An Interactive Memory Archive
Chosen
Women
"The Lord Reigns"
A landmark series of interdenominational evangelical women's stadium conferences that gathered tens of thousands across California and Oklahoma from 1997 to 1999.
"But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His wonderful light."
— 1 Peter 2:9
The Story Behind the Movement
Founded by
Susan "Susie" Kimes
Susan Kimes was a pioneer of the modern women's ministry movement in Southern California during the 1970s and 1980s. While serving as Director of Women's Ministry at Calvary Church Santa Ana, she invited 40 area ministry directors to a networking brunch in 1985 — a gathering that would grow into NEWIM, the Network of Evangelical Women in Ministry.
In 1988, during a time of prayer for church revival, Kimes experienced a distinct spiritual vision: thousands of women with raised hands, worshipping together in a large open stadium. Because stadium-sized Christian gatherings for women were entirely unprecedented at the time, she held the vision until the timing felt right.
Grounding her vision in 2 Chronicles 29–31 — King Hezekiah cleansing the temple — Kimes stepped down from NEWIM in 1995 to dedicate herself fully to orchestrating what would become the Chosen Women stadium events.
Original signed program
Rose Bowl Stadium · Pasadena, CA · May 16 & 17, 1997
4
Stadium Events
3
States
30,000+
Women at Rose Bowl
1997–99
Years of Ministry
1997 – 1999
The Events
Each gathering carried the same theme — and the same transforming power.
The Rose Bowl
Pasadena, California
The inaugural flagship event that proved a mass stadium gathering for Christian women was viable. The Rose Bowl became the birthplace of a movement — tens of thousands of women gathering under open skies in Pasadena to worship, weep, and rededicate their lives. It was hailed across national evangelical publications as a milestone 'first-of-its-kind' nondenominational gathering for women.
5 speakers including Jill Briscoe
Fresno
Central California
The movement expanded its geographic footprint to Central California, drawing together regional church communities from across the Central Valley. The Fresno event deepened the movement's roots in California and brought the stadium revival experience to thousands who could not travel to Pasadena.
5 speakers including Anne Graham Lotz
Irvine
Orange County, California
Moving back into Orange County, this gathering adjusted to a massive open-air amphitheater layout. The Los Angeles Times noted that attendees were guided through deep tracks of personal reflection, prayer, and corporate rededication. The event was preserved via a multi-camera, 16-hour video and radio project.
4 speakers including Nancy Leigh DeMoss
Oklahoma City
Oklahoma
As part of Chosen Women's strategic multi-state expansion, the ministry moved east of the Rocky Mountains into the American Bible Belt. Officially recorded in internal NEWIM historical timelines as the fourth major anchor event of the 1997–1999 stadium run, Oklahoma City served as a midwest hub to accommodate thousands of women who could not travel to the California venues — continuing the core platform of prayer-driven, stadium-sized spiritual renewal.
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Were You There?
Tens of thousands of women experienced something transformative at Chosen Women. If you were among them, your memory belongs here.
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