I am very thankful for my mother. She was faithful in loving me, caring for me, tending to me, counseling me, and just always being there. I am also thankful for the many church mommas I’ve had over the years. Strong and faithful women of God who taught me the Bible, pointed me in the right direction, and corrected me when I was wrong. I am thankful for those church mommas that could do things and say things that I could not do and say as a pastor. I am thankful for those church mommas that were my greatest prayer warriors and supporters. I am thankful for those church mommas who defended me and protected me and even praised me around others. I am thankful for those church mommas that kept me straight and was not afraid to correct me when needed. Unfortunately, the church today is lacking in those old fashioned church mommas. Perhaps that is our own fault. We reacted to the liberalism of our day and the rise of women serving in areas of leadership that in our efforts to stand strong on God’s Word, we dismissed the value of women in the church. Don’t get me wrong. I firmly believe that we should stay true to God’s design for the home, the church, and the community. Men should be in the leadership roles of the home, church, and community as instructed in the Bible. However, though women should not serve in the office of pastor and other areas of leadership, we cannot underestimate the value of women in our society and in the church. We need Godly women in the church that are strong and powerful and respected. Godly women who can do what the pastor cannot do. Without such Godly women, the church would not exist.

                Hear what the Word of the Lord says. “Indeed, true companion, I ask you also to help these women who have shared my struggle in the cause of the gospel, together with Clement also and the rest of my fellow workers, whose names are in the book of life.” (Colossians 1:3)^[1] “When I call to remembrance the genuine faith that is in you, which dwelt first in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice, and I am persuaded is in you also.” (2 Timothy 1:5)^[2] “So they may encourage the young women to love their husbands and to love their children, to be self-controlled, pure, homemakers, kind, and submissive  to their husbands, so that God’s message  will not be slandered.” (Titus 2:4-5)^[3] “Women must likewise be dignified, not malicious gossips, but temperate, faithful in all things.” (1 Timothy 3:11)^[4] “In Joppa  there was a disciple named Tabitha, which is translated Dorcas.  She was always doing good works and acts of charity.” (Acts 9:36)^[5]

            What we desperately need now more than ever is faithful church mommas. Strong respected women in the church that everyone listens to and no one would dare to cross.

            We need church mommas that loves the Lord above all else. In Matthew 22:37 Jesus said to, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.”^[6]We need church mommas that simply loves Jesus. We need church mommas who truly loves the Lord. Who has a deep personal and special relationship with Jesus. Have you ever known a godly woman that just has such a closeness with the Lord that you sense the presence of God every time you are around her? A church momma that loves the Lord above all else will have a certain presence about her. You can sense her closeness with the Lord. It shows in the words that she says and in the behavior she displays.

            We need church mommas that are faithful to the church. Hebrews 10:25 says, “not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.”^[7] There are no two ways about, not attending corporate worship when you are physically able to do so is a grave sin. The writer of Hebrews was referencing the gathering of God’s people for corporate worship and for the hearing of the preaching of God’s Word. He says that the closer we get to the return of Christ, the more we should meet together. However, we live in a day when the corporate gathering of God’s people for worship and preaching is no longer a priority. I hate to step on your toes, but if you attend Sunday School and other gatherings but purposely and intentionally choose to not attend church worship services, you are living in disobedience to God’s Word. The scripture tells us that to “whom that knows to do good and doeth it not, to him it is sin.”  The problem is that we have immature baby Christians when they get their feathers rustled they stop attending church services. This is wrong. This is sin. We need church mommas that are not only faithful to the church but they are bold in calling out others who are not. As some have said, “when I was younger, I had a drug problem, my momma drugged me to church every Sunday.” My friend, there is nothing wrong with that. We need old fashioned mommas that says, “honey, you are going to church with your mother or grandmother every time the church doors are open, and that is not an option!” People say today, “well you can’t say those kind of things today; you can’t make children go to church, that’s spiritual abuse.” Hogwash! Where are those old fashioned church mommas that has a slew of kids sitting with her in church, many of whom are not her own? We need church mommas that not only love the Lord, but loves the house of God. We need church mommas that set the example of faithfulness to the church that being here is a top priority. We need those church mommas whose lives revolve around their involvement in the church. We need those church mommas that the pastor can count on will always be there with a smile cheering him on as he preaches the Word.

            We need church mommas that will teach young women how to dress. 1 Timothy 2:9 says, “in like manner also, that the women adorn themselves in modest apparel, with propriety and moderation, not with braided hair or gold or pearls or costly clothing.”^[8] Faithful church mommas can have conversations that need to be had that the pastor cannot engage in. Over the years, I have served in various roles in the church. Both as a youth pastor and a senior pastor that was in a place where I also had to build a youth and children’s ministry from the ground up. In every place I’ve been I would identify one or two church mommas that I could trust and that everyone in the church respected. When a young lady showed up to church or to a youth event in immodest attire, I could count on that precious church momma to pull that young girl aside and help her in way that only a church momma could. Listen to me now. We need precious, faithful, well-respected older women in the church that can teach our younger women and girls that they are beautiful. That they do not need to dress in a way that draws attention to themselves, for they are beautiful as they are. Instead, they should dress in a way that honors the Lord and draws people to their inner beauty and to Christ, rather than to themselves. This is a conversation that can only be effective from a loving, yet stern church momma.

