Julia Foote, 1823–1901

Julia Foote, 1823 – 1901

Preacher

After a radical salvation experience, Julia Foote had a relentless desire for the word of God and for His presence in her life. She began ministering to people in her community by holding prayer meetings and teaching them about God’s sanctification. When she felt the Lord call her to preach, she vehemently resisted: “I thought it could not be that I was called to preach—I, so weak and ignorant.”

After struggling with the call to preach for several months, Julia became emboldened by the Holy Spirit and began her relentless pursuit to share the gospel, becoming a very influential preacher.

Julia traveled throughout the United States and Canada for more than fifty years, preaching at camp meetings, revivals, and churches. She was the first woman ordained as a deacon in the AME Zion Church in 1894 and the second to be ordained as an elder in 1899. Julia remained active in ministry until her death in 1901. She was a role model for black women aspiring to be ministers and an advocate for participatory equality and ordination of women in the church.*

“God is holy, and if I would enjoy constant communion with him I must guard every avenue of my soul, and watch every thought of my heart and word of my tongue, that I may be blameless before him in love.”

Read More Here. Read Julia’s Autobiography Here.

** source: https://www.ihopkc.org/malachiproject/biography/julia-foote