At the tail end of 2024, my family celebrated a big event: my grandmother-in-law, Mardell LeLaCheur (known as “Mimi” by all her grands and greats), turned 90 years old. Both her party and her social media feed were filled with people representing her legacy: friends from Bible college, Open Bible pastors she had served alongside and church members she had served during her decades of ministry, friends she has grown close to in retirement, and, of course, the children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren who cherish her. She, like so many other women in ministry, has lived a rich life, fully invested in both her calling as a matriarch and her calling as a minister.

There are so many challenges to being a woman who is called to church leadership, and in seasons of my life I have dwelt on and railed against these challenges. Today, as I reflect on my own life and those of my sisters and mothers in the Body of Christ, I find rest in gratitude. As women, we get to do all the best things: We make disciples both in the world and while we raise our children (whether biological or spiritual). We co-labor with God as we intercede, counsel the broken-hearted, lead people to Jesus, and preach His gospel in our homes, our churches, and across the globe. And if we must fight harder to walk in the fullness of our callings? Perhaps even that is a blessing, as our struggle makes each step worth celebrating, transforming our path into holy ground.

Open Bible has an incredible history of women who have led and served in our movement, both in the United States and abroad. Its endorsement of women in ministry echoes that found in both the Old and New Testament, as well as in the beginnings of the Pentecostal movement. We see evidence of God’s call in the lives of saints like Mardell LeLaCheur and the late Ruth Bryan, in those ministering in the marketplace like Kwabea Francis, and in those who are expanding the Kingdom overseas like Soukham Khanthavixay. This issue of Message of the Open Bible includes the stories of many of these incredible women as well as resources to address the gap of women in ministry leadership still present in many of our churches.

If you ask my twelve-year-old daughter, Nora, what she wants to be when she grows up, she’ll answer in one of two ways. Depending on the day, she’ll either tell you she wants to be a pastor or an astronaut (a friend has coined a new term for her future career: “Pastronaut”). I’m so grateful Nora is part of a church and a movement that will help her fly no matter which career she chooses. As the official statement on Women in Ministry & Leadership says in the Open Bible manual, “We have been blessed by the ministry and leadership of women, and we are committed to honoring and championing these women” (p. 89). May we continue to champion and open doors for women and men alike as we work side by side to bring Jesus to the world.

My life was forever changed a few years ago when I read a book called The Insanity of God. Written by Nik Ripken, a missionary who has given his life to take Jesus to some of the darkest, most dangerous corners of the world, this book calls Western Christians out of the casual faith many of us enjoy. Ripken asks irritating, important questions like:  

“Does God really ask us to sacrifice everything?”  

“Is God at work in the hard places, and does He expect us to join Him in those hard places?”  

“Isn’t it possible to love God and to pretty much keep living the life I already have?”  

Ripken freely admits that he doesn’t have answers to all these questions, but he challenges his readers to remember that following Jesus means saying “yes” even when it hurts.  

“We have the high privilege of answering Jesus’ call to go,” Ripken says. “But let us be clear about this: we go on His terms, not ours.” 

Reading this book felt like being shaken awake after a long sleep. I found myself convicted by how little of my life I had given up for Jesus and how resistant I was to become uncomfortable for Him. (How ironic that is, when He became incredibly uncomfortable for me.) I began offering up a new kind of desperate prayer, begging God to make my life matter. To make me willing to go anywhere, do anything.  

Lord, let my life be a sacrifice. 

That’s a dangerous prayer. It’s a prayer that has led to my saying “yes” to assignments and callings that scare me: serving as a staff pastor at my previous church, becoming the new editor of Message of the Open Bible, and most recently, uprooting my family from our home of twelve years and moving to another state to plant a church.  

The comforting thing is, I’m not alone in trying to live this kind of radically obedient life. I stumblingly follow in the footsteps of the Hebrews 11 heroes of faith, who “obeyed and went” even when they didn’t know where they were going (vs 8, NIV). Heroes who “conquered kingdoms, administered justice, and gained what was promised” but also “faced jeers and flogging, and even chains and imprisonment” (vs 33-36). I walk alongside others in the Church and within Open Bible who are saying “yes” to difficult and daunting things. You’ll read about many of them in this issue, and I hope you will be challenged and encouraged by their stories.  

In truth, none of us is alone when we say “yes” to a God-given assignment. Let’s not forget that directly after the biggest, scariest assignment was given to Jesus’ disciples, the one that would take them to the ends of the earth and would include hardship and suffering for many of them, they were also given this promise:  

“And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age” (Matt 28:20).  

To walk in obedience is to walk hand in hand with Jesus. That’s a reward worth even our most frightening “yes.”

