Aglow International
Encyclopedia
Aglow International is an interdenominational organization of Christian
women and men. Formerly known as Women's Aglow Fellowship, it is one of the largest Christian associations
in the world, with more than 200,000 members meeting together each month through local Aglow groups in 171 nations. More than 21,000 Aglow leaders worldwide minister in their communities. An estimated 17 million people each year are ministered to through over 1,250 community, neighborhood and workplace groups in the US, as well as 3,101 local groups internationally. The organization was born in 1967 out of the charismatic movement
that swept the US in the 1960s. The name Aglow is taken from Romans 12:11.
Although Aglow has an overarching mission
and identity
, each local group is allowed to develop ministries
which are best suited to the immediate needs and social characteristics of its community
. Aglow is concerned with every aspect of believer's lives, and this is reflected in a diversity of ministry programs. Aglow's activities include small group studies, care (support) groups, retreats, and annual conferences. Aglow groups also offer practical gifts of clothing
, food
, house cleaning, and babysitting
, as well as the mentorship
of young people. They impact their communities by reaching out to people in prison
, in senior homes
, inner city
neighborhoods, and mental institutions
; to single moms
, as well as to the next door neighbor.
Aglow International is a non-profit organization
and is a member of the Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability
(ECFA). It is headquartered in Edmonds, Washington
.
. The women wanted a similar women's devotional association, "one where 'those coming into the charismatic renewal
could meet to pray
, fellowship, and listen to the testimonies
of other Christian women.' In a few months the women had formed the Full Gospel Women's Fellowship which spread rapidly." The first general meeting in Seattle drew more than 100 women to the Meany Hotel close to the University of Washington
campus. It did not take long for women who attended that first meeting to invite their neighbors and friends to regular meetings in other communities surrounding Seattle. Word spread, and new groups began springing up around Washington.
By 1972, more than 60 local groups held monthly meetings around the U.S., and the Full Gospel Women's Fellowship was incorporated as the Women's Aglow Fellowship International. Within the next year, groups began in Canada
, New Zealand
, and The Netherlands, making Aglow an international "network of caring women."
In 1981, Aglow's President, Jane Hansen, began to speak and write about the restoration of women according to the significance of their created role as outlined in the Bible
. This grew into Aglow's teaching on the importance of male/female reconciliation in the Church. In 1991 and 1995, Aglow began focusing on ministering to Muslims. Aglow tries to bring awareness about Islam
to Christians and also sponsors an Arabic Language television show that is geared specifically for Muslim women. Women's Aglow Fellowship changed its name to Aglow International in 1995. This change was instituted to encompass the growing global nature of the organization.
In 2001, Aglow decided to stand with and support the nation of Israel
and the Jewish people in the following areas:
Aglow marked its 40th year in 2007. More than 200,000 Aglow members celebrated worldwide, and many attended commemorative
events including an international conference September 20–23 in the organization's founding city, Seattle, and a tour of Israel - the group's seventh such journey to the Holy Land
since 2000.
leadership structure. Within the United States, local Aglow groups are called Lighthouses. Outside the US, these groups are called Candlelight groups. The local groups are composed of women who come together for Bible Study
, teachings, and also to perform community outreach tasks and events. Meetings can take place in any location from homes to community halls to prisons. Lighthouses and Candlelight groups are under the leadership of local women who have undergone the requisite leadership training. These leaders are in turn under the authority of Area Teams. Area Teams give oversight to multiple groups in a particular region or area. National Directors or Presidents oversee all the Area Teams in a nation. All the leaders in these offices are indigenous
women who have also undergone leadership training. In keeping with its charismatic roots, Aglow requires all its leaders to show evidence of the Baptism in the Holy Spirit
by being able to speak in tongues.
In addition, each region in the world has a Prayer Coordinator who oversees and coordinates the prayer
ministry
under the oversight of the Prayer Director. The entire structure of Aglow is under the leadership of the International Board of Directors, of which Jane Hansen is the President. This International Board is composed of 11 women of different nationalities who are Aglow national leaders within their own countries as well. Each Aglow group also has at least one male advisor – usually a person of some prominence within an evangelical church. "This structure, together with leadership seminar
s for specific regions as well as national and worldwide conferences, comprises an international support network
and helps to ensure that each local group reflects Aglow's essential identity."
All of the persons in these positions of leadership give their time voluntarily. The only exception is the paid staff of thirty two at the Aglow Worldwide Headquarters in Edmonds, Washington
. This staff is responsible for the financial
well-being of the organization, the implementation of its goals and purposes, the organization of national conferences and events, and all promotional
and advertising
materials.
