How the Ministry Began
As a ministry leader in the first century, Paul writes to his friend Timothy: “Do your utmost to come before winter” (2 Timothy 4:21, NKJV). Paul is grieving the loss of fellow workers, including one who has left the work. “Only Luke is with me,” he writes (4:11). Alone and in prison, Paul craves encouragement and the presence of friends as well as certain valuable items: “When you come, bring the cloak I left in Troas, and my scrolls, especially the parchment,” he urges (4:13).
Today’s Christian leaders experience winter. Though Paul spoke of the physical season of winter, we know that many Christian leaders experience “winters” of adversity, exhaustion, and burnout. Overwhelmed and discouraged, some workers will leave ministry altogether, while those who remain long for a familiar face, a kindred spirit, and tools and resources to support their work. Women in ministry, in particular, face many challenges. They are often overburdened and under-resourced. Their ministry is often not recognized or supported in the same way as that of their male counterparts. And so, women teach, serve, lead, disciple, and nurture generations of Christians using the resources at their disposal, which often include their own financial and emotional resources, leaving them feeling, at times, depleted.
Around the world, there is a significant need for people to come alongside Christian leaders, to bring what is lacking, and “come before winter.”
Since 2001, Come before Winter (CbW) has created opportunities for God to renew women in ministry around the world. Founded by Karen Alexander and a small group of Christian leaders, CbW has served more than 2,500 Kingdom workers through renewals and online classes. The mission of CbW is to renew, equip, honor, and unite women in ministry around the world.
CbW hosted its first renewal in Campinas, Brazil, in July 2001. Almost two months after the Campinas renewal, the events of September 11, 2001, threatened to shut down the ministry due to the difficulties of international travel, but in early 2002, invitations to serve women in Albania and Greece transformed this into a global mission. Since then, CbW has traveled to more than 30 countries, serving ministry leaders from a broad array of churches, mission teams, nonprofits, and NGOs. In addition to the 45 English-language renewals CbW has hosted for women, we have worked with national leaders to develop renewals in Russian, Spanish, Japanese, and Portuguese through our International Development Seminars.
CbW hosts conferences for the spiritual renewal of women in ministry. Our participants are women who lead in ministry, either as paid workers or volunteers. We serve those whose roles involve the day-in, day-out responsibility of mentoring others in God’s church and whose dedication to ministry consumes a major portion of their time and effort. This includes but is not limited to pastors, ministers, global workers, evangelists, Christian counselors, nonprofit and NGO workers, lay leaders in churches and ministries, the wives of church leaders, and many more. Our belief that drives our focus on leaders is this: when leaders are offered spaces for hope and healing, they are better able to do the work God has called them to, making them more effective and thus furthering the expansion of the Kingdom of God around the world.
CbW began with a group of women whom the Churches of Christ and the larger Stone-Campbell tradition had nurtured. Some of the leading gifts from that tradition shaped CbW’s ministry and values and continue to inform the work of CbW today. Those values include a commitment to unity in the name of Jesus Christ, an emphasis on Scripture, evident in thoughtful Bible study, and a high view of community and group participation in worship through congregational singing (which has historically been a cappella). The same values still serve CbW in our practice of hospitality and welcome to Christian leaders of all backgrounds, in the central role of paying attention to the Word, and in our practices of shared leadership and participation in worship. While our roots are in the Stone-Campbell movement, CbW serves women from across the denominational spectrum and works to make our programming as accessible as possible to a widely diverse group of participants.
Needs of Women in Ministry
Each CbW renewal provides a glimpse into the struggles and heartaches that many women in ministry face. In 2024, CbW began collecting data from participants about the challenges that are part of their everyday lives. Our data is preliminary; we expect to have more comprehensive statistics over time. However, these early results still offer insight into the challenges faced by women in ministry.
One reason CbW has started collecting data is that we have struggled to find helpful data specifically about women leaders in ministry on a global scale. The limited data that CbW has found regarding women in Christianity has not been sufficient to help us understand the challenges women in leadership face around the world. The data we have seen tends to focus on statistical measures such as the number of women in a particular region, within a specific denomination, or fields of professional ministry such as American missionaries, clergy, or seminary students.1 Other data is more general to all women in a particular region and is not broken down into categories that CbW finds useful for our work.2 Understanding of the significant role women play in the global church has certainly advanced,3 yet CbW needs more qualitative as well as quantitative data about women currently serving in both paid and unpaid ministry across the globe. The global church needs more information about the challenges women in ministry face in order to understand better and support them.
