Home Give Contact News

Do you know a woman with a passion for ministry and leadership?

Or perhaps that woman is YOU!

The 2025 Addie Davis Scholarship Application is now open to help women take the next step toward fulfilling your calling in Baptist ministry.

BWIM is excited to offer scholarships of at least $2,000 to Baptist women pursuing Masters-level theological education or Doctor of Ministry degrees. A maximum of 6 scholarships will be awarded.

Every First Tuesday of The Month Through May 2025

12:00 PM ET / 11:00 AM CT

March 10th, 17th, 24th, and 31st

6:30pm ET / 5:30pm CT

As women in ministry and leadership, we often find that our lived experiences inform our experiences with the Holy. Arthur Riley offers a path to validating that truth through this powerful book.

"In these deeply transporting pages, Arthur Riley reflects on the stories of her grandmother and father, and how they revealed to her an embodied, dignity-affirming spirituality, not only in what they believed but in the act of living itself."

If you would like more information about BWIM’s parental leave policy, the policies of other organizations, and/or the need for generous parental leave policies, please don’t hesitate to reach out to us.

While Rev. Lavarin is on leave, please use the following contacts:

• For the mentoring program, peer community groups program, and scholarships: Rev. Dr. Meredith Stone, meredithstone@bwim.info
•  For Lunch & Learns: Rev. Nikki Hardeman, nikkihardeman@bwim.info

For any other questions, requests, or needs, feel free to reach out to any of our staff and we will direct your inquiry to the right person.

Laura Ellis is resigning her role as Project Manager for BWIM. For over three years, Laura Ellis has elevated BWIM’s work, most notably through her research and writing of the State of Women in Baptist Life Report 2021 and leading BWIM’s partnership with Baptist News Global to increase and amplify women’s voices in Baptist media. From March 2022 to December 2024, Baptist News Global published 150 articles written by women since the partnership with BNG began! We are incredibly grateful to Laura for sharing her gifts with the BWIM community and look forward to continuing to read the articles she writes in the future.

We will have more information to share about this continuing partnership with BNG in the weeks ahead. For now, if you are interested in writing for Baptist News Global, please email Nikki Hardeman, nikkihardeman@bwim.info for more information.

2025 BWIM ANNUAL GATHERING

NOVEMBER 6-8, 2025

SECOND-PONCE DE LEON

BAPTIST CHURCH

ATLANTA, GEORGIA

In Feminist Theory: From Margin to Center, bell hooks critiques early feminist movements for centering the experiences and priorities of white, middle-class women while marginalizing the voices of women of color, working-class women, and others. She advocates for an intersectional approach to feminism that addresses how race, class, and gender intersect to create unique forms of oppression. hooks calls for a reimagining of feminism as a collective, inclusive movement that prioritizes social transformation over individual advancement. Through a commitment to justice and equity, she argues that feminism must challenge all forms of domination and oppression, fostering a radical rethinking of power and societal structures.

I find bell hooks’ framework to be an essential guide for our advocacy work. Her emphasis on intersectionality challenges me to consider how race, class, and other social identities shape the experiences of women in Baptist congregations. This perspective reminds me that our efforts must not only address sexism but also confront the interconnected systems of oppression that women face. hooks’ call for collective transformation inspires me to encourage congregations to examine and dismantle the systemic sexism and patriarchal structures embedded in their practices and theology. Her critique of power dynamics motivates me to challenge patriarchal interpretations of Scripture and push for leadership structures that affirm and uplift diverse voices. hooks’ work deeply resonates with my commitment to creating equitable and affirming spaces for women in ministry and leadership.

Have you transitioned to a new role? Let us know!

If you or a Baptist woman you know has transitioned into a new ministerial role, let us know! Please email names and new ministerial titles to nikkihardeman@bwim.info. BWIM wants to share in celebrating the leadership of all women in ministry, and it helps us to keep records of all of the women in Baptist life in ministerial positions!

Rev. Dr. Kia Hood-Scott was elected as the next senior pastor of Greater Galilee Baptist Church in Charlotte, NC.

Rev. Tara Shurpel Hunter was called as Senior Pastor to New Salem Baptist Church in West Monroe, LA.

Rev. Alena Vaughn was called as Associate Pastor for Administration and Missions at Second Baptist Church, Liberty, MO.

Rev. Megan Dowd was called as Minister to Children at Second Baptist Church, Richmond, VA.

We Want To Celebrate Your Ordination!

If you know a Baptist woman who has been ordained or will be ordained, please email names and pictures (if possible) to nikkihardeman@bwim.info. BWIM wants to share in celebrating congregational affirmation of all women in ministry, and it helps us keep records of all of the women ordained in Baptist life.

New positions posted online since the last newsletter include:

• Minister of Music and Worship Arts (Full Time): First Baptist Church, Marietta, GA
• Minister of Students (Full Time): First Baptist Church, Carrolton, GA

Be sure to connect with your state or regional BWIM group for

events happening near you!