An individual becomes a member of Aglow by entering into what is known as a "covenant partnership". This partnership involves the commitment of regular prayer for the organization as well as financial support in free-will donations. However, people are free to attend Aglow meetings without becoming a covenant partner. Aglow International receives most of its funding from covenant partner donations, individual donations, conference fees, and grants
from foundations
. A current financial report can be found in the ECFA
's web site.
and restored to relationship with God. Part of restoration is discipleship
, prayer, encouragement, emotional healing – all of which come through relationship. Aglow believes that true restoration of a woman can only occur after she has reached a place of desperation and is willing to turn completely to God for help. After this act of surrender, God is able to work through her and heal her emotionally and spiritually. In addition to the spiritual restoration of women, Aglow also believes in their physical restoration and empowerment
and works to elevate the status of women worldwide.
To mobilize is "to gather together, to activate, to assemble." Aglow mobilizes women to be servant leaders
its international prayer network
and leadership development. Any leader within Aglow first has to go through training before she is allowed to take a leadership post.
, vision, and purpose, and through whom God would express his life, power, and glory in the earth. Hansen believes that it takes male and female together to fulfill this purpose and that the restoration of this foundational relationship is necessary before the Church as a whole can fulfill its destiny to express God's image.
Hansen believes that women were "uniquely and specifically designed to stand before the man in an intimate, face-to-face relationship." However, although women were meant to look to God to find their life, identity, value and significance, since the fall of Eve
in the dawn of creation, they have looked instead to men to fulfill these needs. Hansen states that only when "a woman's heart is turned back to God to meet her needs, she is…free to be the help God intended her to be: to draw the man out of his aloneness by relating on a level that moves past the surface and touches the deep places of his heart. She is then able to stand in a healthy, face-to-face relationship with him."
Aglow offers seminar
s and workshop
s to help women in the practical application of male-female reconciliation. The seminars teach women how to find "fulfillment and joy in their daily relationships…to create families full of joy and marriages free from resentment." Participants report that these teachings have helped to restore their marriages and other significant relationships.
s and war-torn nations. Aglow Relief, a subsidiary
of Aglow International, has been incorporated for humanitarian and compassion purposes and is in the process of applying for 501(c)(3) status with the federal government.
Aglow has partnered with many organizations worldwide to further its humanitarian interests. In May 2006, more than $30,000 and half a ton of humanitarian supplies were carried to Israel in suitcases by 600 men and women in an Aglow-sponsored solidarity tour. This aid was disseminated to many organizations in Israel such as the Yemin Orde Youth Village near Haifa
, the Magen David Adom
blood donation
center in Jerusalem, the Ethiopian Absorption Center in Mevaseret Zion
and the Ma'aynei Hayeshua Medical Center in Bnei Brak.
More than $20,000 was also donated to Aglow members who were victims of Hurricane Katrina
. CEO and President, Jane Hansen, made a personal visit to the affected areas to distribute these monies. Over $40,000 and humanitarian supplies were also donated for the relief of victims of the tsunami
that hit Asia in December 2004.
Aglow also partners with charitable organizations in the cities where their yearly conferences are held. Conference locations vary from year to year. In 2006, Aglow partnered with the City on a Hill, an organization in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, dedicated to meeting the needs of the central city by providing hands-on missions training, faith-based
multicultural education, community outreach, economic empowerment, housing developments, and health
and social services. Participants at the Aglow conference prayed specifically for this charity and also made sizeable donations to further its outreach.
Aglow has also received many grants
and funding
from secular organizations. A donation of $40,000 was made in September 2006 to the Ghana
branch of Aglow by Western Union
Money Transfer. This money was given in aid of the construction of a women's vocation
al institute
. The vocational institute will offer training in Craft
and Handiwork, Management
and Catering
, Dressmaking, Batik
Making, Hairdressing, Secretarial Studies, Bookkeeping
, Accounting, Communication
Skills, Basic Education, as well as Snail
and Mushroom
Farming. Western Union made this donation to assist Aglow in their mission to empower women in the community of Ghana.
" for Christian ministries points out the following issues that some people have with Aglow International:
Fashioned for Intimacy, Jane Hansen with Marie Powers, Regal Books, 1997.
God's Daughters: Evangelical Women and the Power of Submission, R. Marie Griffith, University of California Press, 1997.
Christian
A Christian is a person who adheres to Christianity, an Abrahamic, monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth as recorded in the Canonical gospels and the letters of the New Testament...
women and men. Formerly known as Women's Aglow Fellowship, it is one of the largest Christian associations
Voluntary association
A voluntary association or union is a group of individuals who enter into an agreement as volunteers to form a body to accomplish a purpose.Strictly speaking, in many jurisdictions no formalities are necessary to start an association...
in the world, with more than 200,000 members meeting together each month through local Aglow groups in 171 nations. More than 21,000 Aglow leaders worldwide minister in their communities. An estimated 17 million people each year are ministered to through over 1,250 community, neighborhood and workplace groups in the US, as well as 3,101 local groups internationally. The organization was born in 1967 out of the charismatic movement
Charismatic movement
The term charismatic movement is used in varying senses to describe 20th century developments in various Christian denominations. It describes an ongoing international, cross-denominational/non-denominational Christian movement in which individual, historically mainstream congregations adopt...
that swept the US in the 1960s. The name Aglow is taken from Romans 12:11.
