Anonymous: Naming the God of Esther and the Women Who Plant Churches

Church planting is not for the faint of heart. It requires getting your hands dirty as people come together to join what God is doing in and through a new church. God uses people in mighty ways to share the love and hope of Jesus with a hurting and divided world. Women are among the people God uses. Often times, however, the stories of women remain untold. Just as God’s name is missing from the book of Esther, many church planting women remain anonymous in ministry. Yet, just as we see the handprint of God throughout the book of Esther, we can see the handprints of women in church planting. These handprints remind us that often-unnoticed work is still significant. They also challenge us to name the women behind the work. This book is a compilation of stories told by 21 women in ministry, most of whom are church planters. They may not have an official title, but make no mistake, that is who they are. Everyone can learn so much from them just as we learn from the book of Esther. Each of their stories connect with one of Esther’s main characters – Esther, Vashti, Mordecai, Haman or Ahasuerus. If you look closely, each of their stories may also connect with you.