Mission Update
Bible Women: Historical and Current Mission
Years ago, foremothers of United Methodist Women used a model they called, "The Bible Women’s program" to assist in the growth and evangelization of churches in India, Korea, Malaysia, Philippines and places in Africa.
Under this model, female missionaries taught local indigenous women to read the Bible as well as share the Gospel in places where male pastors were unable to go.
Today the Women’s Division – with endowments, bequests and undesignated giving funds from United Methodist Women – has reinstated the program with a modern-day emphasis in places like Sabah and Sarawak, Malaysia, as well as the Philippines.
The Women’s Division has trained one hundred-fifty young women, pastors’ wives and seminary students in rural areas who have a special interest in community development and the Gospel. These Bible Women then move into other rural areas to teach women literacy skills, provide micro-credit opportunities, and train women on community-based health initiatives and skills to address violence and substance abuse in their families. It is modern-day evangelism that addresses the needs of the people.
The trainings are expanding to India, the Philippines and Cambodia in the next year, with plans to look to the South Pacific for future Bible Women trainings.
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