Women of Grace Q&A’s
Women of Grace Q&A
Pastor James Coates (Moderated by: Erin Coates)
March 1, 2026
View Questions
1. My husband doesn’t want to lead worship with the family or read and pray with me. How should she respond? What can she do with her duties towards her children, as she waits on the Lord for her husband?
2. I was taught that you should never spank your children with your hands. But a couple was telling me they read you should spank with your hands. The Bible says to use the rod. What would you say about this topic? Also, it should hurt them when you spank, it may very well leave a mark. What about that particular matter? We’ve read different Christian books that say opposite things — some say to use your hand, and others say not to. We’re feeling a bit confused and would value your perspective.
3. Should we expect immediate obedience from our children, or allow some time and grace for them to respond? I’m asking especially because our little one is about to turn two, and we want to approach this stage wisely.
4. How can I help my husband recognize if his job may have become too much of a priority? He feels a strong responsibility to provide for us. He works every single day, including Sundays. I’ve suggested he talk to his boss, but he’s afraid he might lose his job and not find another one with similar pay. Similar question: Do you believe church duties come before family? Not “skip church for sports’ way but in a general way.
5. Is it okay to send my kid to a Christian publicly funded school?
6. Should women be at home with their kids or is it okay to work?
7. With the study of what love is in Corinthians is raises the question about what healthy boundaries are and if they are biblical. If we are to bear all things and not take into account a wrong suffered how would putting boundaries against people coincide with these commands?
8. Does starting a home church only with like-minded people hinder spiritual growth and fall short of true biblical fellowship within the broader body of Christ? I have a family member who believes this is right and see isolation and comfort rather than obedience. How can I show them with scripture the effects of separating from the broader body of Christ.?
9. My question is, given the size of Grace Life and how many people are coming (and how difficult it is to get seats at first service), why not plant a sister church somewhere else in the surrounding community? I know that the original plan was to build a bigger building, but since that’s likely not happening in the near future, why not plant another church? The reality is there is a shortage of Biblically sound churches and two churches like Grace Life seems better than one.
Women of Grace Q & A
Spring Tea
May 24, 2025
View Questions
Dawn:
1. How do I humbly and biblically address a fellow believer—who is also my father-in-law—if I believe he’s misinterpreting Scripture? As a woman, I want to honor the biblical boundaries around teaching, especially to a man, but I also care about truth. How can I navigate this in a respectful and godly way?
Erin:
2. How do you show Christ-like love to a fellow believer who has deeply hurt you, refuses to acknowledge it, and now paints themselves as the victim? The relationship is broken—we no longer speak—and I’m scared to approach them because they use ‘woke’ language and ideas that twist the truth and leave me flustered. They profess to be a Christian, but some of their beliefs don’t align with Scripture. I want to love them, but I honestly don’t know how when things are this awkward and painful?
Naphtali:
3. Question for you, how do you remain consistent in your Bible reading and prayer on the weekends? I find myself schedule oriented during the week (Hubby goes to work, I’m home with the kids, I have my time reading the word and in prayer). On the weekends things are not as scheduled, which is fine, but I realize that I’m not doing my reading or having time in prayer. While I don’t want this to be legalistic, I would love advice for a mom who is in a busy season with littles ❤️
Dawn:
4. Tips on how to practically organize Titus 2 relationships. Organic is good but not fool proof.
Erin:
5. How do you change the environment of your home to be inviting?
Naphtali:
6. If I am hospitable and regularly reach out to many women in the body but do have a small group of friends that I’m closer with is this favouritism? What does it mean to show favouritism or preference? How can I know if that’s what I’m doing?
Women of Grace Q & A
November 30th, 2024
View Questions
Erin:
1. What is the difference between a genuine, heartfelt conversation sharing a necessary concern about someone else, and gossip? Is it ALWAYS gossip if you are speaking about someone else- or only if it’s unkind? And what is the difference between gossip and slander?
Naphtali:
2. I’ve struggled with assurance for years and often felt like the man of no faith in James 1:5. I know the Bible is clear about those who believe being saved, but I live in fear of being one to whom Christ says “I never knew you”. I feel like I can’t continue in this emotional roller coaster “spiritual walk” – but don’t want to falsely assure myself. Is it right to just stop, pray, ask the Lord to give me faith – and then trust Him that I’m saved? Is it foolish to tell myself that I am saved and just strive to live in obedience?
