Thursday, January 28, 1999
Women of Faith share three days
BY JULIE IRWIN
The Cincinnati Enquirer
The Women of Faith conference, once described as “a giant Christian slumber party,” comes to Greater Cincinnati this weekend. Friday's daytime program will emphasize small group discussions while the Friday night and Saturday schedule will be filled with speakers and musical acts.
Last year's conferences at 28 arenas nationwide drew 340,000 women. About 15,000 women have registered for the Greater Cincinnati event. Executive Director Christie Barnes spoke to the Enquirer last week about what those women can expect at Women of Faith.
QUESTION: What sort of women come to the Women of Faith conferences?
ANSWER: The women who come are women from all denominations, all ages, all races, women who go to church, women who don't go to church. Some are moms, some are widowed, some are single women without kids.
Q: This is the third year of large-arena events for Women of Faith. How have the conferences changed from year to year?
A: We have the same core group of speakers, but we change the theme. For the last few years, we've had joy as the theme because we feel like that's what women are looking for in their lives — joy and contentment.
This year's theme, “Outrageous Joy,” talks about the outrageous characteristics of God. Each speaker will speak on a different characteristic: joy, hope, grace, freedom, love, peace. It's a little different from last year, but the speakers will obviously share from their lives and it's still very inspirational. We're not preaching; we're trying to encourage them and lift them up.
Q: Women of Faith has been compared frequently to the men's movement Promise Keepers. But where Promise Keepers seems to push men to take more responsibility in their lives, Women of Faith presents its conferences as a break for women from their duties. How do you see the differences?
A: I think there are a lot of similarities, but I think women are challenged through different methods and the stories the speakers present challenge (women) to have a closer relationship with God. What we need to do is encourage them to have that deeper relationship with God and whatever issues they need to deal with, that's up to them and God.
Q: Promise Keepers has run into financial trouble. Do you worry that Women of Faith could see the same problems? How long do you think the phenomenon will last?
A: Our event is so different from Promise Keepers, and one difference is they've been doing stadiums, which are a lot more expensive than arenas. We feel like we've been so fortunate in that we've been successful. God's been blessing us and we continue to use our resources wisely and be good stewards. We're aware of the problems they've had, but we're not using them as an example.
We feel there's a movement out there for women. Women are kind of conference-going people. As long as we're able to pay for the conferences and as long as God calls us to do this, we feel like there's a great movement for this.
IF YOU GO
• What: Women of Faith's “Outrageous Joy” conference.
• When: 9 a.m.-4 p.m. and 6:30-10 p.m. Friday and 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Saturday.
• Where: Friday daytime program at Tri-County Assembly of God, 7350 Dixie Highway, Fairfield. Friday evening and Saturday programs at the Crown, downtown.
• Cost: $55 preregistered, $45 for groups of 10 or more, and $72 at the door. Friday “Daytime Intensive” program: $28.
• Information: (888) 493-2484.
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