Although Aglow has an overarching mission
Mission (Christian)
Christian missionary activities often involve sending individuals and groups , to foreign countries and to places in their own homeland. This has frequently involved not only evangelization , but also humanitarian work, especially among the poor and disadvantaged...
and identity
Corporate identity
In Corporate Communications, a corporate identity is the "persona" of a corporation which is designed to accord with and facilitate the attainment of business objectives...
, each local group is allowed to develop ministries
Christian ministry
In Christianity, ministry is an activity carried out by Christians to express or spread their faith. 2003's Encyclopedia of Christianity defines it as "carrying forth Christ's mission in the world", indicating that it is "conferred on each Christian in baptism." It is performed by all Christians...
which are best suited to the immediate needs and social characteristics of its community
Community
The term community has two distinct meanings:*a group of interacting people, possibly living in close proximity, and often refers to a group that shares some common values, and is attributed with social cohesion within a shared geographical location, generally in social units larger than a household...
. Aglow is concerned with every aspect of believer's lives, and this is reflected in a diversity of ministry programs. Aglow's activities include small group studies, care (support) groups, retreats, and annual conferences. Aglow groups also offer practical gifts of clothing
Clothing
Clothing refers to any covering for the human body that is worn. The wearing of clothing is exclusively a human characteristic and is a feature of nearly all human societies...
, food
Food
Food is any substance consumed to provide nutritional support for the body. It is usually of plant or animal origin, and contains essential nutrients, such as carbohydrates, fats, proteins, vitamins, or minerals...
, house cleaning, and babysitting
Babysitting
Babysitting is the practice of temporarily caring for a child on behalf of the child's parents. Babysitting is commonly performed as an odd job by teenagers for extra money.-General:...
, as well as the mentorship
Mentorship
Mentorship refers to a personal developmental relationship in which a more experienced or more knowledgeable person helps a less experienced or less knowledgeable person....
of young people. They impact their communities by reaching out to people in prison
Prison
A prison is a place in which people are physically confined and, usually, deprived of a range of personal freedoms. Imprisonment or incarceration is a legal penalty that may be imposed by the state for the commission of a crime...
, in senior homes
Retirement home
A retirement home is a multi-residence housing facility intended for senior citizens. Typically each person or couple in the home has an apartment-style room or suite of rooms. Additional facilities are provided within the building, including facilities for meals, gathering, recreation, and some...
, inner city
Inner city
The inner city is the central area of a major city or metropolis. In the United States, Canada, United Kingdom and Ireland, the term is often applied to the lower-income residential districts in the city centre and nearby areas...
neighborhoods, and mental institutions
Psychiatric hospital
Psychiatric hospitals, also known as mental hospitals, are hospitals specializing in the treatment of serious mental disorders. Psychiatric hospitals vary widely in their size and grading. Some hospitals may specialise only in short-term or outpatient therapy for low-risk patients...
; to single moms
Single parent
Single parent is a term that is mostly used to suggest that one parent has most of the day to day responsibilities in the raising of the child or children, which would categorize them as the dominant caregiver...
, as well as to the next door neighbor.
Aglow International is a non-profit organization
Non-profit organization
Nonprofit organization is neither a legal nor technical definition but generally refers to an organization that uses surplus revenues to achieve its goals, rather than distributing them as profit or dividends...
and is a member of the Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability
Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability
The Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability is an accreditation agency to promote fiscal integrity and sound financial practices among member organizations. Founded in 1979, it comprises over 2,000 evangelical Christian organizations which qualify for tax-exempt, nonprofit status and...
(ECFA). It is headquartered in Edmonds, Washington
Edmonds, Washington
Edmonds is a city in Snohomish County, Washington, United States. Edmonds has a view of Puget Sound and both the Olympic Mountains and Cascade Range. The third most populous city in Snohomish County after Everett and Marysville, the population was 39,709 according to the 2010 census...
.
History
Aglow began in 1967 with four women who expressed a desire to meet together as Christians without denominational boundaries. The four women were wives of members of the Full Gospel Business Men's Fellowship InternationalFull Gospel Business Men's Fellowship International
The Full Gospel Business Men's Fellowship International is a fellowship of lay businessmen. Its main purpose is to arouse interest in the gospel. Theologically, the organisation has its roots in Pentecostalism. It is currently active in 160 countries around the world...
