Being Needed vs. Being Known - Rebekah Hannah and Kari Ann Tilson

On this episode of This vs. That, we explore a tension that many in ministry face: being needed versus being known. We're joined by Rebekah Hannah and Kari Ann Tilson, co-founders of Rode Leadership, a partner organization of Anchored Virtual.

We discuss Rode Leadership's upcoming pastor's wives cohort and examine why this topic is especially relevant for pastor's wives. Pastor's wives often feel the pull of being needed by many people for many things, facing overwhelming expectations from their church communities while struggling to find safe places for authentic relationships.

Throughout the conversation, we explore how being needed can become a trap where we find our identity and value in what we do rather than who we are in Christ. We discuss the subtle shift that happens when our identity moves from being rooted in Christ to being rooted in our output and performance.

We also talk about what it means to have confidence in Christ—not confidence in our abilities or results, but confidence in the person of Jesus Christ who calls us, equips us, and gives us value. This confidence enables us not only to serve well but also to be known authentically.

We address the practical challenges pastor's wives face in finding genuine friendships where they can be vulnerable and known as individuals, not just as extensions of their husband's ministry. The conversation includes wisdom about focusing on specific areas of giftedness rather than trying to meet every need, and the importance of finding trustworthy people with whom deeper relationships can develop.

Finally, we discuss how the pastor's wives cohort creates a safe space for women experiencing similar challenges across different contexts to share, grow, and realize they're not alone.

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To get 25% off the Pastors' Wives Cohort, visit www.rodeleadership.com/pwc and use the code TVT25