By Sheila Graham
PASADENA--As the first strains of "Lord, I Lift Your Name on High" were heard, thousands of arms reached up in praise in a stadium better known for rowdy sports events than sounds of worship.
"I was disappointed I couldn't be here for the Super Bowl, but this is even better. This is the Jesus Bowl," said Margaret Smith from Dallas, Texas, one of about 25,000 women attending the Chosen Women Conference in the Rose Bowl here May 16 and 17.
The Chosen Women Conference was advertised as the first of its size aimed at Christian women of all denominations. The evening meeting began with the Praise Band and the Chosen Women choir singing "The Lord Reigns," reflecting the words displayed in five-foot letters across the top of the stage in the middle of the Rose Bowl.
Of the more than 1,500 volunteers working behind the scenes, most were men from area churches.
After a welcome and introduction by Susan Kimes, event coordinator, international speaker and author Jill Briscoe told the women to allow Christ to reign in their lives. She encouraged the women to let Christ be president of their lives, not just resident. "Why call me Lord and do not what I say?"
Ann Graham Lotz, daughter of Billy Graham, was the final speaker of the evening. "The miracle was that Jesus stayed at that whipping post. His love kept him there," Mrs. Lotz said.
"If God could forgive the men who crucified his Son, don't you think he can forgive whatever you have done?"
Hundreds of women responded to her call to commit themselves to Jesus Christ.
Bunny Wilson was the first speaker Saturday. She spoke for reconciliation--between families, husbands and wives, and races.
When Mrs. Wilson called for repentant women to come to the front of the stage, almost a third of the audience filed forward.
Reflecting on Mrs. Wilson's straight-forward presentation, sprinkled with humor, Peggy Ditto of Winnsboro, Texas, said, "I've been in many meetings in which emotions were used to motivate people, but I've never seen the response of one third of the audience to admit their faults."
Chosen Women (a division of Women of Honor) is a nonprofit, nondenominational Christian ministry corporation formed specifically for this event. Chosen Women is a spin-off of sister organization Network of Evangelical Women in Ministry (NEWIM).
According to Chosen Women, the stadium event was organized to bring women together "to take inventory of their spiritual condition and participate in a much needed spiritual renewal movement."
Delores Schroeder of Altadena, California, said: "I was encouraged as I spoke with other Christian women who openly discussed and shared their love of Christ and hope in him.
"That day, in my heart I `crowned' Christ Lord of all things in my life. I hope the Chosen Women event will be as a stone dropped in the water, with the effects reaching out as we touch other people in our lives."
The name Chosen Women was based on 1 Peter 2:9 when Peter charged those who believed in Jesus Christ as Savior to recognize themselves as a chosen people belonging to God and set apart for him.
Shara Guss of De Soto, Texas, said to her the overall message of the conference was, "When we ask why, God's answer is, `Trust me.' "
June 24, 1997, WN, page 15
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