. The women wanted a similar women's devotional association, "one where 'those coming into the charismatic renewal
Charismatic movement
The term charismatic movement is used in varying senses to describe 20th century developments in various Christian denominations. It describes an ongoing international, cross-denominational/non-denominational Christian movement in which individual, historically mainstream congregations adopt...
could meet to pray
Prayer
Prayer is a form of religious practice that seeks to activate a volitional rapport to a deity through deliberate practice. Prayer may be either individual or communal and take place in public or in private. It may involve the use of words or song. When language is used, prayer may take the form of...
, fellowship, and listen to the testimonies
Testimony
In law and in religion, testimony is a solemn attestation as to the truth of a matter. All testimonies should be well thought out and truthful. It was the custom in Ancient Rome for the men to place their right hand on a Bible when taking an oath...
of other Christian women.' In a few months the women had formed the Full Gospel Women's Fellowship which spread rapidly." The first general meeting in Seattle drew more than 100 women to the Meany Hotel close to the University of Washington
University of Washington
University of Washington is a public research university, founded in 1861 in Seattle, Washington, United States. The UW is the largest university in the Northwest and the oldest public university on the West Coast. The university has three campuses, with its largest campus in the University...
campus. It did not take long for women who attended that first meeting to invite their neighbors and friends to regular meetings in other communities surrounding Seattle. Word spread, and new groups began springing up around Washington.
By 1972, more than 60 local groups held monthly meetings around the U.S., and the Full Gospel Women's Fellowship was incorporated as the Women's Aglow Fellowship International. Within the next year, groups began in Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
, New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
, and The Netherlands, making Aglow an international "network of caring women."
In 1981, Aglow's President, Jane Hansen, began to speak and write about the restoration of women according to the significance of their created role as outlined in the Bible
Bible
The Bible refers to any one of the collections of the primary religious texts of Judaism and Christianity. There is no common version of the Bible, as the individual books , their contents and their order vary among denominations...
. This grew into Aglow's teaching on the importance of male/female reconciliation in the Church. In 1991 and 1995, Aglow began focusing on ministering to Muslims. Aglow tries to bring awareness about Islam
Islam
Islam . The most common are and . : Arabic pronunciation varies regionally. The first vowel ranges from ~~. The second vowel ranges from ~~~...
to Christians and also sponsors an Arabic Language television show that is geared specifically for Muslim women. Women's Aglow Fellowship changed its name to Aglow International in 1995. This change was instituted to encompass the growing global nature of the organization.
In 2001, Aglow decided to stand with and support the nation of Israel
Israel
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
and the Jewish people in the following areas:
- To expose anti-SemitismAnti-SemitismAntisemitism is suspicion of, hatred toward, or discrimination against Jews for reasons connected to their Jewish heritage. According to a 2005 U.S...
and false doctrines which seek to destroy the Jewish people such as Replacement Theology or SupersessionismSupersessionismSupersessionism is a term for the dominant Christian view of the Old Covenant, also called fulfillment theology and replacement theology, though the latter term is disputed...
, calling for repentance in the ChurchChristian ChurchThe Christian Church is the assembly or association of followers of Jesus Christ. The Greek term ἐκκλησία that in its appearances in the New Testament is usually translated as "church" basically means "assembly"...
at large; - To love, support, honor, and esteem the Jewish people as the root from which ChristianityChristianityChristianity is a monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus as presented in canonical gospels and other New Testament writings...
has grown (Romans 11:18)
Aglow marked its 40th year in 2007. More than 200,000 Aglow members celebrated worldwide, and many attended commemorative
Commemorative
Commemorative may refer to:*Commemorative coin*United States Commemorative Coin*Commemorative issue - a special edition of a book, magazine, or other item released around, or in memory of, a special event or occurrence.*Commemorative stamp...
events including an international conference September 20–23 in the organization's founding city, Seattle, and a tour of Israel - the group's seventh such journey to the Holy Land
Holy Land
The Holy Land is a term which in Judaism refers to the Kingdom of Israel as defined in the Tanakh. For Jews, the Land's identifiction of being Holy is defined in Judaism by its differentiation from other lands by virtue of the practice of Judaism often possible only in the Land of Israel...
since 2000.
Structure
Aglow International has a hierarchicalHierarchy
A hierarchy is an arrangement of items in which the items are represented as being "above," "below," or "at the same level as" one another...
leadership structure. Within the United States, local Aglow groups are called Lighthouses. Outside the US, these groups are called Candlelight groups. The local groups are composed of women who come together for Bible Study
Biblical studies
Biblical studies is the academic study of the Judeo-Christian Bible and related texts. For Christianity, the Bible traditionally comprises the New Testament and Old Testament, which together are sometimes called the "Scriptures." Judaism recognizes as scripture only the Hebrew Bible, also known as...
