JOCELYN WIEBE, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

Jocelyn has been a supporter of Come before Winter since its founding. She has experienced Come before Winter renewals as both a participant and a team member, first traveling with teams in 2009. Jocelyn has previously worked in education, fundraising, and nonprofit administration for a variety of ministries and nonprofit organizations. Her diverse ministry experience includes teaching Bible classes, leading small groups, facilitating youth programs, and contributing to public worship. Jocelyn holds a BFA in Theatre and an MA in English Literature from Abilene Christian University as well as an MFA in Theatre Directing from Ohio University. She lives in Lubbock, Texas, with her husband, Mark, and their three young children. 

First Come before Winter Women’s Renewal – Brazil 2001

As a ministry leader in the first century, Paul writes to his friend Timothy: “Do your utmost to come before winter” (NKJV, 2 Timothy 4.21). Paul is grieving the loss of fellow workers, including one who has left the work. “Only Luke is with me,” he writes. Alone and in prison, Paul craves encouragement and the presence of friends as well as certain useful items: “Bring the cloak I left in Troas, and my scrolls, especially the parchment,” he urges.

Today’s Christian leaders experience winter. Though Paul spoke of the physical season of winter, we know that many Christian leaders experience “winters” of adversity, exhaustion and burnout. Overwhelmed and discouraged, some workers will leave ministry altogether, while those who remain long for a familiar face, a kindred spirit, and tools and resources to support their work.

Our goal is to bring what is lacking and to arrive before winter.

Since 2001, Come before Winter (CbW) has created opportunities for God to renew women in ministry around the world. Founded by Karen Alexander and a small group of Christian leaders, Come before Winter has served more than 2,500 Kingdom workers through renewals and online classes.

CbW hosted its first renewal in Campinas, Brazil, in July 2001. Almost two months after the Campinas renewal, the events of September 11, 2001 threatened to shut down the ministry due to the difficulties of international travel, but in early 2002 invitations to Albania and Greece, followed shortly by another to Italy, kick-started a global ministry. Since then, CbW has traveled to more than 30 countries, serving ministry leaders from a broad array of churches, mission teams, nonprofits, and NGOs.

For each renewal, CbW brings together a team of servant leaders to encourage and inspire. Participants are immersed in a regimen of study, prayer, worship, and reflection. The cost of lodging, meals, and the program are covered by generous donors. Team members walk with participants as they listen to God.

In 2003, missionaries in Russia invited Come before Winter to train a group of local leaders to host renewals in Russian. This invitation launched a four-year training program called International Development Seminars (IDS). To date, four IDS teams have completed their training and hosted renewals in their native languages of Russian (2007), Portuguese (2013), Spanish (2013), and Japanese (2018).

In 2014, Come before Winter launched a pilot program to serve men in ministry around the world. Building on the foundation of the women’s program, a team of men developed a renewal curriculum and hosted their first renewal in Thailand in 2016. Over the next three years, men’s teams hosted renewals in Austria, New Zealand, and Namibia.

The COVID-19 pandemic paused CbW’s travel and in-person renewals for two years. During that time, CbW developed and hosted two virtual renewals for women, one in the Americas and another in Central Asia. CbW also began offering online classes covering a variety of topics including biblical texts, spiritual practices, and Christian living.

Since June 2022, Come before Winter is back to its regular rhythm of hosting two in-person renewals a year for English-speaking women. To find out where the next renewals will be, click here. CbW has decided to pause the men’s program and IDS but continues to offer online classes throughout the year for women and men who serve in ministry.  CbW is also open to hosting future virtual renewals for those serving in places where travel or world events make gathering in person difficult.