Tell Her Story: CBE’s Denver Conference Report

It all began when InterVarsity Press (IVP) asked me to endorse Nijay Gupta’s book, Tell Her Story: How Women Led, Taught, and Ministered in the Early Church. Though I read and endorse wonderful books each year, Nijay’s was, for me, a stunning gamechanger. A courageous exploration of exquisite yet overlooked resources on women’s history, Dr. Gupta’s book made an essential and needed recovery, not only of valuable historical documents, but crucially of the women leaders in Scripture and history themselves. One wonders how and why these resources were overlooked. Yet one notices the difference as their essential intellectual nutrient is added to one’s diet—strength ensues! Needed now more than ever, Tell Her Story follows the excellence of books like Aída Besançon Spencer’s Beyond the Curse and Jeanette Hassey’s No Time for Silence. Inspired, well-researched, and bringing God’s light to every page, I wrote that “it may well be the final nail in the coffin of Christian patriarchy.”

As I sent off my glowing review to IVP, that still, small voice started speaking over and again. Clearly and obviously, my enthusiasm for Nijay’s book should become the focus of CBE’s next US conference. In consultation with staff, we agreed on its potential for those both within and outside of CBE. “Tell Her Story: Women in Scripture and History” would give newcomers to CBE a chance to drink in biblical and historical material at their own pace. It would also give seasoned egalitarians opportunities to drink from deeper wells of knowledge from speakers not yet included in their “great cloud of witnesses.” Even better, when the topic concerns women in Scripture and church history, the list of options is extensive. This allowed speakers to propose content both on biblical passages long obscured and distorted by human bias, and to explore more thoroughly some of Christianity’s lesser-known women leaders. Our goal was, overall, to challenge the patriarchal assumptions that demean women’s gifts, callings, leadership, and achievements both in and outside of Scripture. This range of lectures had a huge impact! As the conference opened, record numbers signed up, to the point where we had to close registrations and search for alternative housing for in-person attendees.

As the conference began, more than three hundred Christians from countries including the United States, Canada, Mexico, Serbia, Great Britain, and beyond joined in a weekend of worship, praise, communion and learning. Attendees included students, couples, and professionals in both secular and ministry fields. Significantly, it also attracted more than twenty attendees from Asia, staff members of an international college campus ministry that has been reevaluating some of its complementarian policies in recent years. It was an opportunity to engage these leaders and to hear them ask questions and pray in their mother tongue. CBE’s community was the true beneficiary of their presence in Denver, and we hope it’s the first of many.

We were also delighted by our special guests Carolina Guzman and Karla Perdoma from Salem Media’s La Luz Radio station based in Dallas, Texas. Karla and Carolina not only liaison and promote CBE’s Spanish radio spots, “Mujeres en las Escrituras y la misión” (“Women in Scripture and Mission”), but they shared the remarkable statistics showing the impact of CBE’s message in the Spanish-speaking world. As the content of CBE’s radio spots beautifully aligns with our conference theme, Carolina and Karla attended the conference and Kim Dickson had the privilege of interviewing them in Denver. You will enjoy hearing how CBE’s content is impacting Christians on Spanish radio.

As biblical resources in many languages are the epicenter of CBE’s ministry, one of the most popular rooms at our conference hotel was the CBE Bookstore. Books being key to every CBE conference, this room played an important role in facilitating conference conversations. Together we shopped for new and classic publications. CBE Bookstore’s staff loved engaging folks on books best suited to their needs! The bookstore was so popular that after the first day, staff became concerned that we’d run out of titles. And we did, mostly, by the last day. Many thanks to CBE’s development manager, Julene Holt, for driving a huge truck filled with CBE books across the country with her daughter and granddaughter so our community could have affordable hard-copy materials in Denver.

From morning to evening, we made new biblical and historical discoveries. We also made new friends in our community and global church. We found books and resources to extend the experience of learning way beyond our three days together in Colorado. We heard prayer and worshipped “in tongues” beside Asian, European, Brazilian, and Apache believers. I felt the tears swelling as we were hugely blessed by counselors and therapists working in the difficult spaces of abuse. Yet pain exposed to the Spirit’s healing presence nurtures depth of soul and skill in exposing and upending abuses in our communities.

Many, many thanks to our sponsors, donors, speakers, attendees, and organizational partners for making this conference a place of healing, worship, and skill-building. Many thanks to our attendees for trusting CBE and investing a weekend to learn beside us. As we compiled conference feedback, here’s what we’ve learned from those attending in-person and online:

Overall, most attendees cited the “excellent scholarship presented coupled with an opportunity to engage likeminded Christians. [The] conference excelled at well-researched and thorough content.” Also popular was “being able to sit back and listen to women’s stories” from “top-tier scholars.” CBE learned that attendees loved our “academic” skills and how CBE’s community was “open to making new friendships and engaging in conversations with new attendees. There was a warm, inclusive, welcoming, and gracious spirit among all the presenters, workers, and attendees.”

Others expressed appreciation for our evident “passion for the topics and the desire to see women freed to serve fully in the church.” One said they were grateful that the “issues were not presented in a way that would polarize the church into ‘camps.’ The commitment to include and not accuse those with differences promote[d] an atmosphere for genuine learning and discovery led by the Holy Spirit.” Because conference “material . . . was presented in a professional, God-honoring manner and contributed to one’s understanding of God’s design for humanity,” the sessions helped us all “understand the truth about biblical equality between men and women.” Most of all, the conference content on CBE’s Bible translation project was a huge hit.

Significantly, it was important for Christians to know that they’re “not alone.” Those in attendance said they would definitely recommend CBE conferences, not only for our academic skills but also for the emphasis on truth-telling and inclusion of the marginalized. Others said they would recommend CBE’s conferences “because of the quality of the content provided in the sessions and the opportunity to connect with others and create relationships with the body of Christ.” Education was thoughtful, well-researched, and inspiring, but even more, new relationships were formed and people were encouraged. “This conference is almost a necessity for anyone within the church who needs the awareness and understanding of a woman’s purpose and God’s desire to use them.”

To sum it all up, being part of CBE’s community, one attendee said, “I felt so loved and seen in the best way: academic backbone, the abundance of resources, prayers in different languages, the Native [American] community inviting us to worship in their tongue, [and] the number of men there was life-changing for me. I didn’t know how many men actually care about our well-being, independent of how it would benefit them.” As we said goodbye to guests, more empowered than ever, CBE staff heard again and again, “Thank you, thank you for all the hard work and perseverance in offering the conference and for the ongoing ministry that CBE offers. You are all such a blessing.”

Would we do it again? Absolutely. Would we make changes for improvement? Yes, always! Are we grateful for the calling God has given CBE? More than you can imagine. To watch God’s word and God’s faithful community speak into each other’s lives was a priceless experience and one we’ll celebrate long after the night of this world has passed. As we turn our sights to CBE’s 2025 next international conference, please join us in prayer as we discern God’s calling and opportunities in South America beside beloved partners in the church, academia, and home. Thank you, dear ones, for standing with CBE and for sharing in this work as beloved colleagues. We hope the conference sessions, to be available on YouTube and SoundCloud next month, bring you enormous comfort, joy, and strength.

Photos by Carrie Silveira. Used by permission.

Related Resources

Popular Articles