            We need church mommas that will teach women their value in the home. Titus 2:4 says, “that they admonish the young women to love their husbands, to love their children, to be discreet, chaste, homemakers, good, obedient to their own husbands, that the word of God may not be blasphemed.”^[9] Let me begin this encouragement by saying that God’s way is always the best away. Though it may go against the culture norm, we must understand that God’s way is that husband and wife have different God-given responsibilities in relation to the home. The reason our society is crumbling today is because we have torn apart the very fabric of our society, which is the make-up of the home. Women have a very high value in the home because it is their God-given responsibility to take care of their husband and their children and to be good keepers of the home. This does not mean she cannot work outside the home, however, her work outside the home must not cause her to neglect her responsibility in the home. The man is no different. He has certain God-given responsibilities to be the spiritual leader of his home, to protect and provide for his family, and to nurture and care for his wife. His job outside the home does not negate him from his responsibility in the home. The same is true for the wife. Church mommas should teach young women in the church the value and importance of being a good homemaker. I believe the church does well to have home economics classes available where older women in the church teach younger women how to prepare a meal, clean the house, sow, and do other necessary tasks that makes a good home. A good church momma takes pride in teaching young women in the church these things.

            We need church mommas that are bold in speaking the truth. Ephesians 4:15 tells us, “Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ.”^[10] This does not just mean we are to speak the truth in a loving way. Rather, we are to speak the truth because we love. A good church momma will have such a love for others in the church, both men and women, that they do not shy from speaking the truth. Sometimes, there are hard things that need to be said that cannot come from the pastor. A good church momma has a way of saying those hard things in a way that is respected by all.

            We need church mommas that loves and defends her pastor. 1 Timothy 5:17 says, “Let the elders who rule well be considered worthy of double honor, especially those who labor in preaching and teaching.”^[11] In the over 25 years that I served in full-time ministry, I have been blessed to have some church mommas that loved me as their own. They loved their pastor and took care of their pastor. Several times over the years when there was problem in the church, a trusted church momma would say to her pastor, “don’t worry about it, keep on preaching, stay faithful, and I’ll take care of it.” I don’t know what that precious lady would do, but that church problem would simply go away. I have been blessed to have some church mommas that would chew me out up and down (and I deserved it to). However, in her view, she was the only one that had the right to do so. If someone else in the church attacked me, look out, the wrath of that church momma was about to fall. To a good church momma, you don’t mess with her pastor. Church mommas are a pastor’s best friend.

            We need church mommas that corrects the erring. 2 Timothy 2:24-25 says, “in humility correcting those who are in opposition, if God perhaps will grant them repentance, so that they may know the truth.”^[12] Have you ever been corrected by a church momma? I know I have. Many times. We need church mommas that have a way of keeping people in line. They are bold. They are truthful. They a direct. They are firm. We need those kind of women in the church that have earned such high respect that everyone listens when they speak. There are things that can only be said by a church momma. We need those kind of women in the church.

            We need church mommas that are prayer warriors. Philippians 4:6-7 says, “Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.”^[13] If you have never seen the movie war room, you need to see it. It is the story of a true church momma that knew how to get a hold of God in prayer. Hear me now. The church cannot survive without church mommas who are prayer warriors. We need women in the church that have a special connection with God. Oh, that God would give us such prayer warriors.

            Sadly, there are very few old fashioned church mommas left. Oh, that God would bless the church with godly church mommas. Church mommas that love the Lord above all else. Church mommas that are faithful to the church. Church mommas that teach young women how to dress. Church mommas that teach women their value in the home. Church mommas that are bold in speaking the truth. Church mommas that loves and defends her pastor. Church mommas that corrects the erring. Church mommas that are prayer warriors. May God give us such godly church mommas in the church today.

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^[1] New American Standard Bible: 1995 update (Php 4:3). (1995). The Lockman Foundation.

^[2] The New King James Version (2 Ti 1:5). (1982). Thomas Nelson.

^[3] The Holy Bible: Holman Christian standard version. (Tt 2:4–5). (2009). Holman Bible Publishers.

^[4] New American Standard Bible: 1995 update (1 Ti 3:11). (1995). The Lockman Foundation.

^[5] The Holy Bible: Holman Christian standard version. (Ac 9:36). (2009). Holman Bible Publishers.

^[6] The Holy Bible: Holman Christian standard version. (Mt 22:37). (2009). Holman Bible Publishers.

^[7] The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Heb 10:25). (2016). Crossway Bibles.

^[8] The New King James Version (1 Ti 2:9). (1982). Thomas Nelson.

^[9] The New King James Version (Tt 2:4–5). (1982). Thomas Nelson.

^[10] The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Eph 4:15). (2016). Crossway Bibles.

^[11] The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (1 Ti 5:17). (2016). Crossway Bibles.

^[12] The New King James Version (2 Ti 2:25). (1982). Thomas Nelson.

^[13] The New King James Version (Php 4:6–7). (1982). Thomas Nelson.