Fee Range: $2000+, $3000+
Location: Tennessee
Book Dr. RoseAnne Coleman.
When Dr. RoseAnne Coleman speaks, she helps women find their place in the story of God. In addition to the Bible, she uses humor and her life experiences to draw in a crowd.
“I don’t come as the expert,” she says. “I tell you about what hasn’t worked in my life. I tell you about what Jesus has done for me.”
Born in Sylacauga, Ala., she grew up as a preacher’s kid in the Southern Baptist denomination. She “graduated” 13 times from her father’s vacation Bible school. However, it wasn’t until she was age 23 that Jesus became alive to her.
While watching the movie “The Hiding Place,” the life story of Corrie Ten Boom, Dr. Coleman experienced Christianity in a freeing way. Today, she wants to direct people to the savior she loves.
With a doctorate in English from Middle Tennessee State University in Murfreesboro, Tenn., a masters degree in English from the University of Alabama in Birmingham, Ala., and a bachelors degree in English from Samford University in Birmingham, Ala., Dr. Coleman is not the average Bible teacher.
Although she could explain the Greek and Hebrew meanings of passages, she likes to simplify the scriptures for ordinary people. Since there is so much in the Bible that people can understand, she wants to help them grasp it and apply it to their lives. She hopes that her students can find joy in the journey of faith.
She encourages people to look for God in common ways. One of her themes is a “Penny For Your Thoughts,” the working title of her upcoming book, where each chapter is an evidence of God. She loves spare change because
she sees pennies as “kisses from heaven,” where God provides for her needs one penny at a time, according to his riches and glory.
As a former high school and middle school English teacher, she has mastered keeping the attention of an audience. In addition to her speeches at conferences, conventions and retreats, she regularly teaches
Tuesday women’s Bible studies at Fellowship Bible Church, www.fbctn.org, in Brentwood, Tenn. She also welcomes groups of women to her home at Rose Hill in Williamson County, Tenn.
One of her techniques is to study “the words in red” in the New Testament, otherwise known as the words of Jesus. “If you focus on ‘the words in red,’ the rest of your life will be fine,” she says.
Making the story rise off the page into a three-dimensional reality is another way she engages her listeners. Instead of viewing the Bible as “dead people stories,” she asks people to pretend what it would be like to be involved in the actual circumstances. For instance, when discussing Luke 24, she requires her audience to imagine going to Jesus’ empty tomb with close friends.
“If we don’t put our stories with these stories, then the evidence of the presence of God isn’t in the world,” she says.
Above all, Dr. Coleman does away with religious formulas. While people are often afraid to be honest in order to gain acceptance, she prizes truthfulness.
She offers the “Prayer of Jehoshaphat” as an example of straightforwardness. According to 2 Chronicles 18:31, “Jehoshaphat cried out, and the Lord helped him.”
“Jehoshaphat was at the wrong place at the wrong time,” she says. “You would think God wouldn’t listen to him. He didn’t have time to do good work. He didn’t repent. He just cried out. Since our God is a God of promises, God doesn’t break his covenant.”
Instead of maintaining external props, Dr. Coleman instructs her listeners to ask God to continually renew their hearts and minds, which is the core of their being.
“I always think there is some effort I need to put in, but it’s God’s adequacy that matters,” she says. “There is no performance involved in his love for us. If God doesn’t do it, it doesn’t get done.”
Dr. Coleman is the author of “Moment by Moment: Touching the Face of God.” She also recorded “Pretty Good Music.” Along with her book and music album, she offers two CD teaching series, “The Sermon on the Mount” and “The Words in Red.”
Her newest feature is “Stones of Remembrance,” a line of necklaces and bracelets based on Joshua 4. Each of the pieces of jewelry has a stone with one of the following words – behold, believe, faith, hope, joy, laugh, love, pray, trust. The traits are supposed to remind the wearer of God’s faithfulness.
“I’m able to disarm the women and win their trust,” she says. “I’m no better and probably much worse in my struggles, but God will meet us all. I am a desperate woman, who desperately needs a savior.”
