There is no escaping the reality that women within our church will experience the loss of their spouse at some point in their lives. The Bible instructs us to take care of widows, but how do we practically live that out? Melissa Swain lost her pastor husband Chris unexpectedly in 2021 and joins the podcast to tell her story. Melissa shares how specific help, inclusion, and an admission of the hard has helped her and her children navigate in their new world.

From Pastor’s Wife to Pastor’s Widow (an interview with Melissa Swain)

I’m Christine Hoover. Welcome to The Ministry Wives Podcast. Being a ministry wife is a vocation without a job description… and let’s be honest — sometimes it seems like ministry might be easier if we did have one. If you are a ministry wife like me and are looking for hope, perspective, and a little bit of practical advice regarding your role, you’re in the right place. Join me as we hear from women in various ministry contexts for authentic conversations about our shared joys and challenges – even the ones we’re unsure we can talk about. No topic is off-limits. Let’s dive in.

Christianity

Religion & Spirituality

In this Season 4 finale episode of the Ministry Wives Podcast, sit down with my husband Kyle Hoover and me for another Q & A episode. We wanted to give you more details following our episode with the Mandrells. We share about how God transformed our marriage during the COVID season, how that time served as a catalyst for my new book, as well as how God has been walking with us during our current trial with one of our children.

Q & A With Christine and Kyle Hoover

Wisely navigating relationships between men and women is a vital but sometimes difficult conversation we need to be having with one another and our husbands. In this follow-up episode, long-time ministry wife and Ministry Wife Ministry Partner Amy Petersen helps walk us through the specifics of wisely cultivating these relationships. She stresses the importance of open communication regarding boundaries and how personality and baggage play into those boundaries. Amy and Christine also discuss the role of spiritual health and how it is critical to employing wisdom and discernment in this area.

Practical Wisdom for Serving with Brothers in the Church (an interview with Amy Petersen)

The Lord gifts each of us and our spouses so differently, and sometimes those giftings require sacrifices of different kinds as we respond to the call of the Lord in a given season. Singer/songwriter Caroline Cobb joins me today to describe her husband’s volunteer position as a lay elder at their church and how she supports him and the local church through that ministry.

The Life of a Lay Elder’s Wife (an interview with Caroline Cobb)

Walking into a church for the first time can be a very scary experience for newcomers. Sometimes it feels just as scary for us to approach and invite them into our circle. Pastor’s wife, author, and podcaster Jen Oshman shares her practical tips for creating a culture of welcome within the church. Jen tells us how welcome helped draw her to Christ, reminds us who Jesus says our primary family truly is, and encourages us to embrace the awkward in welcome culture.

Creating a Culture of Welcome in Your Church (an interview with Jen Oshman)

We live in a broken world full of pain and suffering. We are bound to suffer trauma and grief; how do we navigate that pain as believers? Pastor’s wife, writer and podcaster Danielle Kelly joins the show today to share how God invited her into biblical lament as a lifestyle and how choosing to trust God’s character in the process transformed her life and relationship with Him.

From Pastor’s Wife to Pastor’s Widow (an interview with Melissa Swain)

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