Dawn:
3. In light of James, 4:15 (“Instead, you ought to say, if the Lord wills, we will live, and do this or that…“) is it therefore wrong to make a contract with an employer committing to “X” amount of years? Not knowing what the Lord has in store for me, I do want to be faithful and be a committed worker but also don’t want to be presumptuous and be taking things into my own hands.
Erin:
4. How can I develop the skill of tactfully reproaching someone? And how often should I extend grace over immaturity? (Correcting doctrine or unbiblical thinking etc.) What does this look like in how I How should I go about discipling or reproving an older Christian woman in my life? Are there any warnings or dangers? I should be aware of and does this oppose Titus 2? What if the woman is not teachable or receptive because of the age difference?
Naphtali:
5. How can I distinguish what good/godly goals are vs. selfish ambitions (in terms of career and other pursuits). MOVED HERE as Dawn answered this thoroughly in question 3.
8.What are biblical (and even worldly) reasons for having kids? How do we distinguish? What are good and bad motives to have/not have kids? What does it mean when the Bible says. “Children are a blessing?”
Dawn:
6. How would you respond to someone who feels like GraceLife is “cliquey” and is having trouble feeling connected? (friendship)
Women of Grace
Q & A Part 2
February 7, 2024
View Questions
Dawn:
1. Would love to hear a step-by-step guide in dealing with kids’ heart/sin issues. If/then examples.
Naphtali:
2. What are age-appropriate consequences for teenagers?
Erin:
3. I am struggling with infertility and have lost multiple babies. Everyone at GraceLife seems to be pregnant. How can I be joyful for all the pregnant mamas while my heart is grieving? Also – how much medical fertility intervention is too much?
Fenna:
4. How do I love the body? And what does it mean to forsake the gathering? I have a family member who always has a reason why they can’t attend (they only go to church once or twice a month) should I be concerned?
Lil:
5. How can I lovingly speak truth?
Dawn:
6. What does it mean to be “teachable”? If someone in leadership approaches me bringing correction and I don’t agree with them, does that mean I am being “unteachable?
Women of Grace
Christmas Brunch Q & A
December 2, 2023
View Questions
Dawn:
1. We are to share the gospel message with others when God opens the door for that opportunity. If there is no repentance and salvation the first time, do you try again?
Naphtali:
2. How do we navigate the church growth? For those who have been here for many years and have made close relationships but want to be welcoming but also not lose those relationships. And for the people who have come in the past 3 years how can they make those connections. Maybe talk about hospitality and the blessing of opening our homes.
b. It seems like most women have close friends at GLC. I feel so left out! How can I make friends?
c. A covering of Biblical Friendships (Erin & Naphtali)
Fenna:
3. Sunday mornings are so special, and the highlight of our week. Apart from the singing and teaching, Sundays can also be quite hectic! My heart wants to be devoted and undistracted, like “Mary”, but Sundays can often be a very “Martha” kind of day. Getting up early, rushing through the house, packing kids’ lunches, saving a seat, rushed conversations in the foyer, returning Tupperware, buying eggs, making dinner plans, kids to and from Sunday school, exchanging hand-me-downs, hosting for meals, ETC! How can we cultivate the Mary heart of worship, when our brains are socially energized and distracted by all the people and all the needs and opportunities? What are some ways we cannot “lose our first love” for the Lord, on the Lord’s Day? Or have I created a legalistic dichotomy between the sacred and the secular?
Dorothy:
4. How do we navigate these verses & relationships in regard to people who profess to be believers but behave in this manner?
1 Corinthians 5:9-11 9. I wrote to you in my letter not to associate with sexually immoral people— 10 not at all meaning the people of this world who are immoral, or the greedy and swindlers, or idolaters. In that case you would have to leave this world. 11 But now I am writing to you that you must not associate with anyone who claims to be a brother or sister[c] but is sexually immoral or greedy, an idolater or slanderer, a drunkard or swindler. Do not even eat with such people.
Erin:
5. It seems like women make eating organic, not vaxxing their children, and home-schooling part of their holiness. Is this true?