Endorsements
“She is wonderful and a gift from the Lord. She is a great communicator of the Word of God. Let me spend some time praying about what I need to say and then can I get back with you in the next couple of days? We are preparing to go on our retreat this weekend so life is a little crazy!
“Blessings to you and we look so forward to having RoseAnne back!”
Rev. Kris Key
Trinity on the Hill
Augusta, GA
“Our women loved the ministry of RoseAnne Coleman! Her in-depth Bible teaching, humor, and practice applications were all used by the Lord to change lives. If you are serious about ministry that changes lives for the sake of Jesus Christ you would welcome working with RoseAnne. Thanks.”
Janet Kerns
Program Manager
Cannon Beach Conference Center
503 436 1501
janetkerns@cbcc.net
“In addition to the God given musical talent RoseAnne lives, speaks and teaches what she has worked out in her own life and through the hours of studying the Word. When she speaks there is a sense that God is working through her in a mighty way. The heart of RoseAnne is ‘Here I am, use me.’ Rose Anne understands people and she relates so well both from ‘up front’ as well as one on one.
“Although RoseAnne’s speaking can be full of humor, it is so much more. The sincerity of her spirit encourages listeners to give themselves over to the will and power of God. We love her dynamic, energetic and highly motivated style. She challenges us and directs us to the foot of the cross of Jesus! We love her! Dr. RoseAnne Coleman…You truly are a Women of Grace!”
Betty Davies
Director of Women of Grace
and Associate Director of Ministries
for Muskoka Bible Centre
“Dr. RoseAnne Coleman has it all! She sings, she teaches the Word so you want to listen, she tells stories ’til your mouth hangs open, she makes you laugh until the tears come, and she’s a downright nice person besides! The evening we shared with RoseAnne last year was the quintessential Girls’ Night Out-it was perfect! I can’t wait to have RoseAnne come back to Sandy Cove for a full women’s weekend!”
Candace L Davison
Women’s Ministry Coordinator
Sandy Cove Ministries
60 Sandy Cove Road
North East, MD 21901
candy@sandycove.org
410-287-5433 ext 457
www.sandycove.org
“I first met Dr. RoseAnne Coleman while we were living in Nashville in 1993. We had her over to our house for dinner and she became a part of our family. We moved back to the Seattle area in 1995 but we have stayed in contact with RoseAnne. In fact, I would say that our relationship has grown deeper since we have been separated by the miles. I think that one of the reasons for this is RoseAnne’s ability to go deep, ask the right questions at the right time and to be completely vulnerable.
“This is evident in her teaching as well. RoseAnne has been the speaker for several of the women’s camps that I have been a part of over the last eight years. For the past five years, she has been our key note speaker at Young Life’s Northwest Women’s Weekend at Malibu in Canada. It is here that over 1500 women have heard her speak and teach God’s truth in a fresh and vital way. I have been privileged to watch as women who didn’t even want to be at camp, let alone go and hear a Bible teacher, let down their walls and let the Lord use RoseAnne to minister to them.
“RoseAnne’s has a disarming way about her. She makes everyone feel comfortable with her Southern charm, her wit and humor and her singing. I always feel like you get the full meal deal when you have RoseAnne speak. It is after you feel comfortable with her that she brings home the Word of God. Her teaching is new and fresh each and every time. That’s because she listens to the Lord and truly seeks Him out in what it is she is supposed to teach on.
“I highly recommend RoseAnne, in fact, she is coming back to speak for year six at Malibu in September 2007.”
Katie Tormey
Area Director
Kirkland-Redmond Young Life
“RoseAnne Coleman is a wildly funny, biblically deep, totally energized servant of the King of Kings! She powerfully communicates transformational principles and is equally engaging on and off the platform. Retreat and conference groups ask her back again and again and our agency gets calls from meeting planners regularly telling us she is one of their all-time favorite speakers. If you are looking for a speaker who effectively conveys truth to a postmodern audience, RoseAnne is ideal for your venue. She has my highest recommendation!”
Carol Kent, President
Speak Up Speaker Services