The new Spirit-focused Global Women’s Alliance, which Empowered21 (E21) launched earlier this month, is a new organization intended to cultivate relationships among “Godly women,” establish paths for women’s leadership development and create collaborative opportunities for women around the world. Its leaders hope to make a positive difference for Spirit-led Christianity.

“Empowered21 is a global relational network that aims to help shape the future of the Spirit-empowered movement throughout the world,” E21 explained.

It focuses on important issues facing the movement and connects “generations for intergenerational blessing impartation.”

A two-day event in Orange County, CA., kicked off its Global Women’s Alliance. Some 120 leaders from 24 countries and 26 U.S. states attended.

The women worshipped, prayed, participated in ministry, held table discussions and gave participants opportunities to share news from their home countries.

Rolling Out Alliance’s Strategy

“The Alliance plans to roll out a comprehensive strategy to establish regional cabinets to continue to connect and empower global leaders worldwide, as well as continue to meet digitally and in person throughout the year,” the Religion News Service reported.

Dr. Billy Wilson, president of Oral Roberts University, is E21’s global chair. The alliance’s chair is Christine Caine, who founded the A21 Campaign, Propel Women and is a leader in the Spirit-empowered movement.

Stunning Potential

Spirit empowerment is one of the fastest-growing movements in Christianity. During Wilson’s chairmanship of E21, the movement has become recognized as the world’s largest relational network of its kind.

It brings together ministry leaders, scholars, evangelists and others who represent more than 650 million Christians worldwide.

Wilson has four decades of executive leadership experience and is recognized for his ability to foster global partnerships.

Caine expressed excitement for the Global Women’s Alliance, saying, “The potential of uniting and mobilizing Spirit-empowered women from every continent on Earth for the purpose of reaching our world with the Gospel is stunning. This is a historic moment,” Religion News Service reported.

Vernita Rwotlonyo of the Watoto Church in Uganda noted that “God has gifted women with a special ability to reach deep and connect with Him so intimately….”

She added that women attending the launch “have so much to offer to the body of Christ, and the church will be better because of what happened at Empowered21 Women’s Alliance.”

And Daniela Freidzon-McCabe, the alliance’s vice chair, said she is “encouraged to see a generation of women arise around the world for the purpose of God’s kingdom.” Freidzon-McCabe is the executive pastor of King of King’s Church in Buenos, Argentina.

“We’re pressing on to see the Kingdom come. I can’t wait to see what God does with this movement of women consecrated, united, and powered,” said Dr. Amy Orr-Ewing. She is an author, speaker, theologian and honorary lecturer at the University of Aberdeen, Scotland.

Spirit Empowerment

The Spirit-empowered movement traces its roots to the beginning of the 20^th century, when a series of revivals began almost simultaneously in North and Central America, Europe and Asia, according to the Princeton Theological Seminary.

“Today, Pentecostals and Charismatics are found in nearly every country of the world and span all Christian traditions and most denominations. As such, they are considered a ‘movement’ within World Christianity.” It has grown from 58 million followers in 1970 to 635 million in 2020, Princeton said.

The three major groups within the Spirit-empowered movement are, according to the seminary, Pentecostals, Charismatics and Independent Charismatics:

• Pentecostals are “explicitly Pentecostal denominations characterized by a new experience of the energizing ministry of the Holy Spirit that many other Christians historically considered to be highly unusual.” They include the Assemblies of God, the International Church of the Foursquare Gospel and the Church of God of Prophecy, Princeton said. Subcategories include Oneness, Baptistic, Holiness and Apostolic.
• Charismatics’ roots run deep in the Pentecostal movement. They have rapidly expanded since 1960 and have become larger than Classical Pentecostalism, Princeton noted. Charismatics tend to say they have been “renewed in the Spirit.” The largest movement of this type is the Catholic Charismatic movement, which has millions of followers in Latin America and the U.S.
• Independent Charismatics are similar to Pentecostals and Charismatics, though they tend to fall outside traditional Catholic, Protestant and Orthodox traditions. Princeton said the largest numbers of Independent Charismatics live in the U.S. and Nigeria, although there are numerous followers in Eswatini, South Africa and Zimbabwe. Their growth is aided “by planting new churches or breaking off from existing denominations.”

Princeton Theological Seminary noted that while the Spirit-empowered movement is rapidly growing, it has struggled with some megachurches and their dynamic leaders. And those struggles have led to problems in second-generation leadership.

“Some have tried to keep control within biological families, often making the situation worse. Lack of theological training is also a challenge for these rapidly expanding churches and networks,” Princeton said.

The Global Women’s Alliance Launch

Spirit-empowered women who attended the Global Women’s Alliance launch praised the event.

“God has ministered to my heart in so many ways,” said Trudi Sayers, pastor of Red Church in Melbourne, Australia, and National Director of 24-7 Prayer, also in Australia.

“I have been encouraged and filled to rise up and step out in greater confidence and expectation for what the Lord has called me to, particularly to be a spiritual mother to my nation,” Sayers added.

Pastor Daphne Yang, co-founder of Cornerstone Community Church in Singapore, called the launch an “absolutely inspiring (chance) to connect, commune, and collaborate with these beautiful daughters of God who’re walking out their purpose on earth as it is in heaven. God be praised for this precious time together.”