Dawn:
6. My children are unable to sit through the church service, how can I train them?
Naphtali:
7. How can I deal with loneliness in my marriage?
Fenna:
8. How can I encourage my husband to lead our family spiritually?
Women of Grace Q&A Part 2
James Coates (Moderated by: Erin Coates)
June 28, 2023
View Questions
1. How do you disagree, to the Glory of God? (context: in marriage, or something significant online, and the conduct that takes place online and in the Body)
2. How long do you wait to get back to something if you have had a “cool down” time?
3. So practically what does it look like to respect, to love, to serve, and to be a helper to your husband?
4. Above questions is segway to discussion of: Why we have women’s ministry and the importance of women’s ministry.
5. How is teaching different from preaching?
6. How can a wife love an unbelieving or unrepentant husband?
7. It is written in a book that you should start disciplining your child at 15 months and not before. What is your take on it, is there an age to start?
8. How do I seek counsel in my marriage without gossiping about my husband?
9. How can you curb your anger and impatience toward your children?
10. How do you counsel couples who have In-Law interference?
11. How do the relationships between a sister and her brother change when she’s married? As a sister I guide and admonish in areas of need to my brothers, but a lot of over the phone, which is emotional energy.
Women of Grace Q&A
James Coates (Moderated by: Erin Coates)
April 5, 2023
View Questions
1. Dating. How do I know if I am ready for marriage?
2. Thoughts on children’s Bibles and how much scripture should be censored at all for the children?
3. What are ways to prioritize and protect your marriage and intimacy after babies or a baby?
4. Is it selfish to not have 10 children if the Lord allows?
5. Are there secular forms of birth control for the Christian? (*Erin gives explanation of The Pill*)
6. Are spankings Biblical and if so, what about as a parent if it just hurts your heart too much?
7. When do you know when to discipline your child if it’s just a preference on the part of the parent?
8. What can I do to make it easier to submit to my husband, it’s been a long prayer of mine. What if both have strong personalities and are quite selfish, does submitting get easer?
9. Is it ok to seek marriage counselling even if my husband refuses?
10. How does a wife confront her husband’s sin?
11. What if you tell your husband about his sin and he refuses to repent or doesn’t realize what he did? At what point to you follow Matthew 18, and how do you do that?
12. Do you do family devotions and is it necessary to have family worship?
13. How do you enforce respect for a parent who is sinning or doing wrong?
14. How do you deal with a child that professes to be saved and asks to be baptized yet struggles so much with disobedience and even disrespect – where it is har d to see fruit? There is true repentance, but it seems to be a daily battle.
15. What encouraging advice would you give to a woman who’s been married to an unbeliever for 50 years?
WOG Q & A Audio Only
June 1, 2022
Women of Grace Q&A
Moderated by: Ang Spenst (Audio Only)
June 1, 2022
View Questions
Dawn:
1. I know that I am saved, but when someone asks me how I know I don’t know what scriptures to share with them.
Lil:
2. I understand that we are not the reason we were saved; we were dead in our trespasses. We are also not the ones who keep our salvation God keeps us, what scripture speaks to this?
Naphtali:
3. I have been having a conversation with a gal who is a professing believer and thinks Christians are sometimes in need of deliverance. What Scriptures can I point her to help her understand that once a person is saved, they are delivered.
Erin:
4. How do you handle sin with lingering consequences? Yes you’ve confessed and repented before the Lord but are faced with the deep regret of the consequences daily.
Dawn:
5. What does it mean to be a manager of my home as a married woman?
Lil:
6. How can I balance my relationship with the Lord – with caring for my husband and children?
Naphtali:
7. How should women seek mentorship in the church? How can women disciple other people in her life? What does that look like practically?
Erin:
8. How do I get better at studying and understanding my Bible and all the context? I want to understand better. I want to dig deeper, but I’m not sure where to start. I used to read different books of the Bible, not in any particular order. I’ve been memorizing Scripture and started reading at Genesis and am looking to read through the Bible, but I don’t just want to read it to read it. I want to understand it. I want to apply it, and I want to be able to explain things better to other people.