For this initial dataset, CbW collected data from women who participated in renewals in Oregon, USA, and Croatia. The majority of participants at the Oregon renewal live in the United States and Canada, with a few participants joining from the Philippines, Mexico, Kenya, and Rwanda. Participants in the Croatia renewal came from twenty different countries, including several Western, Central, and Eastern European countries, the UK, countries along the Mediterranean Rim, the United States, as well as Rwanda and Zimbabwe. Sixty-one participants out of a total of eighty-nine across these two renewals responded to the survey.
When asked to identify the challenges they face, 73% reported experiencing excessive responsibility, fatigue, and burnout. That means that three out of every four are saying they are carrying more than they can handle. 57% reported feeling isolated and lonely, 48% experienced relationship struggles with family members (parents, spouse, children, etc.), and 36% struggled with relationships with fellow leaders or teammates. Over one-third of respondents have relationship struggles within their church and/or ministry, 33% struggle with their physical health, and 30% have financial struggles. Over a quarter of respondents experience challenges due to their gender as women in ministry. Nearly one-third expressed doubt and uncertainty in their calling to ministry. Other areas that participants identified as challenges to their ministry include mental health struggles, a lack of resources, spiritual health struggles, relationship struggles with their supporting church(es)/sending organization, grief and loss, feeling overwhelmed with needs that they cannot meet, and caring for aging parents.
This data matches CbW’s experience of serving women in ministry for twenty-four years. While the number of people struggling with a particular challenge may fluctuate from region to region and over time, the types of struggles that participants typically describe to us remain relatively consistent.
Overwhelmingly, women in ministry are feeling overburdened with responsibilities. They are exhausted, and many are either already burned out or are approaching burnout. While men in ministry often also feel this way, the caregiving responsibilities many women carry in addition to their ministry duties create a level of stress that can feel unmanageable. Many of our participants are wives, mothers, and/or grandmothers who divide their time between home and ministry needs. Unmarried women are also often involved in caregiving within their extended family, through relationships with their co-workers or team members, or in their ministry context.
Several participants expressed that their caregiving responsibilities increased during the COVID-19 pandemic. As some global workers returned to their passport countries, many national leaders were left to carry on ministry without the additional resources and support they previously had. The global workers who suddenly exited their ministry during the pandemic also felt guilt, shame, and grief. Often, women took on additional caretaking or educational responsibilities for children, which led to extreme stress and isolation. Some had to take on the care of aging parents, relatives, neighbors, or community members. Even as pandemic-level isolation has reduced or ended globally, several of the increased responsibilities have remained, and women are carrying even more than they were five years ago, without a plan for relief in sight.
Many of the participants CbW serves express a desire for more training and resources to equip them for their spiritual journeys and callings to ministry. They are often pulled into teaching roles or other leadership positions for which they do not feel adequately prepared. Some participants would like more formal theological education through university or seminary training, but struggle to find support within their denominations or communities to pursue those desires. Others want opportunities to learn new techniques and pedagogies to improve their biblical study and teaching skills. Still others struggle with running an organization or ministry without sufficient preparation or resources. This lack of opportunity for further education and professional development is one of the reasons our participants cite for doubting their calling to ministry. They feel like frauds and believe that others might be better suited to lead within their ministries, or they struggle to believe that God would call someone like them to lead a particular work.
CbW serves women in a wide variety of ministry roles, both paid and volunteer. One of the most common points of connection across these various roles is the isolation and loneliness they feel. As leaders, they are often held to standards (by others or by themselves) that are impossible to maintain consistently. They think they must not make mistakes and are unable to share their struggles with others without feeling shame. The expectations around their behavior, as well as those of their family members, can feel like heavy burdens that are beyond their control. This difficulty is common among both global workers and national leaders. Global workers also cite the challenges of adapting to their host culture, often struggling with a new language or navigating unspoken cultural rules and expectations. In addition to the cultural and/or linguistic challenges many of our participants face, they feel isolated due to their call to ministry. They have made lifestyle choices that differentiate them from the dominant culture. Even if they live in their passport country, participants often feel like outsiders because their interests and lifestyle are counter-cultural.
