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Reaching Women
As a women’s leader, you should always be on the lookout for potential leaders. One thing ALL believers are to do is to serve. We can help in the process as we build relationships with women, find out where they are spiritually and then helping them not only grow but to find their place of service in God’s kingdom. Notice I didn’t say “place of service in women’s ministry”. Our assignment isn’t just to put women to work in a particular ministry, but to help them find their God-giving calling and passion and then equip them to live that out.
Women’s ministry is where we will connect with women of all walks of life. As we intentionally begin to disciple women, we will be able to give them opportunities to get their feet wet in leadership and service. Here are some steps in the process to help you discover and invite women to serve.
Discovering Leaders:
· Pray-ask God to direct you to women ready to take the next step in their spiritual journey. If you especially need team members in specific areas, ask God to be specific in who He has for those spots. If you want to start a ministry and God hasn’t raised up the leader, wait on His timing. Otherwise you fill the position before He finishes preparing the one He was getting ready for that ministry position. He will match ministry and leaders much better than we can!
· Ask-talk to your pastor and other staff members about women they come in contact with. They may meet new members and discover their gifting before you have a chance to do so. Be ready to follow up on any names they pass along to you.
· Survey-use surveys and new member information to find out about the gifts, interests and passions of women. Again, always follow up on what you learn from this information. Even if you don’t have a current spot that fits, find a place to begin working with these women until the spot and the calling fit.
· Observe-Continually watch the women in your church. Where are they already serving? Where do you see them faithfully growing? You will learn much as you just keep your eyes and ears open and ask women questions to gain insight into their lives.
· Ask-sometimes you may needs lots of extra hands for a short term ministry (greeters, helping register women for Bible study, making contact to promote a ministry, etc). For those things, just ASK! Through small groups, in newsletters, on Facebook and Twitter, and on your web site. This is not appropriate for all positions, but when you need a lot done in a short period of time, this works great. Our church sent out an email to all our women asking for them to provide home cooked dishes for our singles moms event. All they have to do is cook and drop it off at the church.
Look in unusual places, get to know women and their personal and ministry goals and interests. Help her find niche even if it’s not in women’s ministry!
Watch the following blog post for how to “invite” leaders to serve!
In today's society, more and more families are experiencing painful situations with children who rebel against them, but the church is positioned to reach out to these families and show them the love of Christ during their ordeal.
You and other women in your ministry can care for mothers of prodigal children in your church and community with 10 simple actions:
1. Pray.
Be faithful in lifting these mothers up in prayer. Some days parents of prodigals are barely making it.
2. Show your concern in tangible ways.
Don't be afraid to call, write, or bake a cake - but let them know you care.
3. Point out positive things about these children when you have the opportunity.
Your sincerity and perspective will help these mothers refocus since sometimes, they may be face-to-face with only the negative.
4. Be sensitive as you share about the joys your children bring you.
Obviously, these mothers didn't set out for their children to rebel. They don't resent your family's joys and success, but sometimes oversharing can provide a foothold for negative thought patterns.
5. Let these mothers know they are not alone in their journeys.
Encourage transparency among the women in your church (no matter what struggles they have) to let moms know they don't have to hide or be ashamed of the issues they're facing.
6. Help mothers network together.
If there are women in your church who have already experienced a relationship with a prodigal child, ask them to take special care to minister to mothers of prodigal children. You might even consider asking women who have faced this to begin a support group for women currently dealing with prodigals. (Likewise, if there is a father who has dealt with a prodigal child, he would be a great candidate to reach out equally to another father facing the same issues.)
7. Encourage them to care for themselves and other relationships as well.
Show them practical, positive things they can do to nurture themselves, their husbands, and other family members as well as the prodigal child. Those ideas can be as simple as spending quality family time or making sure they maintain their quiet times and Bible study with God.
8. Listen.
Let moms talk when they need to, and then just pray.
9. Keep using these moms in ministry roles as they are able to give of their time.
These ladies may need a ministry outlet where they can see God working in and through their lives. Service in such a role can help balance out what's not going right in their relationships.
10. Keep yourself informed on other ways to reach women in crisis.
Many resources on basic lay counseling and ministry are available for you to read and use as mothers of prodigals may come to you for help.
