Heather Baxter – CEO of HB Ministries

I am extremely excited for this first, in almost a year, FinanciElle $tatement interview of 2021. I came across Heather and HB Ministries at a time in my life where I needed it most, for more information you can read “Bloom Where You’re Planted: Lessons Learned From My Cancer Journey“. Her name kept coming up over and over again and as I don’t believe in coincidence, I took it as a nudge to look into her and it was one of the best things I’ve done for myself.

Heather is the CEO of HB Ministries, a Women’s Ministry for you to Believe, Behold, and Become, all you were meant to be in whatever season of life you are in. She’s an ordained women’s teaching pastor and a pastoral coach, with over 20 years of experience ministering to women.

Her ministry is non-denominational, it’s not about religion or tradition, it’s about your personal relationship with God. There’s an annual theme to the year of studies, 2021’s theme is Fully Awake, with monthly themes for each study. July’s theme, not planned or on purpose on our parts but not by coincidence, is Bloom Where You’re Planted. It’s a fun community to be a part of.

Paolina: For someone reading this who doesn’t know what women’s ministry is, can you explain more about what it is and all of the gifts/skills it brings together?

Heather:

The Lord drew out and put on my heart that I should connect online and minister to women to help them believe in Gods truths, behold joy every day, and become dreamers with a destiny (Believe, Behold, Become), the Ministry’s motto. Women identify with each other and have a tendency to get each other in a specific way. The ministry gives a dose of hope filled messages, teachings, and biblical knowledge based on a theme each year, which the studies are based on. Women’s ministry is about women coming together for encouragement, it’s a place where women can bring their gifts and encourage each other.

Paolina: When COVID-19 hit, you had to pivot from leading women’s ministry in a physical church to creating your own online ministry – what has that journey been like and what has it taught you?

Heather:

24/25 years ago I had a vision of touching women’s lives, teaching them and helping them understand from a hope-filled perspective, so I walked out in obedience to that vision. I went into physical churches and began to recognize my gifts and learn and study and work. I was working and teaching in church, and then moved to a new church where it was teaching through ministry doors only. I took some time to write my book, RUN: Believe, Behold, Become . Seven years ago, a desire was put in my heart to start doing online videos; so, I ran with that and started learning about editing and all the skills needed to produce videos. When you have an internal motivation to do something, nothing will stop you. During this time, I was still leading women’s ministry in church and doing speaking engagements at events, while working on the vision. When COVID-19 hit, I already had the platform in place to be able to pivot. I was at dinner one night with my husband when he asked if I’d ever thought about creating monthly studies, taking the content I taught in person and packaging it up into monthly online studies, I hadn’t but as God was saying “GO”, I was ready.  Isaiah 55:8-9, from reaching 80-100 women locally, now I’m reaching thousands internationally.

Paolina: What are you most excited about for the future?

Heather:

Growth, discipleship, relationships. When I say growth, I mean Habakkuk 2:2, where I’m seeing the vision I had written so many years ago coming to fruition. I can now touch what was once only vision:

  • Inner circles online where leaders lead small groups covering the teachings and studies we’re doing an I can jump in and out of each group
  • One on One pastoral coaching with women which allows me to not be restricted to the way things are done in a physical church, I can pivot more easily and bring more authenticity
  • Podcast – Beautiful Messy (coming out soon!)

Paolina: What does being a good steward mean to you? Do you ever feel a tension between faith and finances in running the ministry and business and how do you deal with it?

Heather:

I see Jesus Christ as my manager and I’m his servant so to me stewardship is about serving efficiently and effectively with my gifts which are shepherding, leading, and teaching and using social media to connect women.

When it comes to stewarding money in a business, I’m very much still learning. When I was in a church I didn’t have to worry about the money piece because a portion of the tithing went towards my pay, now it’s all on me. My husband has really helped me with this piece and I have found God puts people in my path to help with this piece. I originally struggled with not wanting to charge for the studies but it takes so much dedicated time to create them that I decided in order to be able to provide them I needed to charge. I’m learning and becoming more disciplined with what to pay for and what not to pay for, when you’re on loan from God it takes a community to make it happen.  Thanks to the gift of giving through our donation page, support sisters, who activate on faith, donate and this helps to pay for studies for women who are not able to afford them and to provide additional funds to invest into the ministry into things like software and the website. When I wrote my book, it cost $10K which my father loaned to me but that book is what catapulted me. I’ve learned that you need to invest in your dreams and just make sure the Lord is the manager, and resources will flow when you need them.

Paolina: Is there a woman in the Bible that answered God’s call that you relate to or appreciate more than another?

Heather:

Deborah; Judges 4, 5:6-7, 12; because, she delivered Israel out of bondage. She was a regular woman providing a hope-filled perspective and using her gifts of wisdom, revelation, leadership, and discernment. I relate to using my gifts to help people become free from whatever their personal bondage is through ministry and coaching.

Paolina: what are currently your FinanciElle Faves?

  • Book: I have the HB Book Club group on Facebook where I share my favourite Hope filled books, one book/month. I tend to like books on discipline, habits, efficiency and effectiveness; I try to read a book a month.
  • Tool: I love the tools of Dave Ramsey, his steps, systems, planners. I’ve been listening more to his podcast.
  • Podcasts: I have a few faith based entrepreneur’s podcasts that I listen to as part of my morning routine:

You can find Heather on:

Instagram: @heatherbaxter1

Facebook: HB Women’s Ministry

YouTube: Heather Baxter Ministries

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