ministry to women in emerging culture

1. ministry to women in emerging culture Earl & Janet Creps www.aGts.edu

2. EVEolution: things have never been better[Faith Popcorn, USA Today Magazine, Nov, 2000] • Buy or influence the purchase of 80% of all consumer goods. • Buy 50% of cars, 51% if consumer electronics • Women over 55 are the fastest growing group on the Internet • Women influence 80% of all family health care decisions, • 48% of all stock investors • Head 40% of households with assets over $600,000 • 9 million businesses, generating $3.6 trillion in revenues annually.

3. things have never been worse“The Millennium Woman”[www.themw.org] • ¼ women are victims of domestic violence • Heart disease is the #1 killer • 12 million are women clinically depressed [19 million total] • 1/7 women live in poverty [Average net worth: $3000] • Earn 74¢ per dollar earned by men • 48 million divorced, widowed, separated, or have a spouse absent • Single women with children account for 54% of all poor families • 80% of widows left financially secure will find poverty within 4 years • 4 in 10 experience at least 1 pregnancy before age 20

4. what would create a desirable life for women?Barna-2000 • One marriage partner for life • Good health • 75%—having a close personal relationship with God • Clear purpose in life • Living with a high degree of integrity • Having close, personal friendships

5. female self-descriptions[Barna- March 2001] • 69% “deeply spiritual” [men: 50%] • 38% “searching for meaning and purpose” [men: 33%] • 37% “stressed out” [men: 30%] • 7% “addicted” [men: 14%] • 24% of women believe moral truth is absolute [down from 40% in Jan-2000]

7. P.M.S. Post Modernism Syndrome

8. P.M.S. Pentecostal Missionary Syndrome

9. buffy’s religionhttp://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2002/008/36.10.html "I consider myself a spiritual person," she told Scotland's Daily Record. "I believe in an idea of God, although it's my own personal ideal. I find most religions interesting, and I've been to every kind of denomination: Catholic, Christian, Jewish, Buddhist. I've taken bits from everything and customized it."

10. Adriana, age 24[Glamour, July 2000] “I’m very spiritual but definitely not into organized religion. I find it separatist and stifling—not to mention that holy wars have caused millions of deaths and still do.”

11. the de-churching of womenBarna--Dec 2000 “Although women are more active in church life than men, their levels of participation in many aspects of church life—from worship attendance to volunteerism—are significantly declining.”

12. reversal of fortune • conventional paradigm: create a message and market it • emerging paradigm: create and audience and engage it

13. listening to younger women: concerns • Parents • Weight • Peer pressure • Jobs and money “We have a really hyper-sexualized pop culture in which women are commercialized in various ways…” --Women in Rock

14. listening to younger women: God problems • Pluralism • Priorities • Boredom • Intangible • Fellowship vs. Fitting

15. becoming spiritual moms • From evangelism “target” to spiritual daughter • From program to prophetic community • From church “ministry” to Spirit calling [Acts 16] “Probably not being loved is a big fear that we all have. You have a desire to have connection.” --Joan Jett

16. ministry to women in emerging culture Earl & Janet Creps www.aGts.edu

17. contact information • Janet Creps jcreps2@juno.com • Earl Creps ecreps@agts.edu