In the final part of our Q&A series highlighting women in ministry, we talk with Anna Hopper, SendNC’s spouse care advocate. Drawing from her own church-planting journey, Hopper encourages and equips planter wives across North Carolina, offering prayer and practical support. Her insights shine a light on the joys and challenges of ministry families and the vital role women play in making disciples.
North Carolina Baptists partner on mission together with women across the state who are faithfully leading and making disciples. In this four-part Q&A series, we’re highlighting women in ministry who make an impact for the kingdom as they reach, train, send and serve.
This fourth installment features a Q&A with Anna Hopper, who serves as the spouse care advocate with SendNC. Hopper and her family serve at Mercy Hill Church in Greensboro.
Check out the previous Q&As with student ministry strategist Merrie Johnson; Meredith Snoddy, missions and communications director at Green Street Baptist Church; and Janet Packard, N.C. Baptists’ global missions coordinator.
- As SendNC’s spouse care advocate, you serve a unique and vital role in the lives of church planter wives across the state. What drew you to this ministry, and what does your support for these women look like in practice?
My husband and I planted a church 13 years ago. I remember when we planted only knowing about three other church planter wives who were also new to the gig. It felt kind of lonely. We had been sent to plant from The Summit Church in Durham, who had walked with us, leading up to planting. In the church-planting world at that time, there wasn’t a ton of support from books, articles or podcasts when it came to boots-on-the-ground church planting. I have always had a heart for women, so now it is such a joy to come alongside the women in our state who are serving alongside their husbands and planting churches.
Practically that looks like being a sounding board for ideas, being someone who says, “I see you, and I completely understand,” and praying for these women each week and for the ministry the Lord has given to them. I send out emails with podcast shows, articles or simply what the Lord has been teaching me. I have the joy of blessing them with gift cards, gifts and other fun things throughout the year to show them how much we love and appreciate the work they are doing. - What are some of the joys and challenges you’ve seen women in ministry experience? How can churches better care for and encourage women as they lead, serve and disciple in their context?
There are so many joys and challenges when it comes to women in ministry. I think it is two-fold. Women in the church who are believers have giftings that the Lord has given them, and they are vital to the body of Christ. I believe churches should encourage women in their giftings and give them places to serve where their gifts are being used. The body is meant to function best and bring the most glory to the Lord when all the parts are functioning together. We all have a place to serve within our local churches as women. The Lord has called us to pour out, so we need to find the ways that we can do that to the best of our ability and the glory of the Lord.
The role of the pastor’s wife isn’t defined in Scripture, but we have been called to be our husband’s helpmate, which means their biggest cheerleader and encourager in the work the Lord has called them to. Pastoring is hard work. Paul lists it alongside of the things that he has suffered through in 2 Corinthians.
I have seen many experience the joy of seeing the impact their churches are having in the communities, salvations, baptisms, seeing marriages restored and families redeemed. But there are definitely challenges. Some pour out day in and day out and don’t see the fruit of their labor for a while; some experience spiritual warfare personally or in their families.
Churches can encourage women by sending a note in the mail or expressing a compliment of how the Lord is using them. See ways to jump in and serve the pastors’ wives. Send them a gift card to Chick-fil-A. A simple gesture that says, “I see you and am thankful for you and the way the Lord has gifted you and how you’re using the giftings.” - Ministry can be an all-consuming calling for families. What helps you stay rooted in your identity in Christ and connected to your walk with Jesus as you navigate its demands?
Staying rooted in Christ is constantly remembering that I can’t pour out for my family or others unless I am first being filled. I have nothing to offer apart from Christ. There is no fruit bearing unless I am abiding. William Carey said, “You become what you behold.” What are you beholding? If you are beholding Christ and setting your gaze on Him, then you are going to be in a place to pour out for those around you.
My time in the Word is nonnegotiable. It might not happen at the same time every day, but it happens. I am first a child of God and a disciple before I am anything else in this life — wife, mom, friend, pastor’s wife or leader. I have to be sure I am sharpening that area of my life so that everything that flows out of it will be a response to the Lord’s working in my heart. - In what ways do church-planting families actively engage in the planting process, and how can they use their gifts to make disciples in their communities?
When one feels the call to church plant, it’s not just the husband’s calling. It’s the whole family’s. He is the leader of the family, and the wife and kids have the joyful response to follow that. I remember when we planted Mercy Hill; we moved to Greensboro, and at that time we only had two kids. Our daughter was 2, and our son was 10 months. They had no choice. But I know that our daughter took so much joy when people would come over — for dinners, meetings, community group or whatever it was — to welcome them into our home.
When we were a mobile church, the kids would pitch in helping set the kids rooms and whatever else that was needed. And now 13 years later, our older two are still serving in different ministries in the church, and our younger son is looking forward to “graduating” from kids’ ministry so that he can begin to serve on the weekends as well.
Families with young kids have a unique opportunity to use this season to make disciples in the community. We have always prayed that the Lord would use our family on our sports teams to make an impact for the kingdom, and we have seen that in many different ways. It’s been a blessing to see families who were unchurched begin to come, engage, become believers, be baptized and serve. - How can women in N.C. Baptist churches who feel called to ministry or missions take a step toward getting involved? How can we champion more women to use their gifts for kingdom work?
As believers, we are all called from the sidelines into the game. We are all called to take part in kingdom work. That’s part of being a disciple. It’s the Great Commission. It’s active. Go and make disciples. “Go” and “make” are both verbs; they are actions that we are all called to. So I would encourage women to live out the life you’ve been called to.
Start serving within your local church. How has the Lord gifted you? Start serving in that way, even if it is small. If you don’t feel like you know how you are gifted, reach out to someone who is close to you and ask them what they may see in your life. Or start serving in different ministries within your church and see where you feel it is life-giving and you see how the Lord could use you. It may take some time, and that is OK.
What are the passions that the Lord has given you? I have always loved to teach. I went to school for it and taught elementary school for 10 years. The Lord continues to give me opportunities to teach now, and it’s coupled with my passion for His Word and women. What a dream. I have had women and men around me encourage me in it and cheer me on, which has been a blessing as well.
You can specifically pray for pastors’ wives as they serve in their unique roles in these ways:
- Pray that they would love and serve their husbands and families well and out of an overflow of their time in the Word.
- Pray that the Lord would protect their families from spiritual warfare. The enemy doesn’t want to see churches growing and thriving, so he will attack families.
- Pray they will be so rooted in the gospel that when the fiery darts come, they will stand strong in the strength of the Lord.
Women in N.C. Baptist churches can find ways to engage in missions and ministry at this year’s Women’s Evangelism & Discipleship Conference. On Sept. 13, be inspired and challenged to grow deeper in your faith, strengthen your commitment to discipleship and live out evangelism every day. Register by Sept. 7 at ncbaptist.org/events/womens-conference.