CbW serves women in various life stages and situations that can also contribute to their feelings of loneliness. In most renewals, we serve at least a couple of participants who are struggling with infertility or miscarriages, which is a unique and isolating type of grief that can be challenging to navigate, particularly if the woman is living far from home and attempting to navigate an unfamiliar healthcare system. For some, the journey of early motherhood has been overwhelming, and they are facing unexpected feelings of grief or resentment at the way their life has suddenly changed after having children. On top of the major life transition to parenthood, many women grieve being far from their families, unable to access the network of support they need to navigate the early days with a baby. Others may be struggling with postpartum anxiety or depression. Many of our unmarried participants feel isolated because there can be a natural and invisible separation between ministry leaders and those they serve, making it hard for those who are unmarried to find a community in which they can share honestly and openly about hard things. Women whose children have left home often feel isolated as their role in the family has shifted. They have spent years devoting time and energy to raising their children, and now they must find new ways to spend their time. For some, their children and grandchildren live far away, and they struggle to stay connected to their loved ones while remaining focused on their ministry.
The women we serve often struggle to navigate conflict or challenges within their relationships. At times, these can be marital or family conflicts. As leaders, they often feel as though their relationships are under constant scrutiny by the people they serve, who look to them as examples, and therefore do not feel able to share vulnerably with others about the conflicts they are experiencing. Others worry that if they share about their relational challenges, their supporting church and/or sending organization may withdraw their support. So, they choose to live with painful family conflict in order to continue serving in their ministry. Relational conflict also occurs within teams or organizations. In some contexts, the stress of this conflict is heightened by the participant’s gender, as some teams, organizations, denominations, and/or cultures tend to prioritize the voices of men in leadership. Some women in these situations feel unheard and without recourse to resolve the conflict they are experiencing if they do not have a male advocate to speak on their behalf.
In some spaces, women are overlooked for leadership positions or promotions due to their gender. They may begin to wonder whether secular work might be preferable due to the limited career advancement possibilities before them. At times, women can feel singled out due to their gender in situations where they are not allowed to meet with men. They often strive to achieve goals similar to those of their male counterparts, but without access to the same networks, funding sources, or resources, which can lead to feelings of frustration and defeat.
Women in ministry face numerous challenges, some unique to their gender and others that are common to anyone who decides to step into Kingdom work. The net effect of all these situations is that women often find themselves on the brink of stepping away from their calling, believing this to be the only solution unless something changes. It is at that critical moment, as “winter” approaches, that CbW steps in to carry out our unique mission: providing space for women in ministry to be renewed by God to continue in the work of their calling.
Come before Winter’s work
Currently, CbW hosts two international renewals each year and offers regular online classes. Each renewal lasts five days and four nights for participants at a hotel or retreat center. The locations for our renewals rotate, allowing us to serve women in every region of the world every four to five years. CbW brings a team of fourteen to sixteen servant leaders to teach, encourage, equip, and connect with forty-two to forty-eight participants. Our team members raise the costs of lodging, meals, and the program to offer the event as a gift to participants at no charge to them.
Our events are called “renewals” rather than “retreats.” While providing women a break from work, family, and community responsibilities is a vital part of a CbW renewal, the focus of our events is intensive time with God and with sisters in Christ who understand their struggles. Every renewal is oriented around a particular book of the Bible, with all scheduled activities deriving from and illuminating themes, ideas, and messages from that text. Built into our schedules is time for relaxation and rest, but our primary goal is creating opportunities for women to experience holistic spiritual formation that leads to transformative renewal.
At the heart of CbW’s culture is a dedication to Christian unity. CbW has served women from 85 countries, from across the denominational spectrum, of all ages, races, and stages of life. Without this focus on unity, it would be easy for renewals to become divisive or exclusive in ways that could further damage relationships and the reach of the Kingdom of God in a particular time or region. CbW invites participants to focus on the core of the Gospel that connects them and on their experience at the renewal rather than on things that might divide them. CbW’s commitment to unity means that for five days, participants can focus solely on hearing God’s voice through the renewal programming and their sisters in Christ. Deep bonds form among women as they get to know one another in a space in which they are encouraged to take off the normal “hats” they wear—their day-to-day roles, job titles, and other markers of success—and simply be themselves. Participants often express surprise at how quickly and easily they are known and loved for who they are rather than what they do or how they help others. They regularly cite CbW’s recognition of their value apart from their ministry roles as an antidote to the loneliness and isolation many of them experience in their contexts. Even if they struggle to connect with others in their community, they often feel connected to and embraced by the women they meet through CbW, who understand their hearts and desires in ministry.
