Why Chapter 3?

“Why Chapter 3?” is really two questions. The first is “Why is this ministry called Chapter 3 Ministries?” The second is “Why does this ministry exist?”

Chapter 3 Ministries gets its name from the third chapter of 1 Peter. The idea for the name came to me when I noticed that 1 Peter 3 contains verses about two subjects that have long been dear to my heart, the role of the Christian wife (1 Peter 3:1-6) and the defense for my faith (1 Peter 3:15). I have loved these verses for a longtime, but it never dawned on me before how cool it was that verses about these two subjects are contained in the same chapter! It’s funny how we miss things.

In the almost twenty-six years that I have been a Christian, I have been drawn to ministry in the areas of marriage and apologetics. I have been blessed to answer the call in Titus 2:3-5 in various ways. It is a call I take to heart and a call I answer joyfully. Along with that, I have also had many reasons to dig into the word, shore up my defense, and give an account for the hope that is in me.

Recently I began to pray about what shape my ministry work should take. I have been working in different ways over the past few years, but in recent days it became clear that it was time for a change. With that change I knew I wanted to continue to minister in the spirit of Titus 2:3-5, and I also felt that familiar burden of wanting to see my sisters in Christ better equipped to defend the faith and be free from erroneous teachings.

I considered different options and began to wonder if I should start a blog. After prayer and discussion with my husband, it was concluded that I would begin my own website that would encompass the areas of ministry that I have joyfully been blessed to participate in. With this decision and with the awareness that 1 Peter 3 mentions those areas, the name seemed obvious! Thus Chapter 3 Ministries was brought into existence.

Though I am founding this ministry with a focus on the two main areas of marriage and apologetics, Chapter 3 Ministries will reach beyond them. We cannot limit our Christian experience to one or two main subjects. There is so much in Christ to love and learn about!

I am very excited about this new beginning. I think God for this opportunity. It is my prayer that this endeavor brings glory to him. It is first and foremost about him. It is my prayer that Chapter 3 Ministries will be a blessing to other women. It is my desire to encourage greater understanding about the beauty of God’s will for the role of the Christian wife and to offer support for living it. It is also my desire to support my sisters in Christ in their efforts to be ready in the defense of our great hope.

In the process, I know that this will be a blessing for me. Whenever I spend time in the word researching or studying a topic of the Christian life or defending the faith, my spirit is energized. Being in the word for any reason brings such delight. My thoughts become more saturated with God and his will. I know working on this will bring more joy into my heart.

Joy. Jesus. Others. You. Many of us are familiar with this; though in this case it comes with a twist since I am greatly benefiting from this endeavor. Why Chapter 3? For his Glory, for the hope of blessing others, and for me! In short: for joy!!