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Anne Bates

Associate Pastor

WIM: What is the name and location of the church where you serve at and your position? How long have you served in your position?

Bates: Crossroads Worship Center in Weymouth, Massachusetts. I am the associate pastor and have been in this position for 5 years. Previously, I served as the youth pastor for 2 years.

WIM: How did you become the associate pastor?

Bates: I met Rev. Karen Rydwansky when I was a student at Zion Bible College doing my Christian service assignment. I sought her out my senior year since I wanted to know what I was getting myself into becoming a woman in ministry. After my graduation, I returned to my home church and lost touch with Karen until a year later when I got invited to her installation as lead pastor of the church she planted. I attended and after hearing the vision of the church, I felt that I wanted to be a part of it. I went home and prayed and fasted and felt that the Lord said I could go with her. It's funny ... Karen and I met, and she did everything she could to convince me not to come. God had told her not to ask anyone to come — He would build the church. I told her that I was coming anyway. I wasn't looking for a position but just to help serve. That service turned into the youth pastor position after 6 months of doing whatever needed to be done. Now almost 8 years later, I am amazed at all that God has done.

WIM: What are the joys of your position?

Bates: The joys are found in the people. It is an incredible privilege to see God transforming people's lives. I love my job! Being able to preach, teach, encourage, support, challenge, and bless the people God has brought to the church and the community. I also love being able to utilize my gifts — spiritual and natural ones in ministry. I love graphic design, and God has allowed me the joy of creating the church posters and graphics. Another joy is working with a great staff. Karen has invested so much into my life. She exceeds being my "boss." She is truly my pastor, my colleague, my friend, and family. The rest of the staff is incredible, too. I love where God has put me.

WIM: What are the challenges of your position?

Bates: The challenges are also found in all the people. The same cause of joy is also the greatest challenge. It is difficult to watch people not heed God's Word and suffer the fallout. Balancing time is also a challenge. There is so much to do and so little time.

WIM: How do men in your church and community react/respond to you as a pastor?

Bates: We have great men in our church. They are strong supporters of three women pastors (lead, associate, and youth — not our design for pastoral staff, but God's design for our church). The men encourage us and look out for us. They take care of the building and are very visible in the work of the church. I think we break the statistics, too. We have more men in our church then the average in a male-pastored church.

There have been some men who have come into the church that have disagreed with women in the role of pastor. They don't tend to argue. We just don't see them again. Most who disagree are from another denomination and simply go back to their church. It doesn't hinder us. We just stay focused on what God has called us to do.

We have tried several times to get involved with the clergy in our town. For a while we had regular clergy meetings, but then we couldn't spend the time organizing the meetings and no one else took it on. We have tried to get churches together to do events for our town, but they don't seem to respond. It's too bad, but thankfully not hostile.

WIM: What advice and/or encouragement do you have for women who desire to be a lead pastor or part of a pastoral staff?

Bates: If God has called you to pastor, then go for it. Don't let anything stop you from fulfilling the calling. The one thing that keeps me going on the hard days is that I know that God has called me to full-time vocational ministry. If you don't have that defining moment in your life, then ask God to give you one. If I didn't have that I would have run away many times.

I would encourage you not to try to push open doors. God will open the doors that He wants you to go through. Just be patient and sensitive to the Holy Spirit leading you every step of the way.

Finally, there will be people who don't agree with your calling. I would not get into an argument with them. Arguing is a waste of time. Simply do what God has called you to do and the people will see His anointing on your life, and they will not be able to deny His hand on you.

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