WOG Q & A Audio Only
April 5, 2023
Women of Grace Q&A, Part 2
Moderated by Miss Dorothy (Audio only)
August 20, 2021
View Questions
Naphtali:
1. Are women called to homeschool their children?
Lil:
2. How do you go about Bible study when you only have short tid bits of time in the season of small children?
Erin:
3. How do you love your husband well?
Dawn:
4. How do you move on after a loss?
Naphtali:
5. How do you grow in diligence and obedience in your children?
Erin:
6. Tell us about your personal devotions…. I’m constantly feeling overwhelmed: homeschooling, cleaning the house, cooking supper, and finding time to study. I feel like your social media is a job in itself – how do you do everything you that you do? How do you schedule your day? How long are your personal devotions? What do you do for them, do you have prayer time, how long? Is doing personal Bible study different from your personal devotions time?
Dawn:
7. We are growing and thriving as a church family…. Many babies have been born over that last month. Sometimes we are often hurtful and intrusive rather than helpful and kind. How can we be more loving to others when it comes to the many babies being born, and pregnancy? (Personal questions being asked of couples: when are you going to have a baby etc…)
WOG Q & A Audio Only
Jun 28, 2023
Women of Grace Q&A
Spring Tea, Moderated by Miss Dorothy (via ZOOM)
May 29, 2021
View Questions
Erin:
1. How do I learn to manage or control my feelings, what do you do with regret?
Dawn:
2. How do you select a teacher/mentor? Are there different criteria for selecting someone to approach for in-person discipleship versus just listening to a podcast or a book they’ve written? What if you don’t agree with all their theological positions or aren’t sure, or their life seems to lack grace or not quite line up with their teaching. What about gleaning what you can from someone and discarding what is not biblical, where would the cutoff be? Could you give a checklist to think through when considering a teacher/ mentor – explain.
Naphtali:
3. How would you explain to stay at home moms, that their ministry at home is useful to the local body of Christ at GraceLife? How can you explain that this ministry is not less than a more involved or noticed ministry within the body? And along those lines what are some practical ways that these moms can serve the church while also caring for their husbands, children and home?
Erin:
4. For a woman who is legally divorced but remaining single and faithful according to I Cor 7:10-11, what areas of ministry would she be able to serve in, in the church?
Lil:
5. How should biblical submission look between a husband and a wife?
Erin:
6. What would you say to all the mama’s out there who worried about raising kiddos in the current cultural climate?
Dawn:
7. How can the 2 realties of God’s Sovereignty and man’s responsibility exist?
Jenn Ford:
8. What are practical things for being hospitable?
WOG Q & A Audio Only
Jun 1, 2019
Women of Grace Q&A
Spring Tea, Moderated by: Lil Silva (Audio only)
June 1, 2019
View Questions
Erin:
1. How do you rap your brain around Christ being fully God and fully man? Is it accurate to say Christ set aside some of His attributes during His earthly ministry, like omniscience, and took on human attributes, like submission to the Father. Any recommended studies or reads to grow in understanding of this?
Naphtali:
2. How do we as women, as mothers, home keepers keep in mind all that Titus 2 (says)?
Dawn:
3. What are Biblical principles to guide when to let love cover someone’s sins or when it’s necessary to speak up of confront sin?
Erin:
4. Why is it important for women to study Theology?
Naphtali:
5. How do we learn to preach the Word to ourselves, especially in moments of temptation?
Dawn:
6. How do you discern how much time to spend counselling and investing in the lives of believers and extended families that is not part of a local Church of Body?
Erin:
7. How should we think about seasons in life for women; single, young mother, older women and her level of service in the church? Should we be critical of our limited service in the church when we have children at home to take care of?
Naphtali:
8. Why should we concern ourselves with eschatology, isn’t it enough just to believe Jesus will just come back?
Dawn:
9. Please comment on insomnia, is this a mental illness?
Erin:
10. How do you discern a proper balance between trying to love and help unbelieving friends and neighbors but not over committing and being too busy or tired to fully care for your own family? How much hospitality is too much, is that even possible?
Naphtali:
11. How can you discern if someone isn’t saved or saved and just a very immature believer?
Dawn:
12. How would you approach a friend that seems like a very immature believer despite being a believer for years, and believes herself to be mature?
Erin:
13. How can I read my bible and pay attention in Bible study when I have a little one constantly demanding my attention?