About the Author

Hannah Bemis

Hannah Bemis currently serves as the Editor and Director of Message of the Open Bible. She’s always wanted to do too many things when she grows up and God has been kind enough to let her do most of them in different seasons. After seasons of mothering, teaching, writing, and staff pastoring, Hannah’s most recent adventure is planting College Street Church in Newberg, Oregon, with her husband, Jordan. After Jesus and all her favorite people, she spends the remainder of her passion on pizza and dark chocolate, in equal measure.  

By Andrea Johnson

Writing my last article as editor of the Message before I switch gears caused me to think back a “few” years. Open Bible College was my introduction to Open Bible Churches. Randall Bach was president of the college when I was a student. I was privileged to travel in musical groups for which he and Barbara, his wife, were sponsors. We got an inside peak into their private lives, which were led with the same integrity as their public lives. (On those trips I learned how to play Rook from Barbara!)

After college, when my life took some turns I had not planned on, Randall and Barbara lovingly reached out to our family. And then, throughout the last 26 years in which I have served at this office, they have been a major influence – on me and on my family. Even though part of that time they were serving in East Region, I watched them interact with all kinds of people in all kinds of situations rejoicing with those who were rejoicing, weeping with those who were weeping, and lovingly counseling and even correcting those in need. I love hearing Randall pray. He always seems to hear a person’s heart, not just their words. (I’m guessing that’s the Holy Spirit’s anointing!) 

Randall’s message that has stuck with me most is called “The Sweet Spot of Anointing.” If you get a chance to read it, you should! [Read Article]. He would often say that your goal should be to stretch yourself, to aim for something beyond your own abilities to the point where you can succeed only through the Holy Spirit’s anointing, and then be quick to acknowledge that glory is due the Lord, not yourself.  

His prayer at the end of “The Sweet Spot of Anointing” is this: 

Lord, help me to hear and heed your voice, striding with boldness wrapped in humility. I acknowledge I can do nothing apart from you while thanking you that, through Christ, I can do all things! “

Randall A. Bach

It was with that mindset that I accepted this position as Message editor when Randall offered it. Looking back, I’m surprised that I even attempted the task. I KNOW it was the Lord directing, giving me the “desire” to do it (Psalm 37:4).  

Throughout my years as editor, God has always provided what we needed when we needed it. I have gotten to work with an amazing office family. And as Randall worked carefully to build a whole team for communications, I have had more fun than a person ever should have at a “job.” Collaborating with them has been the best! Have you ever been excited to get to work? I have! 

I appreciate Randall for taking a chance on me, for his support, patience, and sound wisdom. I also appreciate Jeff Farmer, Open Bible’s former president, for encouraging me and giving me so many opportunities to stretch. Both have been incredible mentors to me in so many ways. I appreciate our proofreaders, who have kept us from many a blunder. 

I am especially grateful for our incredible writers, busy people who have been kind enough to share through their teachings and testimonies the powerful ways God is working in their lives. We can have the tendency to be quiet about what God does through us or through our churches, not wanting to come across as boastful. But I strongly believe that we need to joyously share what God has done for us and those around us, not to praise a specific person or church, but to give God the glory He deserves. That is our aim for everything. For the essence of prophecy is to give a clear witness for Jesus” (Revelation 19:10, NLT). 

I want to thank you, our faithful readers, who are kind enough to overlook our occasional mistakes and concentrate on the messages we are attempting to relay. And I certainly want to thank my husband, Denny. Without him I could never have followed this dream. 

I am so grateful that my mom made every effort to teach us proper grammar and modeled a love of reading. (She also gave all five of us “kids” the initials A. P., paying homage to the Associated Press.) I appreciate having grown up in a small town, where my uncle published the local newspaper and featured a column called “Good Things.” I always read his column first. 

Although Denny and I are officially “retiring,” we plan to continue many of the things we do now: spend time with family and friends, volunteer, travel, and write – just without rigid deadlines!  

God has been so good to me, and I am beyond grateful. He is so faithful and so kind. When so much of our waking hours can be filled with disturbing news, I have been tasked with focusing on good things that are happening, and there are many!  

And you know what? You do not have to be “in publishing” to spread joy. We all can, and we all should!  

About the Author

Andrea Johnson, a credentialed Open Bible minister, is the managing editor of the Message of the Open Bible. A graduate of Open Bible College with a major in theology/missions, she has edited and co-edited several books, including Servants of the Spirit: Portraits of Pentecostal Pioneers, We Believe: Core Truths for Christian Living, and We Believe for Kids! Her goal is to reveal Christ to those who are searching for Him. In her spare time you will most likely find Andrea enjoying time with family and friends or hiking. She and her husband, Dennis, are blessed with four children, three of whom are married, and eight grandchildren.