Rise in Strength celebrates the gifting, service and leadership of women in the Church across the globe. We mourn the injustices women continue to suffer and call on Christians to take steps to honour women’s leadership in family, church and community to increase the effective witness of the Gospel.
We want to be a prophetic voice. The name, Rise in Strength, refers to the prophet, poet, judge and national leader from the Old Testament, Deborah. Partnering with Barak, she saved her nation from enemy forces and sang of how she rose in
strength to answer God's call.
Rise began in 2019 when 65 women from 18 nations came together in Amsterdam for a three-day consultation. It was the time of #MeToo and revelations of male leaders who had exploited or abused their positions.
Out of that time came the Call to All Christians (see link) which was endorsed by Lausanne leadership and the WEA general assembly.
You can read the 2019 Call here
In 2023, the Call was revised – read it here
We are connected to a number of church networks and christian movements, here is what a couple of them think.
Dr Michael Oh is the leader of the Lausanne Movement. He is a strong supporter of recognising each person's gifting and calling regardless of sex.
Dr Thomas Schirrmacher of the World Evangelical Alliance has written and spoken extensively endorsing the Bible's view of women and men equally called to serve and lead.
we are a committed team of women from across the globe involved in international and cross-cultural leadership in many settings.
Jenn Williamson, DMin, is the Director of Leadership Formation for Missio Nexus. She is passionate about equipping and encouraging Christian leaders to guide their organizations to greater effectiveness by developing and employing strategies and systems that reflect and reveal the Kingdom of God. She is a co-host of the podcast, GOING: Where God is at Work, discussing global missions. Originally from the US, she has lived and worked in Lyon, France since 2010 where she participates in church planting, mentoring pastors and emerging leaders, and training cross-cultural workers.
Amanda Jackson trains and leads women across the world –teaching on Biblical equality and strengthening regional networks of women leaders. She helps men and women to work together more effectively. Amanda is the Senior Advisor on Diversity, World Evangelical Alliance. Amanda trains and serves women in leadership and is an advocate on issues impacting women – like domestic abuse, equality, Bible teaching, and women in mission. She founded the global Christian network to end domestic abuse (CNEDA). She also works with a mission agency encouraging women in the majority Moslem world and training men and woemn to see the value of co-working. Amanda is originally from Australia but moved to London over 30 years ago to particiapte in urban church planting. She has an MA in English Literature and diplomas in education and media.
Selegna Díaz is a full-time missionary with Cru, serving for more than 18 years. Passionate about sharing Jesus through digital strategies, she currently leads Global Digital Strategies within Cru, helping ministries innovate and reach new audiences. Selegna has served in several countries, equipping leaders and teams to connect faith and technology for greater impact. She enjoys mentoring others, developing hybrid ministry initiatives, and mobilizing the next generation to live on mission.
Yvonne has coordinated the monthly prayer at RISE since its inception. She is also the Director of the Master of Arts in Transformational Leadership and a Professor at Bakke Graduate University in Dallas, Texas. Yvonne is a retired banker, mentor, life coach, poet, online pastor, Justice of the Peace, and a Lay Magistrate assigned to the Children’s Court in her homeland, Jamaica. This mother, grandmother, and family matriarch finds prayer her source of restoration and strength.
Lynn Nwagbara came to faith through a school youth ministry and quickly became involved with the youth group at her local church in Hertfordshire. She was led to short term missions and then trained at Redcliffe Bible College before returning to Belgium in 1991 using her administrative and coordination giftings. In November 2000 she coordinated the leadership mission to the European Institutions and NATO organised by the International churches in Brussels and subsequently was asked to open an office for African Enterprise with whom she has been serving ever since. She has also been involved with other ministries down the years using her administratrive gifting and is now doing so for Rise n Strength.
Elke Werner has been a leader and advocate for women for over 30 years, encouraging women across Europe, through her speaking and writing, to fully use their gifting. Elke was the Lausanne Catalyst for "Women inEvangelism" and served on the board of Lausanne International for over 10 years. She is a mentor, author and evangelist with proChrist. She is currently the chair of "Hope for Europe-Women in Leadership" and on the women's committee of the Evangelical Alliance in Germany. Elke founded anorganisation called "WINGS- Women in God's Service", which exists toLOVE: Lead women to Christ, Open doors forwomen, Voice the issues of women and Encourage women intheir God-given ministries. Elke lives in Marburg, Germany.