Never be put off pursuing God’s call to ministry

Beryl Glass has served alongside her husband James in ministry for many years but she was recently ordained in her own right and became lead pastor of Clydebank Elim Church. Aspire leader Leanne Mallett asked her about it

Beryl, how did you sense God leading you to this point in your ministry?

It’s incredible to look back and see how God has led me over the years, with gentle nudges and whispers! I experienced a call to ministry in my early 20s. I was involved in serving my local Elim church with church planting and worship leading.

My pastor really encouraged me in pursuing my call to ministry. He gave me many opportunities not only to speak and be involved with water baptisms but also to see the day-to-day ins and outs of pastoral ministry, before I went to Elim’s Bible college, then based in Nantwich.

It was a great encouragement to a young woman who felt the call of God. I never applied to the Elim ministry at that point in my life.

I met James at college, and we began our marriage, in ministry together 30 years ago!

James has always encouraged me to fully pursue the gifts and ministry God has given me, but it wasn’t until about 15 years ago when we were leading Elim Church Crawley that I felt God gently nudging me to step up into pastoral leadership.

This was a very slow process of God working in me and encouraging me as I pursued him in the everyday. I had to work through overcoming my fears of what others might think and to lift off the pressure from comparing myself to others – something I still have to work at! Then I became a Minister in Training in 2016.

How do you balance leading a church, working and home life?

This has looked different in each season of my life, but three things are invaluable.

Firstly, the priority of my walk with Jesus, prayer and journaling a Scripture verse daily. I’m reminded of Jesus’ words: “Apart from me you can do nothing” (John 15:5). These words remind me to keep my heart soft and surrendered before God.

Secondly, finding a suitable mentor, someone you know and trust, who will pray through ‘stuff’ with you.

Thirdly, planning is key to achieving a balance in everything, and making an appointment with yourself regularly. This helps me to keep track of where I am in life, to be still, and to take stock.

What are you most passionate about in this new position?

I yearn to see the impact of the power of prayer on a group of believers and the community. I want to see us growing in prayer, seeking God for his will and beginning to see glimpses of what it looks like for his kingdom to come in us and in the community we serve, as we work out what it looks like to be followers of Jesus in Clydebank.

What advice would you give any woman who is thinking of training to be a minister?

Don’t shrink back. Never be put off by your perceived inadequacies and think, “I couldn’t do that or be humble enough to serve, love and lead pastorally.”

Reach out and ask – have a chat with another woman in pastoral ministry, talk about what you are sensing and wrestling with in terms of your calling. Never be put off pursuing God’s call to ministry because you’re a woman – chat to your pastor and perhaps consider looking at a ministry foundations course. There has never been a better time for women to become trained for ministry and to lead churches. Elim’s training for ministry is thorough and challenging. It is hard work, but so rewarding in seeing growth and change in the lives of many, including yourself.

Beryl Glass is on the Aspire team and lives in Scotland. She is an Elim minister and works alongside her husband James in Elim’s Scotland and Northwest Regions. She is also lead pastor of Clydebank Elim church.

First published in the July 2023 issue of Direction Elim’s monthly magazine.

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