Women’s ministry is how the church serves the women in it, and also how those women serve outside of it. It fosters spiritual growth, establishes organic discipleship relationships, and gives women fellowship with like-minded believers. And women’s ministry is an outlet for exercising spiritual gifts and edifying the body of Christ. It’s a blessing to the lost and saved alike. But, not all churches have one, so if you’d like to know how to start a women’s ministry, here are the next 3 of 10 steps. Be sure to check out part 1 and part 2 as well.
How to Start a Women’s Ministry
- See the need
- Seek the Lord in prayer
- Speak to the pastor
- Survey the weak spots
- Strategize
- Submit a plan
- Share the burden and secure a team
- Spread the word
- Start the work
- Stand strong
Step 7 to start a women’s ministry in the church- SHARE THE BURDEN AND SECURE A TEAM
A vital component to a successful women’s ministry is a leadership team. It’s honestly too much for one woman to handle. Pray the Lord would lead you to women who can help you carry the burden of ministering to the women in the body.
If your church is small, you may just have one woman who can serve as your right-hand girl. This is someone who can promote the study, pray faithfully, and participate fully in the Bible study and other ministry events. She needs to be able to connect with the women and be able to share her testimony or a devotion.
Your ministry partner should be a woman who has proven godly character and is mature in Christ. In order to lead other women she herself must be faithful and fruitful herself. And she has to catch the vision for the ministry and desire for women to grow and glorify God.
You may have a church with several women like this. The pastor’s wife or the other wives whose husbands are in leadership would be a good place to start your search for a team.
Cast the vision
Once the Lord reveals who to share the burden with, make a copy of the ministry plan and schedule, and a description of the role(s) you need filled, and meet with those women. Communicate the vision clearly, direct them to pray about it for a week, talk to their husband, and get back to you with their answer. Remind them to keep the meeting confidential so the word doesn’t get out before you’re ready to release it.
If there is literally no one in your church who is mature enough to fill this role, then it’s your job to train someone up! As you teach, serve, and fellowship together, look for the prospective leaders. Be intentional to invest in them specifically. Give them small tasks to accomplish to determine their faithfulness and give them an opportunity to grow. Have them over for coffee so you can get to know them better. Be for her who you needed at her stage of spiritual growth.
Exodus 17:12- But Moses’ hands were heavy; and they took a stone, and put it under him, and he sat thereon; and Aaron and Hur stayed up his hands, the one on the one side, and the other on the other side; and his hands were steady until the going down of the sun.
Step 8 to start a women’s ministry in the church- SPREAD THE WORD
Nehemiah 2:18- Then I told them of the hand of my God which was good upon me; as also the king’s words that he had spoken unto me. And they said, Let us rise up and build. So they strengthened their hands for this good work.
After you have permission, a plan, and a team in place it’s time to spread the word! Make fliers with the details to pass out at church. If your church has a weekly bulletin, ask for the information to be put in there. You can also have the details and schedule added to your church website. Ask your pastor to make an announcement.
If you plan on opening up your study to the public, you can invite your friends and family, pass out fliers at the local college, put fliers on the library and restaurant bulletin boards. You could even go door to door in your neighborhood to invite women.
Another way to spread the word is to create a Facebook group for the women’s ministry. You can add the women in your church, post a picture of the flier, create a schedule of events, and also use that to keep the women updated on upcoming events or changes they need to be aware of. Social Media of all sorts is a valuable tool for growing your ministry.
Step 9 to start a women’s ministry in the church- START THE WORK
Nehemiah 4:6- So built we the wall; and all the wall was joined together unto the half thereof: for the people had a mind to work.
As with every other step of establishing a women’s ministry- pray about how you will begin the work. What works for one church may not work for another. You may want to have a prayer meeting, or have coffee and share your testimony and vision for the ministry first. Or maybe a service project, special event, or study session would be best. Follow the Lord’s leading.
Some things to remember as you start the work of women’s ministry:
- Be prayed up, prepared, and Spirit-filled for every ministry gathering.
- Have a schedule and stick to it.
- Be real and relatable. The more authentic you are, the more transparent they will be, and the more victory they will get in their lives.
- Do the homework you assign them.
- Be available for questions and to connect personally with the women.
- Attend all of the scheduled events and service projects.
- Make sure everything you decide to include in your women’s ministry coincides with the vision of the ministry and the church.
If you decide to do a group discussion after the lessons and you have a large enough group to break into two or more groups, take turns sitting in on each session. This will give you an idea of where the women are at spiritually and if they’re having any trouble tracking with the teaching or understanding the homework. You will also get to hear the victories the Lord is bringing in their lives, the principles they’re applying, and the excitement they’re having at learning God’s word and having sisters in Christ to do life with. This will help you make adjustments if necessary, and encourage you in your calling to minister to them.
One final step
There are so many things to consider as you seek to start a women’s ministry in your church. I hope the nine steps we’ve covered so far will give you an idea of where to start, and how to see your vision for women’s ministry become a reality.
Share the burden and secure the team, spread the word, and start the work of serving women. My next post will cover the final step of standing strong while you serve the Lord.
More on Women’s Ministry in the church:
Women Teaching Women: Be an Example in Discipleship
Encouragement to Endure in Ministry
Consider Your Ways In Ministry- Part 1
The Call to Invest: Biblical Discipleship For Women
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Pray With Confidence
If you would like to grow in your prayer life, then check out Pray with Confidence. It’s a website for helping women overcome prayer obstacles, and I am one of the 30 monthly contributors. Here are a few links I think will bless you:
5 Things to Thank God for When You Don’t Feel Thankful
3 Short Prayers for Spiritual Stability
2 Things to Remember to Find Peace in Chaos
19 Bible Verses that Reveal the Will of God
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