, teachings, and also to perform community outreach tasks and events. Meetings can take place in any location from homes to community halls to prisons. Lighthouses and Candlelight groups are under the leadership of local women who have undergone the requisite leadership training. These leaders are in turn under the authority of Area Teams. Area Teams give oversight to multiple groups in a particular region or area. National Directors or Presidents oversee all the Area Teams in a nation. All the leaders in these offices are indigenous
Indigenous peoples
Indigenous peoples are ethnic groups that are defined as indigenous according to one of the various definitions of the term, there is no universally accepted definition but most of which carry connotations of being the "original inhabitants" of a territory....
women who have also undergone leadership training. In keeping with its charismatic roots, Aglow requires all its leaders to show evidence of the Baptism in the Holy Spirit
Baptism with the Holy Spirit
Baptism with the Holy Spirit in Christian theology is a term describing baptism in or with the Spirit of God...
by being able to speak in tongues.
In addition, each region in the world has a Prayer Coordinator who oversees and coordinates the prayer
Prayer
Prayer is a form of religious practice that seeks to activate a volitional rapport to a deity through deliberate practice. Prayer may be either individual or communal and take place in public or in private. It may involve the use of words or song. When language is used, prayer may take the form of...
ministry
Christian ministry
In Christianity, ministry is an activity carried out by Christians to express or spread their faith. 2003's Encyclopedia of Christianity defines it as "carrying forth Christ's mission in the world", indicating that it is "conferred on each Christian in baptism." It is performed by all Christians...
under the oversight of the Prayer Director. The entire structure of Aglow is under the leadership of the International Board of Directors, of which Jane Hansen is the President. This International Board is composed of 11 women of different nationalities who are Aglow national leaders within their own countries as well. Each Aglow group also has at least one male advisor – usually a person of some prominence within an evangelical church. "This structure, together with leadership seminar
Seminar
Seminar is, generally, a form of academic instruction, either at an academic institution or offered by a commercial or professional organization. It has the function of bringing together small groups for recurring meetings, focusing each time on some particular subject, in which everyone present is...
s for specific regions as well as national and worldwide conferences, comprises an international support network
Social network
A social network is a social structure made up of individuals called "nodes", which are tied by one or more specific types of interdependency, such as friendship, kinship, common interest, financial exchange, dislike, sexual relationships, or relationships of beliefs, knowledge or prestige.Social...
and helps to ensure that each local group reflects Aglow's essential identity."
All of the persons in these positions of leadership give their time voluntarily. The only exception is the paid staff of thirty two at the Aglow Worldwide Headquarters in Edmonds, Washington
Edmonds, Washington
Edmonds is a city in Snohomish County, Washington, United States. Edmonds has a view of Puget Sound and both the Olympic Mountains and Cascade Range. The third most populous city in Snohomish County after Everett and Marysville, the population was 39,709 according to the 2010 census...
. This staff is responsible for the financial
FINANCIAL
FINANCIAL is the weekly English-language newspaper with offices in Tbilisi, Georgia and Kiev, Ukraine. Published by Intelligence Group LLC, FINANCIAL is focused on opinion leaders and top business decision-makers; It's about world’s largest companies, investing, careers, and small business. It is...
well-being of the organization, the implementation of its goals and purposes, the organization of national conferences and events, and all promotional
Promotion (marketing)
Promotion is one of the four elements of marketing mix . It is the communication link between sellers and buyers for the purpose of influencing, informing, or persuading a potential buyer's purchasing decision....
and advertising
Advertising
Advertising is a form of communication used to persuade an audience to take some action with respect to products, ideas, or services. Most commonly, the desired result is to drive consumer behavior with respect to a commercial offering, although political and ideological advertising is also common...
materials.
An individual becomes a member of Aglow by entering into what is known as a "covenant partnership". This partnership involves the commitment of regular prayer for the organization as well as financial support in free-will donations. However, people are free to attend Aglow meetings without becoming a covenant partner. Aglow International receives most of its funding from covenant partner donations, individual donations, conference fees, and grants
Grant (money)
Grants are funds disbursed by one party , often a Government Department, Corporation, Foundation or Trust, to a recipient, often a nonprofit entity, educational institution, business or an individual. In order to receive a grant, some form of "Grant Writing" often referred to as either a proposal...
from foundations
Foundation (charity)
A foundation is a legal categorization of nonprofit organizations that will typically either donate funds and support to other organizations, or provide the source of funding for its own charitable purposes....
. A current financial report can be found in the ECFA
Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability
The Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability is an accreditation agency to promote fiscal integrity and sound financial practices among member organizations. Founded in 1979, it comprises over 2,000 evangelical Christian organizations which qualify for tax-exempt, nonprofit status and...
's web site.
