So I want to send a special shout out to Ms Brittney as busy as she is, she made time to fill out my feature questionnaire. She not only gave biblical answers but she also gave some great insight on starting your own ministry guidelines! Sis I thank you soooo much for being willing and open to share this journey. As I told you in our email, you inspire and encourage me daily and I can’t thank you enough for being such a beautiful vessel for Christ! Without further ado, Brittney Moses!!!!!!!
Ministry Feature
www.newlyfoundfaith.wordpress.com
- Tell me about yourself?
My name is Brittney Moses. Im the mother of (currently 4 year old) Austin Moses. I was born and raised in Los Angeles and recently moved to Dallas, Texas in January 2013. I was raised in the church but fell away in my teenage years after the divorce of my parents which led to a downfall of cutting, stealing, smoking, clubbing, drinking, and entering numerous broken relationships among other things. I met my husband in high school where we got pregnant at eighteen causing us to settle down quite a bit. Shortly after having my son we got saved, baptized and married. We dedicated ourselves to the mission of the church- giving, serving and growing. I spent about three years in the valley and in the shadows growing my personal relationship with Christ, Studying the Word in depth, empowering and increasing my prayer life. Our lost generation became an extremely heavy burden on my heart after living that lifestyle and seeing so many broken and confused around me. Years later God planted the Unashamed Impact mission in my heart to gather, equip and send out a generation in their God given purpose. Since then we’ve become a worldwide organization of young people reaching out to the community and living our lives according to the Word of God. Outside of Unashamed Impact I love the arts- music, dancing, dramas, musicals, writing and anything creative. I studied musical theater and film in school and did competitive figure skating when I was younger. Most people dont know that side of me.
- What brought you to starting your ministry?
When I really began to take my faith seriously and walk out this Christian lifestyle I shortly found myself feeling lonely. Not only was I now a teenage mother but I was a Christian and took on a life that was very much in contrast with the world around me and all my friends. I soon lost everything that sin gave me. It was bittersweet to be torn away from my old life. As I lost the world around me I also was pushing closer to Christ. It was an interesting dynamic. Then I began to feel hurt for those who were trapped in the empty lifestyle I was now free from. My brother was in a gang and many of my friends were still broken. I realized young people just didnt have many examples of what it looks like to live a healthy lifestyle in Christ. Many didnt know how.
I’d been tweeting a while based on my experience and learnings of Christ which began to gather a following. I began a blog and started writing encouraging letters to young believers to press on in their faith and that they’re not alone and to not compromise for the pressures of this lost world. I began recieving a lot of feedback and readers from other countires. They told me how alone they felt in their faith- that they felt like they were the only ones their age that really followed Christ. But what if we gathered every young believer across the world to represent a generation after Christ? What if we lead the rest of out generation out of their brokenness and to Christ by example? Who better to identify with then your own peers? Thats when Unashamed Impact birthed in my heart. God began to flood me with ideas, plans, sturcture. It started with a youtube video of the vision and from there became a worldwide organization that later evolved into the four main points of Fellowship, Being an Example, Evangelism, and Community Outreach. I give God the glory that we can be a part of His Kingdom plan.
- What does your ministry teach women?
The ministry isn’t geared toward a specific gender but the overall focus is to teach them how to live out their God given purpose, how to have a growing relationship with Christ, how to uphold your value in Christ and not compromise for who the world tries to make you out to be.
- Do you promote celibacy?
Yes. We encourage living our lives governed by the Word of God which includes saving yourself for marriage. I like to say sex is Gods wedding gift to you. =)
This is very important to me being a married woman who didnt save herself for marriage. It distorted my view of sex into something dark, lusty and preverted when it is suppose to be a beautiful way to become one with your spouse and communicate a pure love. Going into a marriage with this perverted image of sex as a born again Christian can damage and rip you off of sacred intimacy with your spouse. I believe God knows whats best for us and ordains it this way for many reasons.
- What’s one piece of advice you give to a wife in waiting who’s growing impatient?
