Our History
Biblical Women, Inc. started as a byproduct of personal Bible study. Bob and Lora Schneider had just moved to Iowa from Kansas. Their daughter, Crystal was only weeks old and son, Rob, a toddler. Lora had the welcome opportunity to be a stay-at-home mom. But going from fulltime employment to fulltime wife and mother was a dramatic change for her. While getting acquainted, neighbors and people at church always asked the same two questions:
- First, "What is your name?"
- Then, "What do you do?"
When the response to the second question was "fulltime wife and mother" the conversation always ended abruptly with "Oh, that's nice." Even church people who thought it admirable indicated by their total lack of comment that this was a worthless, or at best, uninteresting occupation.
For Lora, this caused an identity crisis. With no title after her name, what was her value? Staying at home with her children was what she wanted to do. She knew it was important in God's eyes too. But that didn't make her feel any better when the look of boredom crossed the face of a new acquaintance and they turned away to find someone else to talk to. Lora started looking for an answer. She turned to the Lord in prayer. The conversation went something like this:
- Lora: "Lord, I know what I'm doing is important. And I love being fulltime wife to Bob and mother to my kids. But in the eyes of the world and even the church, I feel pretty worthless."
- The Lord's response was: "Who do you belong to?"
- Lora: "Who do I belong to? To You."
- The Lord: "Then be the woman I want you to be."
This conversation began the process of searching for what that meant. What does it mean to be God's woman? What does God expect from a woman in today's world? Lora began reading the Bible to see what the women of the Bible could teach her. Her excitement grew as she saw the tapestry of women and the examples they portrayed.
She began to research the geography of the Bible lands, the dress and culture. What were the daily lives of these women like? What was their knowledge of God? She then read the Scriptures again applying this knowledge to the stories. She found these were real women with problems and concerns just like hers.
She shared what she had learned in Bible study with women at her church. At the same time Lora was making costumes for the church Easter pageant. She had researched the costumes to make them historically accurate. In preparing for a Bible study session, she realized the clothes the woman they were studying would wear were in the costume room. After the study session, Lora asked if the women would indulge her and stay for a few minutes. They were gracious and did.
Lora left the room and returned dressed like "Hannah", the subject of their study that night. She gave a first person account of Hannah's story. "We were all deeply touched by the Lord's presence and the meaning of Hannah's story. We were moved to tears as we saw Hannah's heart."
Lora thought it was only a passing lark and that was the end of it. But a few months later her church announced a "Talent Festival Night". This would be a time of offering whatever talent you have to the Lord. As it was announced, the thought passed through Lora's mind, "Do Hannah" and she laughed at the ridiculousness of the idea. But Bob turned to her and whispered, "you should do Hannah." Realizing this was from the Lord, Lora did share Hannah at the Talent Festival.
From that small beginning, the Lord has lead "baby step, by baby step" as people began asking Lora to share her women of the Bible. It began with two presentations in 1996 and has grown to almost 70 presentations in some years.
The non profit corporation, Biblical Women, Inc., was formed in December 2003 and received 501(c)(3) status from the IRS the following year.
Bob partnered with Lora in this ministry from the beginning. He initially provided an introduction and a life application closing to the dramas. His role grew to include technical support in the areas of sound, props, computer support, web site support, and business manager.
Biblical Women sprang from the desire of a heart to know the Lord. The Lord took that desire and formed it into a teaching drama ministry reaching hundreds of people in His Name.
