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Giving Young Women Courage to Answer God’s Call

Interview with Abby Blankenship, creator of Deborah Generation conferences

WIM: Abby, tell us a little bit about the Deborah Generation conferences.

BLANKENSHIP: As a young woman minister, I know what its like to try to follow God’s call. There are a lot of young girls in youth ministry who sense a call to follow God in full-time ministry, but may not know whether that is something they can pursue. I want them to know that if God has called them, God has called them, regardless of their gender.

The Deborah Generation answers so many questions related to women in ministry. Deborah was married. She was a religious leader and she led a nation. Our conferences give girls a place to learn, to grow and to be exposed to women who are successful in ministry. We want girls to understand what the Bible says about women and leadership, and to walk away with outstanding female role models for ministry.

We launched our first conference in January of 2003, and 150 girls who felt they had a call on their lives attended. Our fourth conference is coming up this fall.

WIM: This is an exciting ministry that’s gaining attention. How did the idea for Deborah Generation develop?

BLANKENSHIP: Today I view my position as an administrative assistant to Bret Allen, district youth director, as a strategic placement by God. But a few years ago, I wondered how I had ended up as a secretary. I had a degree from a Bible college, had done an internship and obtained my license to preach, only to be a secretary. I remember thinking, “If only I had been born a guy, I would be a youth pastor by now!”

I have an open relationship with my boss, Bret, so one day I told him how I felt. I wanted to be in ministry, but I felt limited because of my gender. He said, “Why don’t you start a ministry for girls who feel like you?”

WIM: You had strong support in your former youth pastor, now district director and boss Bret Allen. He believed in you and your call, and encouraged you to step out in ministry. Is such mentoring and support key to young women who want to see their call to ministry develop?

BLANKENSHIP: Absolutely. Actually, it’s part of what I’m trying to do with the program. I want young women to rub shoulders with women who are out there on the front lines of ministry. I tell young women, “You need to find someone to mentor you. When you choose a mentor, choose someone who believes in you and your call. Anyone can mentor you, but you need someone who believes in you.”

WIM: Abby, this is a great example of God turning a frustration, or a personal need, into a powerful ministry for others. How is Deborah Generation fulfilling a part of God’s call on your life?

BLANKENSHIP: I felt called to ministry at age 13, but I assumed that it would be to music ministry. Later, as a Master’s Commission intern, I thought Bret, my youth pastor at the time, would use me in the worship team. Instead, he challenged me to branch out into other areas of ministry. That was the greatest decision someone could make for my life. He saw potential in me that I didn’t see, and knew I needed to be stretched in other areas of ministry.

But I’ve never had a sense of a specific call. I’ve had prophetic words and intuitions that the Lord would use me to send a message to this world in order to encourage and equip others. In that way, developing these conferences has fulfilled my sense of call.

WIM: What words of encouragement do you have for other young girls who sense a call or even have a Bible degree or credentials, yet feel frustrated by the apparent lack of open doors for ministry?

BLANKENSHIP: In a nutshell, I would say to just get out there and do it. Pray about where you are right now. Ask, “Is this where I’m supposed to be?” I believe that probably nine times out of ten, God will say, “Yes.” Think about it—every phone call, every encounter, every person you visit with or meet is just one more person who knows your voice, your heart, and your call to ministry. You’ll not stand out to everyone, but you will stand out to someone—someone who believes in you or who needs your ministry.

We all have seasons where God is going to mold us and shape us so we can become effective in ministry. David spent ten years living in a cave, Joseph spent many years in the prison, and Moses had his time in the desert. We need to learn that we do what we do for God, and not for ourselves.

As women, we have a tendency to be more insecure because we’re more emotional than men. But insecure ministers are dangerous—they hurt people. We need to walk through these seasons so we don’t hurt people. We need to learn to do ministry because we love God, not because we get noticed or because it makes us feel good about ourselves.

I would tell her, “Embrace the season God has put in your life, and be creative with it.” I sat in a tiny office (I still do!) and it frustrated me. I realized I was the one putting myself in a box, so I needed to get creative. If every young woman, no matter where she is, said, “I am going to keep my job, have a good attitude, but get creative with God’s call in my life because there’s something He has for me to do”—imagine what could happen!

WIM: You’ve met a lot of young girls who feel they have a call to full-time ministry. What do they see as some of their biggest challenges to fulfilling that call?

BLANKENSHIP: Fear is the biggest challenge. A close second is the need to please everybody. There are many voices that will tell a young woman what she should be doing. The question is, “Which voice is God’s voice?”

WIM: Are there any resources you recommend?

BLANKENSHIP:

• Men and Women in the Church: Building Consensus on Christian Leadership by Sarah Sumner (professor at Azusa Pacific).
• Two Views on Women in Ministry by James R. Beck and Craig Blomberg.
• Slaves, Women & Homosexuals: Exploring the Hermeneutics of Cultural Analysis by William J. Webb.
• Ten Lies the Church Tells Women by J. Lee Grady (former editor for Charisma magazine)

WIM: How can someone find out more about Deborah Generation and the upcoming conference?

Call me at the Northern California/Nevada District office at 916-379-9600 or e-mail me at ablankenship@agncn.org.

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