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Eight Simple Rules to a Great Women's Ministry

1. Prayer
At the start of any new project or ministry, begin with prayer. God's word says when you seek Me with all of your heart you will find Me. Pray for direction on how to begin the ministry, the steps to take, and who would be the best to serve on your team. That leads to step number two that is

2. People
When Jesus began His earthly ministry, one of the first things He did was to select His team (the disciples). I recommend that you start with four or five women who are spiritually mature, have varied skills, and a desire to help women grow spiritually. Seek women who are not over-committed to other ministries. Is each woman willing to focus her energy on this ministry and have a heart for women’s ministry? As with any ministry you must understand your

3. Purpose
Defining your purpose is what your ministry is all about. While the men Jesus chose were all unique and gifted in different areas, they had a common objective—to build the kingdom of God. Therefore it is essential that you and your team define and understand the purpose of your ministry. The best way to do that is to identify the needs of women in your church, and then decide how to best meet those needs.

The two greatest needs for women are to be Evangelized and Discipled. This can be accomplished by providing outreach opportunities and weekly Bible studies. In addition to the in-depth Bible studies, there is a great need to address many of the social concerns. Most church members have been touched by divorce, abortion, addiction, homosexuality, or abuse and are seeking solutions. There are studies that are biblically based that address these issues. Some women’s ministries now provide recovery programs and support groups if they have the dedicated and qualified leaders to facilitate them. (This may not be something you can offer in the beginning but maybe someday.)

The third need is Connection. Women need to feel connected. We like to socialize, laugh, and share. By providing events where women can connect, and feel encouraged in their faith, you are meeting a great need. Once you have determined the purpose of your ministry-make

4. Plans
Plan how to minister and reach women for Christ. Start small! Try not to over plan and make promises that you cannot keep. Often we try to meet every need, and we spread ourselves too thin. Select areas that will get your ministry established. Over time you can build and grow your ministry and leaders. To keep everyone on target put your plans on

5. Paper
Or the I-pad. In order to stay focused and accomplish goals put everything on paper. If you are blessed with a detail-oriented person on your team have her keep notes. Perhaps she can design a handbook for the ministry team to keep your leadership advised of policies and information.

Realizing how important communication, is design a flyer or handouts that have your purpose, mission statement, activities, and programs that your women’s ministry provides. If budget allows create a beautiful brochure or cards to get the word out about your ministry. Send information to your church website, and other media outlets. Don’t forget Face Book either. Now that you have prayed, have your people in place, know your purpose and have it on paper-it is time to

6. Prepare
I can't over-emphasize the importance of being organized and prepared for this unique ministry. Ministering to the women is a high calling and big responsibility. There are excellent materials available to assist you. Why not invest in attending workshops and reading material that has helped women's ministry across the nation? Chris Adams of LifeWay Christian Resource has several books that are excellent. LifeWay also offers several workshops and seminars on women’s ministry. Also Jennifer Rothschild at www.womensministry.net has a newsletter especially for Women Ministry directors that offer tips, ideas and encouragement. Finally it’s time to

7. Present
Your hard work to the people it was designed for—the ladies of your church and community. I recommend a kickoff event, a dinner or dessert fellowship, where everyone feels welcomed. This provides the opportunity to present your ministry team, your plans, and your purpose for this ministry. If you are not a speaker have someone on your team share a 10-minute inspirational talk on the importance and strength of women being together. Everything about this event should be exciting and upbeat.

Provide a handout with dates, and locations of upcoming events. Make sure to get every one’s name, phone number and email address. Even if you have to offer a door prize to get this information, it's worth it. One more very important issue, it wouldn't be women’s ministry if you didn't provide a

8. Personal Touch
From the kick off you will have many names, divide them among your team and do follow-up calls, reminding them of upcoming events. Also this is a great opportunity to invite prayer requests. A personal touch can be so meaningful, and it will help you to know the women in your church on a more personal level. Keep conversations brief and resist the temptation to gossip.

Finally, remember that prayer is vital to the success of any ministry. Seek God with each detail and you can be confident that He will guide you.

Article written by:
Frankie D. Sherman

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