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Regardless of the size of your church, ministry to women plays a vital role. From a statistical standpoint, women comprise more than half of most congregations worldwide (Statista). Lifeway Research surveyed 1001 Evangelical and Black Protestant female church attendees in the United States and 842 women’s ministry leaders (State of Ministry to Women) and compiled the State of Ministry to Women Report. The responders answered questions on various topics, and I would like to share a few of them.
Three in five women attend a church with an organized women’s ministry. 68% of the women surveyed shared that an organized ministry to women helped them form stronger relationships with other women at church. 65% of women shared that they felt refreshed and strengthened spiritually and emotionally through their church’s ministry to women. Over 50% of women responded that in women’s ministry, they felt safe being transparent and sharing their needs and hurt (56%).
Also, over 50% of women felt able to ask questions and discuss their faith (58%). A third benefit noted by women in the survey was the building of cross-generational relationships within the formalized women’s ministry of their church (56%). An organized ministry to women is a fantastic offering supporting our congregations’ women.
71% of those surveyed shared that the primary outcome desired from being involved in the women’s ministry of their church was to grow in their walk with Jesus. More than 7 out of 10 women desire to spend time with other women learning to walk closer to our Lord! When leading women’s ministry, we have an incredible opportunity to impact not only the women in our church but also their families, co-workers, and social groups. Helping women learn and grow in their faith has the potential to affect every area of their lives.
Taking On A Leadership Role For The First Time
As a new women’s ministry leader, the scope of the role can sometimes feel overwhelming. But be encouraged!
For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.
Ephesians 2:10 (NIV)
God knew in advance that He would call you to this role, and He has created you specifically to minister to the women in your church. Throughout Scripture, we read that God gives spiritual gifts and talents to specific individuals to edify the church and glorify Himself. Before birth, God knew exactly what you would need to lead, encourage, teach, strengthen, comfort, and exhort the women in your small church.
One of my favorite Scripture passages is in Exodus. In Chapter 31, God tells Moses that He has given Bezalel the skill, ability, and knowledge to do all the needed work for the Tabernacle. Can you imagine how ill-equipped a nation of slaves felt to do the tasks God gave them? But God loved them enough to call individuals by name and reassure each one that He had given them all they needed to do the work He called them to do.
I have filled Bezalel with the ·Spirit [or spirit] of God and have given him the ·skill [wisdom], ability, and knowledge to do all kinds of work. He is able to ·design [plan] pieces to be made from gold, silver, and bronze, to cut jewels and put them in metal, to ·carve [engrave] wood, and to do all kinds of work. I have also ·chosen [L given him] Oholiab son of Ahisamach from the tribe of Dan to work with Bezalel. I have given ·skills [wisdom] to all the craftsmen, and they will be able to make all these things I have commanded you.
Exodus 31:3-6 (Expanded Bible)
God loves you and has prepared you for the leadership role He has called you to. I encourage you to dig deep into His Word and allow the Holy Spirit to inspire you with the truth that you are God’s workmanship. Not sure where to start?
Here’s a short list to get you started!
- 1 Peter 4:10-11
- 1 Corinthians 1:4-8
- Ephesians 4:11-16
- 1 Corinthians 12: 26-31a
- Romans 12:4-8
- 1 Corinthians 12: 4-11
Each small church will have its version of the women’s ministry leader role. But here are some of the responsibilities that may be included in your role as ministry leader:
- Working with church leadership to plan the calendar for the church. If this is an expectation, then I say rejoice! Having the opportunity to work alongside church leadership as they plan means you won’t battle for space on the church calendar and will contribute to ministering to the whole congregation.
- Planning and leading women’s Bible Study. Take a deep breath; you won’t need to write your own studies; myriads of books and videos are available.
- Organizing the meal trains for families experiencing a death, illness, or even a birth.
- Special Events throughout the year.
- Perhaps even organize the covered dish meals for your church.
This short list demonstrates that we women’s ministry leaders often wear many different hats. The good news is that there is no right or wrong answer because each small church is unique.
