I don\u2019t have the patience for crafting, my baking skills leave a lot to be desired, and I prefer jeans over dresses. If pink, floral prints and lace are prerequisites to being involved in woman\u2019s ministry, then I\u2019m not even qualified to write this article. The key to effectively serve the women in your church is to realize that they are not all the same. Each woman\u2019s story is as unique as the individuals they represent. Broaden your vision of what a women\u2019s ministry should be rather than cater to a small segment of the population. There are many things to consider when setting out to establish an effective woman\u2019s ministry.<\/p>\n
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First let\u2019s define Ministry<\/strong> <\/p>\n Are you qualified to lead?<\/strong> Have you put significant time into studying and are you a student of God\u2019s Word? It is difficult to lead according to the scripture if you are ignorant about what it says. If you read and study, are you obedient to it? Are you teachable? On the more practical side of things, do you have the time to follow through with the commitment of leading? Can you build a team and delegate? Do you have leadership ability? Are you willing to speak publically? If you answer \u201cno\u201d to any of these questions, this is not a call to throw in the towel, roll up your sleeves and work out the deficiencies. Like I said before, change is a continuing process.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Present to the leadership in your church<\/strong> <\/p>\n Surround yourself with wise council <\/strong> <\/p>\n Present your ideas to the other women <\/strong> <\/p>\n Choose purpose driven study tools<\/strong> Work out the logistics<\/strong> <\/p>\n Let the planning begin<\/strong> Women\u2019s Ministry should encourage women to grow in their faith and walk with the Lord. We should create an environment where we can reflect God\u2019s character in all areas of life no matter what stage. The aim is to strengthen friendships and relationships with other women, and provide opportunities to serve and impact our church, our community and our world.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" I don\u2019t have the patience for crafting, my baking skills leave a lot to be desired, and I prefer jeans over dresses. If pink, floral prints and lace are prerequisites to being involved in woman\u2019s ministry, then I\u2019m not even qualified to write this article. The key to effectively serve the women in your church […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3503,"featured_media":10689,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"spay_email":"","footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_is_tweetstorm":false},"categories":[2307,4141],"tags":[1882,422,1881],"class_list":{"0":"post-10687","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-christian-lifestyle","8":"category-church-ministry","9":"tag-ministry-tip","10":"tag-pastoral-leadership","11":"tag-womens-ministry"},"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/blogrouting.sharefaith.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/10\/WomensMinsistry_480.jpg","jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"yoast_head":"\n
\nMinistry is from a Greek word meaning \u201cto serve\u201d. It\u2019s not a self-fulfilling kind of service, but specifically serving for the benefit of another. Scripture teaches us that all the law and the prophets can be summed up in two things: 1. Love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, mind and strength; and 2. Love your neighbor as yourself (Matthew 22: 36-40). We miss the mark on any ministry effort if we fail to acknowledge these important precepts. Essentially a women\u2019s ministry is a place to practice loving God and loving others, within the context of our unique roles as women.<\/p>\n
\nWhat I am not saying here is \u201chave you arrived?\u201d The fact is, learning and changing is a never-ending process. God calls people to serve Him at all levels of their walk with Him. What I am saying is that there are spiritual and practical considerations to make:<\/p>\n
\nDraw up an outline of why you think a woman\u2019s ministry would be important to the woman in your church and in your community. Talk about the burden that God has put on your heart to minister and serve. Share general knowledge of how it will look in the beginning and how it will grow from there. Always include logistics. Keep in mind this is an initial meeting where you present an outline, not a detailed plan.<\/p>\n
\n\u201cListen to counsel and receive instruction, that you may be wise in your latter days. There are many plans in a man\u2019s heart, nevertheless the Lord\u2019s counsel will stand.\u201d (Proverbs 19:20-21, NKJV). So you want success? Surround yourself with Godly influences and the council of God\u2019s Word. It is heart-wrenching to put so much effort into a desire only to see it swallowed up in failure. Delight first in the wisdom of God and he will give you the desires of your heart. Seek Him in all your efforts and He will bring it to pass.<\/p>\n
\nYou are seeking to minister to women; it would probably be a good idea to connect with your target group. Meet with the women in your church and get to know them. Your group will most likely include daughters, wives, mothers, students, professionals and everything in between, but with all this diversity comes many similarities too. Most of us desire a sense of community, a place to pray together, to share our life stories and discover that we are not alone. We want to find relief from having to focus on appearance and current style trends to really focus on the identity we have in God. Some of us would like to discuss politics, wrestle with doctrine, and exchange book reviews. We would like to serve and be empowered to serve. Really, the list could go on and on. Give women a platform and an opportunity to speak for themselves.<\/p>\n
\nIt can be intimidating looking for the resources and tools to start any ministry and in particular, women\u2019s groups. When you Google \u201cstudy material for woman\u201d you get more than a handful of recommendations. There are a couple of principles that will help in selecting meaningful study aids.<\/p>\n\n
\nLogistical biggies include setup, seating, hospitality, childcare, refreshments and tear-down. If you utilize church property, make sure you reserve space ahead of time and coordinate with the church administrator. Homes work really well for smaller groups but also require advance planning. Regardless of the size of your group and event, consider childcare or make your event\/meeting child-friendly so that moms can come too.<\/p>\n
\nYou\u2019ve got a good foundation, now it time to pull it all together \u2013 recruiting reliable team leaders, establishing care groups, implementing invite strategies, and applying the discipline of constant preparation.<\/p>\n