Mission
Aglow's mission is threefold:-
- To restore and mobilize women and men around the world
- To promote genderGenderGender is a range of characteristics used to distinguish between males and females, particularly in the cases of men and women and the masculine and feminine attributes assigned to them. Depending on the context, the discriminating characteristics vary from sex to social role to gender identity...
reconciliation in the Body of ChristBody of ChristIn Christian theology, the term Body of Christ has two separate connotations: it may refer to Jesus's statement about the Eucharist at the Last Supper that "This is my body" in , or the explicit usage of the term by the Apostle Paul in to refer to the Christian Church.Although in general usage the...
as God designed - To amplify awareness of global concerns from a biblical perspective
Restoration and mobilization of women
Aglow believes that in order to be restored, a woman must first be savedSalvation
Within religion salvation is the phenomenon of being saved from the undesirable condition of bondage or suffering experienced by the psyche or soul that has arisen as a result of unskillful or immoral actions generically referred to as sins. Salvation may also be called "deliverance" or...
and restored to relationship with God. Part of restoration is discipleship
Disciple (Christianity)
In Christianity, the disciples were the students of Jesus during his ministry. While Jesus attracted a large following, the term disciple is commonly used to refer specifically to "the Twelve", an inner circle of men whose number perhaps represented the twelve tribes of Israel...
, prayer, encouragement, emotional healing – all of which come through relationship. Aglow believes that true restoration of a woman can only occur after she has reached a place of desperation and is willing to turn completely to God for help. After this act of surrender, God is able to work through her and heal her emotionally and spiritually. In addition to the spiritual restoration of women, Aglow also believes in their physical restoration and empowerment
Empowerment
Empowerment refers to increasing the spiritual, political, social, racial, educational, gender or economic strength of individuals and communities...
and works to elevate the status of women worldwide.
To mobilize is "to gather together, to activate, to assemble." Aglow mobilizes women to be servant leaders
Servant leadership
Servant leadership is a philosophy and practice of leadership, coined and defined by Robert K. Greenleaf and supported by many leadership and management writers such as James Autry, Ken Blanchard, Stephen Covey, Peter Block, Peter Senge, Max DePree, Scott Greenberg, Larry Spears, Margaret...
its international prayer network
Social network
A social network is a social structure made up of individuals called "nodes", which are tied by one or more specific types of interdependency, such as friendship, kinship, common interest, financial exchange, dislike, sexual relationships, or relationships of beliefs, knowledge or prestige.Social...
and leadership development. Any leader within Aglow first has to go through training before she is allowed to take a leadership post.
Gender reconciliation
In 1981, the issue of restoration of women led Hansen to the issue of male and female reconciliation in the Church. According to Hansen, this issue seeks to restore the biblical view of God's purpose for creation which Aglow bases on . Aglow believes this purpose was to have a family, a people who would share God's life, nature, spiritSpirit
The English word spirit has many differing meanings and connotations, most of them relating to a non-corporeal substance contrasted with the material body.The spirit of a living thing usually refers to or explains its consciousness.The notions of a person's "spirit" and "soul" often also overlap,...
, vision, and purpose, and through whom God would express his life, power, and glory in the earth. Hansen believes that it takes male and female together to fulfill this purpose and that the restoration of this foundational relationship is necessary before the Church as a whole can fulfill its destiny to express God's image.
Hansen believes that women were "uniquely and specifically designed to stand before the man in an intimate, face-to-face relationship." However, although women were meant to look to God to find their life, identity, value and significance, since the fall of Eve
Eve (Bible)
Eve was, according to the creation of Abrahamic religions, the first woman created by God...
in the dawn of creation, they have looked instead to men to fulfill these needs. Hansen states that only when "a woman's heart is turned back to God to meet her needs, she is…free to be the help God intended her to be: to draw the man out of his aloneness by relating on a level that moves past the surface and touches the deep places of his heart. She is then able to stand in a healthy, face-to-face relationship with him."
Aglow offers seminar
Seminar
Seminar is, generally, a form of academic instruction, either at an academic institution or offered by a commercial or professional organization. It has the function of bringing together small groups for recurring meetings, focusing each time on some particular subject, in which everyone present is...
s and workshop
Workshop
A workshop is a room or building which provides both the area and tools that may be required for the manufacture or repair of manufactured goods...
s to help women in the practical application of male-female reconciliation. The seminars teach women how to find "fulfillment and joy in their daily relationships…to create families full of joy and marriages free from resentment." Participants report that these teachings have helped to restore their marriages and other significant relationships.
Global concerns
Aglow women conduct outreach efforts, specifically in refugee campRefugee camp
A refugee camp is a temporary settlement built to receive refugees. Hundreds of thousands of people may live in any one single camp. Usually they are built and run by a government, the United Nations, or international organizations, or NGOs.Refugee camps are generally set up in an impromptu...
s and war-torn nations. Aglow Relief, a subsidiary
Subsidiary
A subsidiary company, subsidiary, or daughter company is a company that is completely or partly owned and wholly controlled by another company that owns more than half of the subsidiary's stock. The subsidiary can be a company, corporation, or limited liability company. In some cases it is a...
of Aglow International, has been incorporated for humanitarian and compassion purposes and is in the process of applying for 501(c)(3) status with the federal government.