Things To Expect When Leading Women’s Ministry
Serving your small church as a women’s ministry leader brings many new responsibilities. However, bearing those responsibilities often leads to joy and rewards you never imagined.
I will offer one caution: If you are a successful leader in a work setting, be prepared to learn an entirely different skill set! Leading volunteers and fellow church members will not be like leading a team at work. If you are unfamiliar with Servant leadership, I encourage you to read Robert K. Greenleaf’s essay The Servant as Leader (1970). A Servant leader focuses on the growth and well-being of those they serve. As a servant leader, you will approach every task from the viewpoint of helping those you lead, assisting each one to grow spiritually, and embracing the gifts and talents God placed within each individual.
You will have the privilege of being invited into the lives of the women you serve. You will rejoice with them in the happy moments. You will mourn with them as they walk through loss. You will hold their hand and encourage them. You will be challenged by situations you never imagined. You will be trusted with secrets, fears, and insecurities. You will be asked questions on very personal and private matters in their lives as they seek guidance. You may even be challenged to your core by theological questions. Sometimes, the women will turn to you for answers, but they will often simply need to be seen and heard.
8 Tips For Leading Women’s Ministry
1. Diligently Pursue God
You, God, are my God, earnestly I seek you; I thirst for you, my whole being longs for you, in a dry and parched land where there is no water.
Psalm 63:1
As you step into a leadership role, know you will face challenges. You will sometimes feel unqualified. You will often strive to know the best next step. You will never please everybody. Some days will be difficult, but there will be joy and beauty even in the difficulty. You will need a sure foundation, seeking God and asking His direction first every day. Be diligent in protecting your time with God and make knowing Him your foremost goal.
2. Continue To Learn And Grow
Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom through psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts.
Colossians 3:16 (NIV)
Leadership is challenging! You do not have every tool you need. You will be confronted with situations where you are unsure how to proceed. The good news is this is entirely normal and expected! Excellent leaders are life-long learners. Seek out opportunities to learn new skills. There are numerous resources available through the Small Church Ministry website. Free and low-cost seminars on Christian leadership are available through many denominational organizations. Many Christian authors have written books on leadership. Seek out opportunities to learn.
Also, continue to grow your theological knowledge. Become a student of The Word. As a women’s ministry leader, you need a foundational Biblical knowledge base and a commitment to learning more. We, as leaders, serve as teachers and mentors. Be sure that you are always leading from a Biblically sound perspective. Our mandate is to always point to Jesus and encourage those we lead to follow as we learn to know Him more intimately.
3. Form A Team
Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their labor: If either of them falls down, one can help the other up. But pity anyone who falls and has no one to help them up. Also, if two lie down together, they will keep warm. But how can one keep warm alone?
Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves. A cord of three strands is not quickly broken.
Ecclesiastes 4:9-12
I encourage you to be intentional when forming a team. Pray and ask God to lead you to those women He has already chosen to come alongside and assist with the work. Leadership of any kind can be draining and sometimes discouraging. You will need a team of women committed to helping you in the work of ministry. In a small church, a ministry team may be you as the leader and one other woman. The number of women on the team is not as significant as the team members’ level of support.
4. Planning Parties!
Planning parties are excellent tools for hearing from all the women of your church. In a planning party, you will receive many ideas for activities, events, and even topics for Bible studies that appeal to the women you lead. The beauty of the planning parties is you receive the information you need to jump from “planning for” to “planning with” the women of your church.
Here is a link to the Small Church Ministry website and some great articles about Planning Parties.
5. Encourage Others To Use Their Gifts
For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.
Ephesians 2:10 (NIV)
There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit distributes them. There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord. There are different kinds of working, but in all of them and in everyone it is the same God at work. Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good.
To one there is given through the Spirit a message of wisdom, to another a message of knowledge by means of the same Spirit, to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by that one Spirit, to another miraculous powers, to another prophecy, to another distinguishing between spirits, to another speaking in different kinds of tongues, and to still another the interpretation of tongues. All these are the work of one and the same Spirit, and he distributes them to each one, just as he determines.