Two recommended leadership books are A Trusted Friend: When It Matters Most and Transformed Lives, which has an entire chapter dedicated to reaching the hurting woman. LifeWay also offers series of online helps about key topics and lay counseling, including the downloadable resource (or you can order the PDF already printed), Women Reaching Women in Crisis: Prodigal Children.
If you know mothers of prodigal children, God has placed you in a valuable role to encourage and pray for them as a women's leader and sister in Christ. Seize the opportunities you have to minister to these women, and believe God to move powerfully in their lives for His glory and their good.
Sharing a vision God has given you is not always easy. Read this post by Simone Monroe, Director of Women’s Ministries at Lake Pointe Church in Dallas, Texas,
Every leader knows that vision is a huge part of leadership. Casting the vision is an art form for a leader. Keeping it before the team is something that is necessary to build the momentum needed for the vision to be accomplished.
Part of the difficulty in learning to cast vision is that leaders are not taught specifics of how to go about casting vision. The vision is something that must first resonate with the leader. It is the destination for team and ministry in the future. It must then be cast by the leader for the team until they “buy in” and have embraced the vision too. This casting of vision is a process and not a one-time occurrence though.
There are some basic principles for casting vision effectively:
1. The first principle is for the leader to “see it” and be able to clearly and concisely articulate the vision and the purpose for it. This takes time alone with the Lord before telling anyone about the vision, with the exception of a close advisor who might assist in clarifying the vision.
2. The next step is to begin articulating the vision to individuals and small groups from the team who are influencers. The leader should choose wisely as she first shares this vision. She should share it in small increments and repeatedly with these individuals until they can “see it” too. Then they must be able to articulate it clearly. Not until they do, should they attempt to share it with anyone. At this point the leader has advocates for the vision other than herself. She has others talking to individuals with whom they have influence concerning this same vision.
3. The next step is to share the vision with the whole team. The challenge comes when the leader is able to “see” far ahead of where the ministry, or team, or both are at present. Knowing how to communicate the vision without scaring those that accept change very slowly is difficult at best. The leader who is able see far down the road ahead with this vision can begin to appear like the enemy to those she is leading. When the leader shares too much of the vision at one time with followers, she is gets “too far out front” of the team or her “ranks”. This can cause her to appear as the enemy.
Be sure to realize that the team as a whole does not “see” what you as the leader can “see”. Therefore, it is essential not to share too much too quickly with your team. You must take them by the hand and lead them one step at a time to where you want them to go. These steps help to cast perfect vision.
Simone Monroe, as well as serving as Director of Women’s Ministries at Lake Pointe Church in Dallas, Texas, is a Global Strategist for ProvenWay Ministries, and LifeWay Ministry Multiplier. As a speaker, conference leader, and freelance writer, she is also a member of the Association of Women’s Ministry Professionals. Simone has earned a Masters degree in Christian Leadership and a Certificate in Women’s Leadership from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. Simone’s passion is teaching and developing women to fulfill their God-given potential. She enjoys presenting God's Word in a fresh and relevant way in order to encourage growth in the lives of her listeners. Her two sons, their wives, and her five grandchildren are the light of her life.
Transformed Lives: Revised Edition
Visioneering, Andy Stanley
When? November 10-12, 2011
Where? LifeWay Christian Resources, Nashville, TN
Who? Speakers Tammie Head, Esther Burroughs, Jennifer Rothschild, Chris Adams, and Kelly Minter along with worship leaders Travis Cottrell. Also, hear from workshop leaders in over 40 topics relevant for women’s ministry leaders.
By attending our prayer is that you will…
1. Understand the uniqueness of each generation of women in your church.
2. Gain practical insights for connecting all generations of women for spiritual growth and ministry
3. Commit to connect the generations...for the future!
Find out all the details here.
If you missed this live informative web cast: Women's Ministry in Transition with women's ministry leaders Deb Douglas, Martha Lawley, Julie Woodruff, and LifeWay Women Event Project Coordinator Lauren Farmer on September 6th, you can still watch the live recording here.
Women's ministry is constantly evolving to meet the changing needs of women in our culture. Gain insights into simplifying the framework of discipleship that leads to transformational ministry. Discuss the importance of assessing and encouraging spiritual growth as we prepare for Christ's return. Join Chris Adams, Pam Case and Paige Greene as they speak with some key women's leaders about learning to deal with transition in our culture and ministries with women.