CbW is in a unique position to support women in ministry because we are not a sending or supporting church or organization. We partner with churches and organizations in several ways, but we are an impartial, parachurch organization with no specific mission, effort, or funding invested in a region, denomination, or movement. Because of this, women often trust CbW team members with some of their heaviest burdens. We hear about conflict, grief, pain, and brokenness. Because we are with them for only five days, we recognize that our role is not to fix or even give advice on how participants should navigate their struggles. Our role is to listen, validate their feelings, support them, recommend resources that might be helpful in their own discernment, and, most importantly, to point them to God with their questions, doubts, and heartaches.
CbW is known for the thoroughness of our planning and our attention to detail. From overarching information such as the location, the meals and amenities, and the schedule to more minor details such as the emotional flow of events, the pairing of prayer partners, the type and timing of gifts, and the layout of the conference notebook, CbW works to ensure that participants feel well taken care of. Women often comment on how much it means to have someone else attending meticulously and lovingly to the details since they are usually the ones paying attention to such things in their ministries. One participant told us, “Women in ministry desperately need to receive and be ‘off duty’ for some time to recharge and not be ‘in charge’ and not feel pressure for an event to run well!” Our goal is to attend to the details so well that participants can focus solely on spending time with God.
One of the distinguishing characteristics of a CbW renewal is our curriculum. Our curricula incorporate four pillars: Bible study, worship, prayer, and reflection. Participants leave CbW renewals with deep insights from the Lord, equipped to continue their ministry with new passion and often with new skills that they can apply to their spiritual journeys as well as their ministry. CbW curricula always include new Bible study techniques, personal and communal spiritual practices, examples of teaching methodologies, and intentional team dynamics that participants often cite after a renewal as transformative to their work and personal discipleship.
In July 2024, CbW launched our newest curriculum on the book of Habakkuk. As many people continue to grapple with the effects of the pandemic, wars, and division, Christian leaders often find themselves struggling with the brokenness they see in their own lives, their relationships, their ministries, and their communities. CbW’s new curriculum, Yet I Will, invites women in ministry to experience God’s presence even amid heartbreak, complaints, and grief.
We launched this new curriculum at a renewal in Croatia in July 2024, serving 47 women from 20 countries. All of the participants we served are involved in disciple-making and ministry in Europe, the UK, the Mediterranean Rim, the Middle East, parts of Africa, or in under-served communities in the United States. Many arrived at the renewal feeling burned out and isolated, unsure of how to continue the slow, deliberate, difficult work of discipling others, especially in cultures that react to the gospel message with disinterest or even hostility. After a dedicated period of lamenting and grieving to God with their sisters, hours of eye-opening Bible study, intentional and meaningful worship, and prayer times, as well as opportunities for personal reflection, each participant experienced closeness with God and gained new insights to sustain her upon her return to ministry.
By the end of our time together, each one had identified specific ways in her own life and ministry that she would join with the prophet Habakkuk in trusting God’s faithfulness or laying the groundwork to rebuild trust in God that may have been shaken by grief or pain. So often, ministry leaders do not have a place to express their pain because they are attending to the wounds of others. This renewal offered dedicated space for participants to experience God’s transformative, creative presence in their hearts, even if the brokenness in their lives and ministries remains.
Over the years, CbW has developed curricula covering a variety of biblical texts. These texts include Mark, Philippians, the book of Psalms through the lens of Psalm 103, Exodus, Matthew, 1 Peter, and Habakkuk. With each curriculum, CbW has utilized a unique exegetical focus, a study skill that serves as one of the objectives for the week. We aim to provide participants with a tool they can utilize in personal and corporate study when they return to their ministry contexts. Our curricula both model this study skill and provide participants with opportunities to practice it in various ways throughout the week. In addition to exegetical skills, CbW curricula also introduce at least one type of spiritual or contemplative practice that connects to the text and offers participants new ways to connect with God, both personally and within their community. Spiritual practices we have taught include praying the Psalms, communal discernment, artistic reflection, embodied prayer that connects movement with words from scripture, several lectio divina practices, and breath prayer.
