Pastor Mary Kristilere is a Chartered Accountant, Counselor, Mentor and a woman passionate about God, family and people. She is also the lead pastor alongside her husband at Shepherdhill Baptist Church, where she leads the Tweens and Teens church and the Family Life Education Ministry FLEM and she is the convener of Blessed Above Women Conference BAWCO, a platform used to inspire change. In this interview, she speaks with Ebunoluwa Sessou, Abigail Aderibigbe and Emmanuella Donatus on how she has mentored women to live to their full potentials by impacting lives in all their endeavours and the steps she has taken to fight against sexual abuse.

What inspired the Blessed Above Women Conference?

For too many years, I noticed women settling in their comfort zones whether due to mindset, culture, or lack of exposure. But God began to show me that women could become much more if they had access to information and a renewed mindset.

In 2014, at a conference, God gave me a clear picture of what He wanted me to do with my platform. That was how Blessed Above Women Conference was birthed: to see women live to their full potential, leave their comfort zones, and break free from cultural limitations.

Twelve years after, what are the success stories?

The testimonies have been encouraging. Women write to me, saying their mindset has changed and they’re now living more purposeful, impactful lives. Some may not be in the limelight, but in their own little spaces, they’re fulfilling their God-given potentials.

Before COVID-19, our physical gatherings attracted about 1,500 women. During the pandemic, we moved online, and women connected globally from Canada, the United States, the UK, and Europe. Last year, we had about 300 women physically and 600 virtually. COVID taught us that our impact cannot be limited to physical gathering.

What challenges have you faced?

The first challenge was denominational. This initiative was not typical of the Baptist denomination, so we had to change mindsets and prove that as long as it is scriptural, we can do things differently.

The second challenge has always been finances. I remember our very first programme two weeks to the event, we had only 40 percent of the budget. But God assured me that every need would be supplied.

Year after year, He has come through. For example, this year, we budgeted N10 million, and two weeks to the event, we had only N2 million. But by the day of the programme, the need was fully met.

You are also a fitness and weight loss coach. How did that begin?

In 2016, my health numbers sugar, blood pressure, and mammogram results were alarming. My doctor advised me to lose weight. I started eating healthy, exercising.