Howm many of you ladies hold credentials or degrees of any kind and how many of you do not? DO you face intimidation when it comes to publicity for NOT holding them? I am getting better about some of this but still kind of hate building the about us part of our web site becuase neither one of us holds a degree. at all....am looking at doing a program with Oren Paris at Ecclessia college, ac accredited christian college, but that is still in the future. How can you word things to still sound "official" with out haivng to toot your own horn so to speak? You ladies have any recommendations on how you have expained your own or your husbands ministries with out sounding vain in your PR material?
Yes, I do hold credentials with the A/G but a calling from God is your most important credential. Don't be intimidated because you don't have credentials, but at the same time, work towards getting them. You will be glad you did.
In your PR material keep in mind, PR material is designed to sell yourself.............so, to some extent you must toot your horn. No way around it. But they don't have to know you are the one tooting it. Just write a bio, draw up the materials, and you do not have to announce that "you" wrote it. But you have to have something in writing...it's just a given that you will. And you want to make it sound as motivating as possible.
Tell you what - give me a run down of just a few highlights of what you want to say (email me privately off the board) and I'll give you an example of what I would say with your info. Please don't be afraid to give it to me straight...I am not going to think, "oh, she's tooting her horn." (please!) I happen to know, Pastor Tara here on the board is an absolute expert with this stuff too. She could write you a bio that would probably make Joyce Meyer do a double take! (ha!) Seriously, she's good at this. PT, if you are reading this, give Cassandra a few pointers. I know you'll have some great insight.
the only creditentials I have are these: I do have a college degree - in general studies. Never used it till lately. Two years ago - went back to college and took classes to be certified teacher. To be a children's director - only creditentials I had going in was my three children and someone needed to teach them. I've been it ever since. DH - has a ministerial degree from a seminary type school - that the church he received it from - disbanded it. So - it's now worthless. He has only the experience left. I don't think you always need "paper" to qualify" you for ministry.
Neither my husband nor I have credential...however the Lord has blessed the ministry so in such a short time, that the work that has been done in this small town speaks for itself. People can tell that God has his hands on our ministry because of the phenomenal ways He has moved. Credentials are good, but hard evidence is equally as good.
The Lord spoke to me once about "down-playing" His blessing in my life. Now I give God the glory when there may be an opportunity to appear to be boasting. It is ok to appear toot your horn when you give God the credit for providing the air and the horn!!!!
I don't hold any credentials except the blood of Jesus. I would like to go to school when my dh finishes seminary and take some classes in Biblical counseling. Don't worry about tooting your own horn. God wants you to be all you can be and he wants it known. State the facts and make them sound good. Remember God called you and you are awesome!
I'd be happy to help any of you out. On a personal note, I am licensed and ordained and I have a formal education in ministerial studies. I have found- personally- that if I believe in who I am in Christ and I am am not afraid to promote who I am in Him and what He has done in me, people take me more seriously, and they receive from my ministry. I don't see it as being boastful or prideful, I KNOW how hard I have worked to get to where I am today, and I KNOW what it has cost me, and I also KNOW that I have NOT arrived- that I still have a long way to go. However, what I do like to communicate in my own bio, and what I love to read about in the bios of others is PASSION for God and for the call on my (their) life. I believe in the God ordained destiny for my life.
Here is my bio that I use for promo, website, and product:
A gifted woman of God, Pastor Tara Sloan is gifted prophetically, an intercessor, a teacher and a preacher of the word of God. Her heart's desire is that she would impart the message of the Gospel of Christ with intensity and passion through a relevant message that boldly crosses denominational, cultural, and economic barriers.
Pastor Tara (PT, as she is warmly called by the WHOC congregation) comes from a rich heritage of ministers and Christian workers. She is a licensed and ordained minister, her affiliation with Fellowship Church of Praise Network of Covenant Churches and Ministries (Drs. Davied & Vernette Rosier, founders/overseers).
Pastor Tara married her husband, Pastor Craig Sloan more than 13 years ago. As a team, the Sloans co-pastor World Harvest Outreach Center located in Oxford, Alabama. WHOC is a multi-racial, multi-generational outreach center with a vision to reach the region, reap a harvest and release for world impact.
Pastor Tara desires to see people realize who they are in Christ by embracing the cross and becoming driven in their destiny in Him. She attended Destiny Bible College where she earned a formal education in Ministerial Studies, and studied Early Childhood Education at St. Petersburg Junior College in Tarpon Springs, Florida. She and her husband, Craig, reside in Oxford, Alabama with their four daughters.
Like I said, I'll be happy to help, just let me know...
Excellent PT, as usual. I believe as Pastor Tara does that even more important than education or credentials, your heart's passion is most important in your bio. I know a person who is always bringing their education to the forefront of everything they do (never hesitate to bring it up - how educated they are) however...to be honest I don't see much passion or heart in this person's ministry. (Nor the results - just good ol' results, for that matter!) I don't think education or credentials matters much if you don't have a real passion & heart for what you do and you aren't really reaching people. So the passion, reaching people, what you actually "do" should be out front and center just like PT's bio reads.
You have seen my bio here on the site, but I don't use that one (it's too long) for speaking engagements. I focus on a few paragraphs the most important keys being that I serve as a spiritual mother of a congregation, co-pastor alongside my husband, have a passion for preaching God's Word, for loving people, for seeing people become whole, healed and walking in their destiny.
Like I said, if you would like me to help you write up the bio, just e-mail me and give me a few "bullet" items to include and I'll write you something, or at least give you some starting things to work with and tweak yourself.
I have a B.A. degree in psychology from Southeastern College of the A/G (Now Southeastern University!). Technically, I have a Bible degree because I did the hours (required) but I never claimed it. I am not credentialed. I've thought about it & will do it IF I feel God telling me to do so. So far, He hasn't.
Dh does have a degree in pastoral studies. He is licensed w/ the A/G & will probably apply for ordination this year. Pretty much in the A/G if you are going to pastor a church, you must be credentialed. (To be honest, I'm happy dh is credentialed for personal reasons: He comes from a severely dysfunctional family & I think this has been good for his self esteem.) But, credentials do NOT make a pastor.