CbW’s renewals are often significant spiritual experiences for our participants, serving as transition points or markers in their faith journeys where they can see God’s direction clearly for their lives amid the challenges they face. Participants regularly tell us that it impacted their vocational journeys as well, as they were on the verge of leaving ministry or were struggling to remain on the field when they arrived at our event. Spending five days with CbW allowed them to experience the spiritual renewal they had been seeking.
Kim Solis, a long-time worker in Mexico and the USA, shared this with CbW:
In 2004, I was nearly burned out; I had been on the mission field for 13 years and was desperately looking for a way to return home. Instead of opening the doors for my exodus, God sent a group of angels to strengthen me. They came before my winter, renewed my spirit, helping me to continue to serve in Mexico another 13 years! Over the years, I attended seven more renewals and cannot say enough about what this ministry has meant to me and how it has strengthened me in critical times of weakness.
We have seen time and again how providing opportunities for deep spiritual renewal and intensive time with God has transformed the lives of Christian leaders, their marriages and
families, their ministries, and their outreach in ways that we never could have expected. CbW focuses on growing and supporting Christian leaders, who in turn disciple and nurture countless followers of Christ around the globe. CbW believes that when women in ministry thrive, the global church grows and flourishes.
How can Churches and Organizations Support Women in Ministry?
In every corner of the globe, women are serving, discipling, teaching, and leading. Through the loving leadership of women, the Kingdom of God is manifested on earth to many in need of hope, love, and grace. Women are vital to the advancement of the Kingdom, and it is imperative that women feel renewed, supported, and equipped to lead globally. Based on our twenty-four years of ministry to women, we have gleaned the following recommendations, which we are sharing here to help churches and organizations support the women leading in their ranks.
- Listen with curiosity
Unfortunately, many CbW participants have shared over the years how rarely they are genuinely listened to. Often, their struggles or needs become agenda items in a meeting rather than the subject of heartfelt conversations. Good listening takes time and trust. Many women in the past have shared their struggles with untrustworthy people and have been hurt. As a result, they may be wary about opening up. Establishing trust is a vital first step toward hearing what women truly need, want, or experience. Churches and organizations should be cautious when strategizing or trying to “solve” their struggles. Often, what women need most is to feel heard, seen, and understood. Women are remarkably creative and resourceful. They will often discover the answers to their challenges through their ingenuity and in collaboration with others. But before that can occur, they need validation and an opportunity to share their heart with someone open and caring. Once that has happened, then women ought to be included in strategizing for future change.
It can be challenging to listen attentively to others when their experiences, perspectives, and needs differ from our own or those of the dominant culture within a church, ministry, or organization. However, it is in the midst of this tension that Christ invites us to be humble, gracious, and open. CbW has a set of core values that help govern our decisions and practices. One of these values articulates this concept well: “Because of our common faith in Christ, we assume the best in others, practice grace in all our interactions, and seek a posture of curiosity without judgment.” Seeking a posture of curiosity without judgment means that we aim to respond to feedback, criticism, or conflict with an attitude of exploration rather than defensiveness. We seek a non-judgmental perspective, acting as detectives to unearth helpful information that can help us improve. It is easy to feel defensive in the face of opposition or negative emotions. Still, we attempt to notice those feelings in ourselves and then push through them to a posture of curiosity without judgment, which allows us to hear and understand the other’s perspective truly.
As Christian leaders, it can be challenging to slow down enough to truly listen to others without trying to “solve” differences. Curiosity invites us to adopt a posture of learning rather than one of solving. When we position ourselves as learners, we gain the opportunity to grow from the wisdom and insights of women. Many of our organizations and faith traditions have lacked the voices of women in leadership. Regardless of scriptural interpretation or doctrinal position regarding the leadership of women, women are leading and serving in ministry in every context, whether or not that leadership is formalized or recognized. Making space to listen to the challenges, ideas, and experiences of women with openness and curiosity will ultimately bless everyone.
Often, people wait until there is a serious conflict or struggle before taking the time to listen to women’s experiences. Making listening opportunities a consistent feature of an organization’s culture can foster a sense of trust and unity. If and when conflict or struggle arises, women are more likely to be open and share their hurt or frustration if they are provided with consistent and regular opportunities to be heard.