Aglow has partnered with many organizations worldwide to further its humanitarian interests. In May 2006, more than $30,000 and half a ton of humanitarian supplies were carried to Israel in suitcases by 600 men and women in an Aglow-sponsored solidarity tour. This aid was disseminated to many organizations in Israel such as the Yemin Orde Youth Village near Haifa
Haifa
Haifa is the largest city in northern Israel, and the third-largest city in the country, with a population of over 268,000. Another 300,000 people live in towns directly adjacent to the city including the cities of the Krayot, as well as, Tirat Carmel, Daliyat al-Karmel and Nesher...
, the Magen David Adom
Magen David Adom
The Magen David Adom is Israel's national emergency medical, disaster, ambulance and blood bank service. The name means "Red Star of David"...
blood donation
Blood donation
A blood donation occurs when a person voluntarily has blood drawn and used for transfusions or made into medications by a process called fractionation....
center in Jerusalem, the Ethiopian Absorption Center in Mevaseret Zion
Mevaseret Zion
Mevaseret Zion is a suburb of Jerusalem, Israel. Mevaseret Zion is composed of two distinct townships, Maoz Zion and Mevaseret Yerushalayim—under the jurisdiction of one local council. The newer neighborhoods of Mevaseret Zion were not part of either settlement.Mevaseret Zion is located on a...
and the Ma'aynei Hayeshua Medical Center in Bnei Brak.
More than $20,000 was also donated to Aglow members who were victims of Hurricane Katrina
Hurricane Katrina
Hurricane Katrina of the 2005 Atlantic hurricane season was a powerful Atlantic hurricane. It is the costliest natural disaster, as well as one of the five deadliest hurricanes, in the history of the United States. Among recorded Atlantic hurricanes, it was the sixth strongest overall...
. CEO and President, Jane Hansen, made a personal visit to the affected areas to distribute these monies. Over $40,000 and humanitarian supplies were also donated for the relief of victims of the tsunami
Tsunami
A tsunami is a series of water waves caused by the displacement of a large volume of a body of water, typically an ocean or a large lake...
that hit Asia in December 2004.
Aglow also partners with charitable organizations in the cities where their yearly conferences are held. Conference locations vary from year to year. In 2006, Aglow partnered with the City on a Hill, an organization in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, dedicated to meeting the needs of the central city by providing hands-on missions training, faith-based
Faith-based
The term faith-based is a neologism , mostly current in US English, to describe any organization or government idea or plan based on religious beliefs, specifically Christian beliefs....
multicultural education, community outreach, economic empowerment, housing developments, and health
Health care
Health care is the diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of disease, illness, injury, and other physical and mental impairments in humans. Health care is delivered by practitioners in medicine, chiropractic, dentistry, nursing, pharmacy, allied health, and other care providers...
and social services. Participants at the Aglow conference prayed specifically for this charity and also made sizeable donations to further its outreach.
Aglow has also received many grants
Grant (money)
Grants are funds disbursed by one party , often a Government Department, Corporation, Foundation or Trust, to a recipient, often a nonprofit entity, educational institution, business or an individual. In order to receive a grant, some form of "Grant Writing" often referred to as either a proposal...
and funding
Funding
Funding is the act of providing resources, usually in form of money , or other values such as effort or time , for a project, a person, a business or any other private or public institutions...
from secular organizations. A donation of $40,000 was made in September 2006 to the Ghana
Ghana
Ghana , officially the Republic of Ghana, is a country located in West Africa. It is bordered by Côte d'Ivoire to the west, Burkina Faso to the north, Togo to the east, and the Gulf of Guinea to the south...
branch of Aglow by Western Union
Western Union
The Western Union Company is a financial services and communications company based in the United States. Its North American headquarters is in Englewood, Colorado. Up until 2006, Western Union was the best-known U.S...
Money Transfer. This money was given in aid of the construction of a women's vocation
Vocation
A vocation , is a term for an occupation to which a person is specially drawn or for which they are suited, trained or qualified. Though now often used in non-religious contexts, the meanings of the term originated in Christianity.-Senses:...
al institute
Institute
An institute is a permanent organizational body created for a certain purpose. Often it is a research organization created to do research on specific topics...
. The vocational institute will offer training in Craft
Craft
A craft is a branch of a profession that requires some particular kind of skilled work. In historical sense, particularly as pertinent to the Medieval history and earlier, the term is usually applied towards people occupied in small-scale production of goods.-Development from the past until...
and Handiwork, Management
Management
Management in all business and organizational activities is the act of getting people together to accomplish desired goals and objectives using available resources efficiently and effectively...
and Catering
Catering
Catering is the business of providing foodservice at a remote site or a site such as a hotel, public house , or other location.-Mobile catering:A mobile caterer serves food directly from a vehicle or cart that is designed for the purpose...