A couple things:
1. Use this time to focus on and learn more about you. I will speak from personal experience and getting married young. Once you become married or a mother your family becomes your life. If you arent secure in who you are, if you are still dealing with brokenness, etc it will carry into your family. No ones perfect so there will always be things you can fix about yourself but if you focus on becoming whole in Christ it will only create an opportunity for an even healthier marriage. Use this waiting time to do the things you like! Take a dance class, travel a bit, meet new people and make friends. Take advantage of these things now! Also think of yourself as married to Christ until your married to your husband (even though it carries on past that). Dont forget your first love- Christ. Spend time with him, cry at his feet, read his love letter to you (The Bible). No man will make you whole. Dont give men Jesus expectations because they are imperfect and your husband may dissapoint you on many ocassions.
2. Stop rushing. Whoever you marry is going to be your LIFETIME partner. You will have the REST of your life to spend with them verses maybe the few years you’re single. Not only that but the Bible says not to “awaken love before its due”. You probably know as well as I do that entering relationships prematurely and outside of Gods timing only leads to future confusion, hurt and possible brokenness. If it isnt Gods plan for you then why work against it? You’ll only wind up hurting yourself and asking “why? why did this happen? why does this always happen to me? I cant keep a solid man.” No, this is a result of entering premature relationships for the sake of being desperate. You can be alone without being lonely. Enjoy you, love you, sing to you, dance with yourself. Like I said previously, do the things you love that drive your God given passions and contribute to those around you. Men love a woman who knows and enjoys herself. You can smell co dependancy from a mile away. Dont become a mans project, become his queen- someone who can stand strong beside him, comfortable in who she is without or without him.
- How has starting your own ministry changed your life?
I dont even know where to start. But honestly, its increased my faith, shown me what it really means to be a slave to Christ and the importance of our family in Christ.
Unashamed Impact is a very organic organization right now. Everything thus far has been out of pocket besides donations here and there. But when we decide were going to do a mission whether feeding the homeless, an orphanage, or providing gifts for Christmas we dedicate ourselves to it and God ALWAYS shows through. Many of us take a hit in our finances to see others impact by this mission and I believe God honors that everytime. The way we’ve grown, the way we’ve been able to provide and that lives that have changed because of this have increased my faith and trust in him tremendously. Sometimes we dont know how things are going to happen but they do.
Starting this ministry has caused me to sacrifice a lot. Time, finances, emotions, etc and pour pour pour into people. Sometimes he calls us to do things we dont feel like doing. But theres a conviction in you that leaves with no choise BUT to help, but to obey, but to give. When you truly stand for the mission he’s given you you find that others who dont know him will hate you for it. Its really shown me the meaning of slave and sacrifice. Its worth it every day.
- What advice would you give to a woman who’s interested in starting a ministry but doesn’t know how to start?
I would definitely pray on it and ask for confirmation. You don’t want to start up something just for the sake of doing it or just off a good idea. When God gives you a calling you’re fueled by it and fulfilled in it. You’re willing to do whatever it take for it within Gods will of course. You’re ready to dedicate yourself to it and it feels natural when youre doing it. The last thing we want to do is try to make something work thats outside of Gods eill.
For starters I would write out the vision and make it clear: The Mission, The Purpose, and How the Purpose of the mission is going to be fulfilled. Through what actions? I would use all social media outlets: twitter, facebook page, website with blog, instagram and the specific places God my lead you.
If you plan on really taking this into a full fledged ministry/organization you’ll want to go online and make sure the name isnt already taken and get your DBA (Doing Business As) it basically gives you a claim on the name. From their you try to raise funds to get it incorporated (we did ours through the secretary of state). Legalzoom is a pretty common way. Lawyers charge crazy amounts but if you know someone in that field who can help, dont hesitate to ask!
Definitely plan on having a team. The worst and most burdensome thing you can do is trying to do everything on your own. At the beginning of course itll be mostly you, but the more you share the vision and bring people on or others show interest you’ll want to distribute the tasks and give everyone clear responsibilities. This way you wont burn out and can also focus on the vision and pushing that forward. You have positions like an administrative asst, social media person to run your social sites, maybe an event planner, whichever way the cards fall.
Facebook: Facebook.com/UnashamedImpact
Facebook.com/brittney.moses.39
(my personal is full but you can subscribe)
Twitter: @Brittney_Moses
Instagram: @BrittneyMoses
Ministry: UnashamedImpact
Iyanni's Mom / Daughter Of Christ 