A Call to Arms for the Christian Woman

By JOHNNIE ROSS
WMA of Texas President

Women’s Missionary Auxiliary is quite important to me. But it wasn’t always.
 
For the first few years after college graduation, this newlywed was focused on fulfilling my role as a pastor’s wife and establishing a career. The next 10 years or so, the focus shifted to becoming a loving mother, while continuing the role of pastor’s wife and junior high math and computer teacher.  It was definitely a blessing that my husband’s first pastorate included several other women following the same path (except for being married to a preacher). None of the young women in that church participated in WMA.  We didn’t feel that we could spare the time.
 
During the next 10 years or so, I was still a pastor’s wife, mother to three, mathematics professor at Jacksonville College and becoming an active band mom. That last role would continue for 11 years straight. Somehow, some way, I was able to manage time for all these different roles, but couldn’t find time for WMA.  That changed, but slowly.
 
Over the course of the next 10 years, the older ladies in my husband’s second pastorate asked me to be their WMA teacher. It wasn’t much of a shift; I had been attending the younger ladies’ circle on Sunday evenings before worship. The only difference would be that I would be teaching instead of just attending.  Since I love all sorts of teaching (school, Sunday school, VBS), this seemed to be a simple transition. Oh, how mistaken I was!
 
I learned to love Bible study. I learned to dig deeper.  These godly women taught me about WMA study books and missions.  They were examples of evangelism and benevolence. I understood much more about the youth auxiliaries in which my children were involved.  And, it was at this point that I began to attend district WMA meetings, where like-minded women from many churches met together to further the “Plan of Work” outlined in the Women’s Missionary Auxiliary Handbook.
 
Now, I don’t want to miss any district meetings. I enjoy attending neighboring district meetings. I enjoy attending state and national meetings, but in all of these, I want meat, and not fluff. 
 
I am currently a member of Liberty District WMA, and our theme for the 2025-26 year is “Call to Arms,” taken from Proverbs 31:17, “She equips herself with strength and makes her arms strong.”  Sarah Low, Liberty 2nd VP, spoke on the theme saying, “God gives us the tools we need to do battle, and I’m hoping as we learn more about these tools; it will make us strong, capable, and effective soldiers for Christ.”
 
Since the introduction of our theme, I have read/studied my Bible from the perspective of a soldier.  Additionally, as we sing during services, I have considered the hymnal from the same viewpoint. These past few weeks, I studied the Baptist Expositor lesson from the perspective of becoming a stronger, more capable and more effective soldier for Christ. I would like to make just a few points from Colossians. (By the way, if your church is not using the Baptist Expositor to study Colossians, you have missed a great opportunity.)
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A soldier signing up for duty is no longer the same person; he no longer wears street clothes - We, as soldiers, put off anger, wrath, malice, slander and abusive speech.
 
The soldier now dresses as a soldier should - We put on a renewed knowledge, available to all, regardless of circumstances. We put compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, patience and love. We bear with one another. We forgive one another.
 
The soldier obeys orders - We are commanded to let the peace of Christ rule in our hearts. We are commanded to be thankful. We are commanded to let the Word of Christ dwell in us richly. We are commanded to do whatever we do in the name of the Lord Jesus.
 
Dear readers, if you are not attending your ladies’ group because you think you don’t have time, I actually understand.  Many of us do.  But, please try to budget your time and include corporate ladies’ Bible study time.  It can change your life. He will change your life. If you are not being fed meat, volunteer to be the leader who will change that. God truly does give us the tools we need to do battle, but are you willing to accept the call to arms?  We are at war.  It is time to respond.

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