Following God’s Calling – Debbie’s Story

As a small child I was raised in a tiny Baptist Church. We met in the freezing CWA Rooms of the beautiful mountain town of Tumbarumba. I sensed the presence of God here, but soon after I turned six my parents drifted from the church, as they struggled to come to terms with the birth of my baby brother who was diagnosed with Downs Syndrome.

I recommitted my life in my mid-teens at an evangelistic night rally at the local Anglican Church, but it wasn’t until my mid-twenties when we were preparing for the Anglican Baptism of our third daughter, that I made my third and final decision to invite Christ to become Lord of my life.

What made the difference this third time? I got planted! The Lord sent a beautiful lady who I admired greatly, to come along side me. I bumped into her at the Tumbarumba Show, and she explained that she was forming a non-denominational Bible Study Group amongst the women of the farming district in which we lived – mostly schoolteachers like myself. She was so lovely that I simply couldn’t say “No” – even though I was gripped with fear, and everything within me wanted to run and hide!

This began a decade long journey of weekly Bible Study and prayer, with some amazing ladies. My husband Robert was not a Christian at this time and so I was not attending Sunday services as such, but God provided a strong and vibrant community of women who helped me grow in my faith.

My husband’s miraculous salvation while holidaying at Byron Bay in 1990 taught me that my God is faithful and totally able! My faith exploded! God burst out of the box in which I had Him neatly packaged, and surprised me with this incredible event that changed our eternity! While the going was certainly anything but smooth at first, the Lord began uniting the two of us in His love.

Side by side now, we grew in our faith together.

Pastoring a church had never been on my agenda – not a life goal, not a remote possibility in my mind. I was more than happy in my part time teaching role at Mannus Correction Centre, and leading Worship and Women’s Ministry. Robert and I had been members of our church family since day one (early 1993), and on the Leadership Team for approximately 12 years or more, when the amazing pastors who planted Tumbarumba Community Church (TCC) announced they would be stepping down.

A number of people asked if I would be the next pastor of TCC. My reply was always the same – “No way! I know how hard that is, and I’m not up for it!” As leaders, we commenced the process of putting together a role description for the next pastor of TCC, and we prayed fervently that the Lord would bring the right person.

During this period we had support from an ACC Chaplain, and during one of his visits, he brought an ACC pastor from Vineyard in Sydney to meet with us, and speak much needed encouragement to our Leadership Team. During dinner at a local restaurant, this pastor paused on two occasions, and said “I believe the Lord is saying that the next pastor of TCC is seated at this table.”

On our return home that evening my husband Robert and I stood uncomfortably in our kitchen. He spoke first: “Everybody knows he was talking about you Debbie, and I don’t want to be a pastor’s husband.”

My reply: “Good, because I don’t want to be a pastor, so we are both on the same page!”

The next words Robert spoke would change our lives forever!

His words were so simple, yet so profound: “Of course God could always change my mind.”

I was paralysed in that moment as the revelation hit me! We headed to bed without any further discussion – a sleepless night for me as the Lord brought confirmation after confirmation to my mind.

Firstly he showed me the Pastor’s Role Description that we had constructed as a Leadership, and in my mind’s eye He placed it alongside the very introspective counselling assignment I had recently completed. He began to draw lines between the list of traits, skills, passions, and more that we had listed, and my answers to the assignment questions which matched perfectly!

He then proceeded to take me through an intricate series of memories (many of which had been long hidden, or misunderstood) and further clarified His preparation in my life over the previous years. Words that had been spoken over me in prayer, prophecies that I had misunderstood to be something less than they were, events that unfolded in my life that brought growth and equipping.

He laid it all out before me throughout that long night.

Finally I whispered: ” Ok, I know You are calling me, so I know You will enable me. Because You will enable me, I’m up for it….. BUT … I’m NOT telling Robert. If this is You calling us to do this together, then I know You will make it clear to him, and he will hear your call and be mutually in favour of stepping out to lead Your church in this place.”

And so it was over the ensuing few months, Robert sensed more and more strongly that this calling was on our lives. Meanwhile I received a call from the ACC Riverina Leader stating that he believed I was to be the next pastor of TCC. I said that I definitely sensed the calling, but was waiting for the Lord to make it clear to Robert. So we waited, and after a series of very clear revelations which are Robert’s story to tell, my wonderful husband made the phone call to our Riverina Leader on my behalf to inform him that I would be accepting the position as Senior Pastor of Tumbarumba Community Church.

We then set about sharing the news – a very daunting task for me!

The community at large were and still are generally very accepting and enthusiastic about a female pastor in our rural district. Opinions are generally built around standard modern thinking on gender equality. People see my role as a sometimes surprising, but definitely welcome, break from tradition.

On the other hand, it is the “Church” at large that definitely had more trouble accepting the reality of a female pastor. Those within our local church family, who were uncomfortable with the prospect, either disappeared, or sought wisdom and biblical clarification from the Lord, and accepted that mine was a God appointment. So we have simply been able to get on with things.

The “Church” I refer to, is the wider church community, particularly traditional church community, including some of my older relatives. While many would not voice their opinion directly to me, it is evident just the same. I simply pray that they may receive the same revelation myself, and those the Lord has brought around me, have received. The Lord used women in the Bible to lead, particularly I think of my namesake Deborah who is one of my absolute heroes, and He continues to do so today. I’m peaceful that some may continue to question the appointment of women to ministry. They are on a journey, as we all are. The Lord is the one who speaks revelation, so I leave it safely with Him.

As a senior pastor, teacher, farmer’s wife, mother of four, mother-in-love of two, grandmother of seven, friend of many, it certainly does require some juggling to keep the balls in the air so to speak. I really have to prioritise being still with the Lord – the Giver of Life – otherwise the balls fall!

For decades now, I have loved to walk the hill on our farm and commune with God. In this special space where the view of the mountains shouts the glory of God, I have found a safe place of healing, revelation, peace, guidance, and the sheer ecstasy of the life that grows within! Getting away from the house and other responsibilities, reduces distraction, and affords me the opportunity to just “be” – and that is all the Lord wants of me – to “be still”. This is what produces the fruit which feeds those in my care.

The Lord is really speaking to me too about prioritising my marriage – the most important of my earthly relationships! The relationship that can be so easy to take for granted! The relationship that deserves my best, but so often gets the left overs! I am challenged to be a more attentive wife, and have actually just formed an accountability and prayer trio with two other beautiful girls who want to prioritise their marriages as well.

As a pastor, it can be so easy to slip into being constantly available to people … And there will always be people in need of my attention. I have needed to hone my delegation skills to release others in my team into the gifting the Lord has placed within them. I need to be strict with myself.

I need to keep myself accountable. I try and switch off my electronics devices by 8pm. I choose to allow others in our Church Family to freely minister to those in need, both within, and outside our church family.

I am released from Sunday Service responsibilities one weekend each month. This enables Robert and I to slip away to visit family, to have marriage time, or to simply “be” in church with our own church family. This really has worked very well for us, and ensures we actually do take these precious moments in time and use them wisely.

It’s a journey, and I don’t always get it right, but I’m trying to learn from the times I miss it. Being honest and accountable with my church family really helps – reminding them that I am just a God-Chick trying to do her best in her calling – nothing more. It’s the Giver of Life that does the work in and through me, so I just need to stick with Him!