1 Corinthians 12:4-11 (NIV)
Just as you walk in your gifting, the women you lead have tools, talents, and gifts. Assist others in identifying and embracing the talents and gifts given to them. I know of one very successful and cohesive women’s ministry leadership team that exemplifies the concept of each one functioning in the gifts God has given. One team member is artistic, teaches crafts, and creates beautiful decorations for the altar for worship services. Another team member has the gift of administration and plans the retreats and conferences for the group, and she revels in the details of each project. A third woman spearheads the meal trains and creates the menus for the church meals.
Pray and ask God to begin to show you the talents of the women of your church and how He plans for them to use those gifts for His glory!
6. Mentor The Next Generation
I attended one of the online workshops of Small Church Ministry led by Laurie Graham. I came away with many notes and ideas to implement. However, one of the most impactful concepts I took away from the workshop was this: begin today to mentor the next generation.
To have a lasting impact and leave a legacy, we must begin to mentor the next generation of women’s ministry leaders. Identify at least one woman you can begin to encourage and shepherd in becoming a leader. Be patient. Allow her to learn by doing; this may mean the task takes an extraordinary amount of time to complete. And yes, you probably could do the same task in half the time, but you will have robbed her of a learning experience. Learn to explain the why behind your decision-making. What feels intuitive to you may need to be narrated for her. Offer her a safe space to fail and turn it into a learning opportunity. Encourage her as she learns.
7. Build Relationships With Ministry Leaders In Your Church
Effective women’s ministry does not happen in a silo. Building relationships with other ministry leaders in your church provides a more holistic understanding of how your ministry to the women of your church affects the entire congregation. For example, if you spent six weeks leading a study on how to share the Gospel, you would be very encouraged to hear that the leader of children’s ministry was beginning to have conversations with students about how their families were practicing to share the Gospel in their own words around the dinner table.
Building relationships with other ministry leaders also provides a different knowledge base and resources. Our congregations flourish when we, as leaders, work together towards making Christ known and equipping the saints for kingdom work. Resist the temptation to be a Lone Ranger, and find ways to collaborate with other leaders in the church.
8. Seek Out Wise Mentors
Whoever walks with the wise becomes wise, but the companion of fools will suffer harm.
Proverbs 13:20 (ESV)
Let the wise hear and increase in learning, and the one who understands obtain guidance.
Proverbs 1:5 (ESV)
Likewise, you who are younger, be subject to the elders. Clothe yourselves, all of you, with humility toward one another, for “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.” Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you, casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you.
1 Peter 5:5-7 (ESV)
As a new leader of women’s ministry, you will benefit from the practical wisdom of a mentor. Leadership is a skill that can be “caught” and taught. Seek out wise women who have a Godly character. Notice the way they handle different situations. Ask clarifying questions. Seek their advice. Pray together. Study the Bible together. No leadership handbook can prepare you for all situations. However, having a mentor in your corner will significantly support and encourage you as you tackle leadership responsibilities.
If I can offer one piece of advice, it is this: be humble enough to learn from others.
The Responsibility Of A Leader
Women’s ministry is vital to the women we serve and our congregations. As a leader of women’s ministry, you can impact the lives of the women who attend and, by extension, their families, their friends, their co-workers, and their community. In this article, we have explored eight tips that will help you grow as a ministry leader. Pursue God diligently and commit to lifelong learning. Seek to build relationships with other ministry leaders, and build a women’s ministry team. Have a planning party. Encourage other women to use their gifts and talents to glorify God. Be intentional in mentoring the next generation, and seek out wise mentors for yourself.
Leadership can be challenging, but the rewards of watching women pursue God with all their hearts are more incredible than I can express. I hope you share your amazing “God Stories” with us as you enter this new role.
Serving alongside you!
Read More:
20 Fun Activities For Women’s Groups In Small Churches
9 Meaningful Tips To Strengthen Your Women’s Ministry
15 Best Women’s Ministry Event Ideas For Your Small Church
Carla Adams is a wife, a nurse, and a women’s ministry leader. As an author and a speaker, she seeks to encourage women to use their God-given tools, talents, and gifts to serve Him and others.