, Dressmaking, Batik
Batik
Batik is a cloth that traditionally uses a manual wax-resist dyeing technique. Batik or fabrics with the traditional batik patterns are found in Indonesia, Malaysia, Japan, China, Azerbaijan, India, Sri Lanka, Egypt, Nigeria, Senegal, and Singapore.Javanese traditional batik, especially from...
Making, Hairdressing, Secretarial Studies, Bookkeeping
Bookkeeping
Bookkeeping is the recording of financial transactions. Transactions include sales, purchases, income, receipts and payments by an individual or organization. Bookkeeping is usually performed by a bookkeeper. Bookkeeping should not be confused with accounting. The accounting process is usually...
, Accounting, Communication
Communication
Communication is the activity of conveying meaningful information. Communication requires a sender, a message, and an intended recipient, although the receiver need not be present or aware of the sender's intent to communicate at the time of communication; thus communication can occur across vast...
Skills, Basic Education, as well as Snail
Snail
Snail is a common name applied to most of the members of the molluscan class Gastropoda that have coiled shells in the adult stage. When the word is used in its most general sense, it includes sea snails, land snails and freshwater snails. The word snail without any qualifier is however more often...
and Mushroom
Mushroom
A mushroom is the fleshy, spore-bearing fruiting body of a fungus, typically produced above ground on soil or on its food source. The standard for the name "mushroom" is the cultivated white button mushroom, Agaricus bisporus; hence the word "mushroom" is most often applied to those fungi that...
Farming. Western Union made this donation to assist Aglow in their mission to empower women in the community of Ghana.
Prayer
Aglow believes God has called the organization to be a "Global House of Prayer." Aglow women pray in small groups and in large national and international gatherings. In her book about Aglow International, God's Daughters, R. Marie Griffith states that, "God calls his daughters to perform mighty acts and inaugurate prodigious transformations through their prayers, rendering Christian women vital instruments of regeneration and healing to a broken and dying world."Criticism
MinistryWatch.org, an independent organization that acts as a "watchdogWatchdog journalism
Watchdog journalism aims to hold accountable public personalities and institutions, whose functions impact social and political life. The term "lapdog journalism", for journalism biased in favour of personalities and institutions, is sometimes used as a conceptual opposite to watchdog...
" for Christian ministries points out the following issues that some people have with Aglow International:
- "Aglow's emphasis on speaking in tongues, particularly in requiring this of its leaders, seems to be out of line with the teachings of ScriptureBibleThe Bible refers to any one of the collections of the primary religious texts of Judaism and Christianity. There is no common version of the Bible, as the individual books , their contents and their order vary among denominations...
, which do not make tongues-speaking a criterion for leadership. - Aglow's focus on gender reconciliation within the Church seems to involve accepting women's ordinationOrdinationIn general religious use, ordination is the process by which individuals are consecrated, that is, set apart as clergy to perform various religious rites and ceremonies. The process and ceremonies of ordination itself varies by religion and denomination. One who is in preparation for, or who is...
to pastorPastorThe word pastor usually refers to an ordained leader of a Christian congregation. When used as an ecclesiastical styling or title, this role may be abbreviated to "Pr." or often "Ps"....
al ministry, a recent innovation which many Christians believe is unbiblical. - Some people might think that Aglow's teaching on relationshipsInterpersonal relationshipAn interpersonal relationship is an association between two or more people that may range from fleeting to enduring. This association may be based on limerence, love, solidarity, regular business interactions, or some other type of social commitment. Interpersonal relationships are formed in the...
… is heavy on pop psychology and light on Christian doctrine. - Some Christians have criticized what they perceive as Aglow's ecumenismEcumenismEcumenism or oecumenism mainly refers to initiatives aimed at greater Christian unity or cooperation. It is used predominantly by and with reference to Christian denominations and Christian Churches separated by doctrine, history, and practice...
, particularly the organization's openness to Roman Catholics. - Some people are wary of Aglow's claims to be an apostolicApostolic SuccessionApostolic succession is a doctrine, held by some Christian denominations, which asserts that the chosen successors of the Twelve Apostles, from the first century to the present day, have inherited the spiritual, ecclesiastical and sacramental authority, power, and responsibility that were...
and prophetic ministry, especially as this entails ongoing special revelationSpecial revelationSpecial revelation is a theological term used mainly by evangelical scientists and theologians which refers to the belief that knowledge of God and of spiritual matters can be discovered through supernatural means, such as miracles or the scriptures, a disclosure of God's truth through means other...
from God."
Further reading
The Journey of a Woman, Jane Hansen, Regal Books, 1998.Fashioned for Intimacy, Jane Hansen with Marie Powers, Regal Books, 1997.
God's Daughters: Evangelical Women and the Power of Submission, R. Marie Griffith, University of California Press, 1997.