- Create welcoming spaces
Through the gift of hospitality, women often bless others by making them feel seen and nurtured. However, women in leadership rarely find themselves on the receiving end of hospitality; therefore, one way to support female leaders is by intentionally creating spaces of hospitality for them. Any woman who is accustomed to planning and hosting finds great relief when others initiate invitations and think through the details of a gathering or event. Such a gathering can be as informal as a lunch or coffee invitation or as extensive as an event created specifically for women, where others attend to the details. The purpose is to ensure that women in leadership know they are seen and loved for who they are, not just for what they do.
One of the best ways for women in leadership to avoid burnout and feelings of isolation and loneliness is to be part of a hospitable community of like-minded women. Such a community might mean connecting with others within the same ministry or organization. It also means having the time and space to develop relationships with others outside of their regular community. Through in-person or virtual gatherings, women can build community with others who help them feel seen and known. At times, it can be helpful for male leaders to encourage women to take advantage of these opportunities, as women often prioritize others’ needs over their own. How best to do this will differ according to the circumstances, but being thoughtful about carving out space and encouraging opportunities for connection with other female leaders can be lifegiving. Churches and organizations might consider supporting women in attending events such as a CbW renewal or other women’s events in their region.
- Support women in leadership
As communities, it can be easy to take for granted the ways in which women lead and serve. It is vital that women in ministry feel seen and understood, so they can continue in their ministry for years to come. Recognizing the unique challenges that women in ministry face can be a valuable step in supporting them more effectively. Listening to their stories, experiences, and perspectives helps understand the challenges they encounter. Working with women in leadership should help develop policies, procedures, and practices that take into consideration their struggles.
Women often serve without sufficient resources. Whenever possible, churches and organizations should prioritize the ministry of women in their funding decisions and allocations. In ministry, funding, time, and energy are often scarce. Recognizing the unique ways women serve and lead by offering resources such as salaries or stipends and budget line items not only encourages the woman who is leading, but it also deepens and extends her ability to minister. Many disciples around the world are made because of the loving relationships they experience with women. Those women need resources, support, and encouragement.
And remember the most accessible resource of all – prayer. Pray with and for the women who serve in your community and across the globe. They face unique challenges that often require creativity and resourcefulness to solve. They deserve opportunities to connect with the Lord and with others through prayer.
Opportunities to Connect with CbW
CbW currently offers two renewals per year. In 2025, we plan to host renewals in Central America and the South Pacific. Women can also connect with CbW through our online classes. These classes focus on various biblical texts and Christian spiritual practices. Participants from over fifty countries worldwide have found online community and spiritual nourishment through our classes.
To learn more about the ministry Come before Winter offers to women in ministry, please visit our website, comebeforewinter.org, or follow us on Facebook (facebook.com/cbwrenewals) or Instagram (@cbwrenewals). If you would like to join our email list to receive regular updates, head to comebeforewinter.org/subscribe. If you are interested in learning more about our upcoming renewals or would like to apply, go to comebeforewinter.org/renewals.
Jocelyn is the executive director of Come before Winter (http://comebeforewinter.org), an international organization that provides spiritual renewal opportunities for women in ministry. Jocelyn has previously worked in education, fundraising, and non-profit administration for a variety of ministries, non-profit organizations, and universities. In addition to her ministry with CbW, Jocelyn is involved in adult education, pastoral care, and worship ministry at her church. She holds a BFA and MA from Abilene Christian University and an MFA from Ohio University. She and her husband, Mark, live in Lubbock, Texas with their three children.
1 For example, Rev. Dr. Eileen Campbell-Reed, n.d., Review of State of Clergywomen in the US: A Statistical Update. State of Clergywomen. Accessed January 14, 2025, https://eileencampbellreed.org/wp-content/uploads/Downloads/State-of-Clergywomen-US-2018-web.pdf.
2 For comprehensive data regarding various aspects of women’s lives around the world, see “How We Work: Research and Data,” UN Women, n.d., accessed January 14, 2025, https://www.unwomen.org/en/how-we-work/research-and-data. “The Womanstats Project,” n.d., www.womanstats.org. https://www.womanstats.org/index.htm.
3 Gina A. Zurlo, Women in World Christianity: Building and Sustaining a Global Movement (John Wiley & Sons, 2023). Zurlo offers comprehensive statistics, analysis, and historical perspectives on the role of women in the global church in this excellent and much-needed resource.
