoke is easy and whose burden is light.
I am praying Ephesians 3:19 for you – that you would “know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with the fullness of God.”
May you bathe in the truth that you are infinitely loved not because of what you do, where you serve, or who you are married to, but because YOU ARE HIS. May you marinate in the character of the One who made you, redeemed you, and to whom you belong. May you dance to the song of His delight in you and rest in incomprehensibility of His grace. May your identity be found in the value placed on you in the garden and secured for you at the cross. May your roots go deep into the Gospel, like a tree planted by streams of living water. May His strength be perfect in your weakness. May His doctrine be adorned in your life. And may His fullness cause you to thrive.
A version of this story originally appeared in a newsletter from Thrive. Get more info about the ministry on their website here.