Confidence Without Credentials - Nancy Gove Cram

1776–1816

Try making sense of this insult: “She is abundantly gifted with that spirit of her head, which opposes literature, order, and whatever Christians usually have considered, as of vital importance to the interests of religion.”

A Presbyterian minister by the name of Gilbert McMaster wrote these words about Nancy Gove Cram. He thought she was crude and an outrage. Why? It was the early 1800s and few women dared to preach, but Nancy did. Not only did she preach, but she did so without the accepted education or credentials. She hadn’t formally studied the Bible; she wasn’t ordained.

In other words, she had confidence (“gifted with that spirit of her head”) that even though she didn’t have a formal education (“opposes literature, order”), she had relevant things to say about God even though she wasn’t ordained (what “Christians usually have considered, as of vital importance to the interests of religion”).

Despite a lack of experience and credentials, Nancy didn’t offend everyone with her preaching. Instead, she inspired many. Her preaching began after she said a prayer at a funeral that greatly moved those who heard it. Later she was asked to hold a gospel meeting. When she accepted, her gospel-spreading career was born.

From then on, Nancy spoke wherever she could. She was instrumental in the start of two churches in New York and preached to the Oneida Indians. Seven people she helped become Christians later became preachers. Two of them were women.

Nancy knew that formal study in the Bible was good, but it wasn’t necessary for a Christian to be able to talk about God. God teaches us in many ways—through the Bible, through other Christians, through our experiences, and through the quiet time we spend with him. When you want to talk about God with others, don’t worry that your credentials might not be good enough. It’s okay to trust “the spirit of your head,” your confidence in your authentic relationship with God.

The LORD asked Moses, “Who makes a person’s mouth? Who decides whether people speak or do not speak, hear or do not hear, see or do not see? Is it not I, the LORD? Now go! I will be with you as you speak, and I will instruct you in what to say.”

Exodus 4:11-12