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Just Sisters! A Women’s Ministry Idea For Small Churches
See how one church revamped a secret sisters program from hurt feelings and lack of follow-through to face-to-face friendships and sharing. Foster deeper relationships in your small church Women’s Ministry with a Just Sisters Program.
Written by Cheryl Lason from Country Bible Church in Fremont, Michigan.
A Women’s Ministry Plan For Shared Biblical Encouragement
Having trouble finding ideas for your women’s ministry? Look at Just Sisters, a women’s ministry plan for shared biblical encouragement.
Even in a small church, community does not always happen.
This post is for you if you’re looking for …
- a fresh idea for women to connect
- some short-term success
- a plan to reach more women in your church
Our Secret Sisters Program Needed A Change
In our small church, a secret sisters program was used for many years. However, as time passed it became evident a change was needed.
Finding out the name of my new secret sister was always exciting. A year is a long time though, and life happens. I would start out great with my plan for each month just as many others in our small church would do. Despite good intentions, however, at times, I neglected my sister.
When my prayer sister seemed to have forgotten me, I wanted to say, “Hello? Are you still here?” No one likes to be forgotten –– it hurts!
I have a passion for women, and I did not want them to be hurting. It was time to do something different. The Bible says we are to love one another, but how does that look in reality?
Women Want To Feel Accepted And Cared For
We want face-to-face opportunities for our women to connect.
- I want to feel accepted and cared for at my church. I’m sure it is a basic need for all of our women.
- It also needs to be easy for the variety of situations our women represent.
Each Sunday, I have watched as our ladies walk in the door and go straight to their regular seats. I want them to discover the joy of encouraging others.
I long for:
- deeper fellowship for our women
- a way for our shy and quiet members to meet others
- a plan that would keep everyone moving in the same direction –– a real biblical mindset
- a way for loving, caring, and doing to be accomplished
Time feels short. What can we do to enhance our ministry and pull in those who need more?
So one sleepless night, an idea was reborn. At a previous larger church, we had an online prayer group with our ladies called Simply Sisters. It worked well in drawing a larger group closer together. I always liked the name, but in our small church, not everyone is online. Plus, loving and caring for each other is a big heart of a local church. Prayer was great, but let’s do more!
What If We Made Just Sisters Less Secret And More Intentional?
What if …
- the time frame for commitment was shorter so more ladies could interact?
- it is face-to-face? Will it cause new excitement coming together each week?
- we supplied questions to help them break the ice to go deeper in their relationship?
- we encourage them with ideas for loving, caring, and doing? Will this draw our women even closer together with more emphasis on building each other up in the faith?
- we do nothing? No, not an option. We have a biblical mandate to love and encourage one another.
Just Sisters Is A Fresh Idea For Women’s Ministry In A Small Church
So the program called Just Sisters was born. The basic premise is simple: Just Sisters is designed to encourage biblical fellowship for the ladies of our church through …
- Time spent chatting together, deepening friendships
- Praying for one another
- Sharing God’s word, encouraging spiritual growth
- Achievable goals and short time frames
The Plan Details To Turn Secret Sisters Into Just Sisters
- Women sign up for a 1-year commitment.
- During that time, each woman has a sister for 3 months.
- A minimum goal of meeting 6 times.
- Then they switch to a new sister for the next 3 months.
- During the year, each woman has 4 different sisters.
- This gives more women a chance to interact.
An administrator keeps a master list to inform each participant of their next new sister. Having an administrator gives women someone to go to if they have questions or concerns. The administrator can spot problems or share encouragement if a pairing is struggling.
The minimum goal is to meet face-to-face twice each month. It can take place at church since some women have rides to church but cannot get out on their own. Getting together can also happen over lunch or a walk. The place is not important –– just that it happens.
Teach These 4 Steps To Talk The “Awkward” Out Of Just Sisters Meetings
1. Talk!
Select questions will be provided as conversation starters. Yes, it is true some women have trouble talking. Sometimes we just need a little push to get going on good conversations. If there is resistance, probe a little. What is causing the anxiety? Clearly explain, and make sure they understand the minimum. Pray with them and for them. Sometimes we all just need a little push to try something new.
Examples Of Conversation Starters
- Easy questions to get the conversation going and build a comfort level
- What do you like to do for fun? Hobbies?
- What places have you visited? Favorite?
- What jobs have you held?
- What is your upbringing? Family now?
- Common ground questions
- How do you celebrate different holidays or events?
- How have you served in our church?
- What activities have you enjoyed the most at our church?
- What verses or Bible characters are your favorite?
- Deeper life questions
- What is your salvation story?
- How has God changed your life?
- Where are you in your walk with the Lord?
- What do you struggle with?
2. Pray Together Or Share Prayer, Praise, & Thanksgiving
3. Encourage One Another Biblically
In other words, does your encouragement line up with biblical truth?
4. Twice A Month For Three Months, Talk, Pray, & Encourage!
Repeat the process every three months with a new sister for a one-year commitment.
A Caution Of Confidentiality
Just Sisters participants always need to be aware that what they are learning about each other needs to stay private. Only if permission is given should concerns or needs be shared with others. Prayer is so important, commit to serving your sister, and be more desirous to give rather than to receive. Let God be glorified in all of this.
The Goal Of Just Sisters Is Loving, Caring, & Doing
The goal of Just Sisters can be summed up with 3 words: loving, caring, and doing. It sounds simple, but unfortunately, at times, we get sidetracked by our own needs. I usually think about something longer than it actually takes to just do it. Just encourage your ladies to take it one step at a time. Add one new discipline each week or month before they add another.
Loving
- Make a point of greeting your sister each Sunday. Give her a hug.
- Remind her you are praying for her.
- Ask for updates on needs and concerns.
- Remind her of God’s love and care in her life.
- Share verses that have encouraged you.
Caring
- Is there a need you can meet?
- Does she need help meeting others at church?
- Is she needing someone to listen, allow her to vent, or give direction?
- Does she need encouragement in certain areas?
Doing
- Find a project you can do together at church.
- Memorize truth together.
- Give her a small gift.
- Make it a goal to get through all the Simply Sisters questions.
- Is there another woman who is not a part of Simply Sisters that the two of you can encourage together?
- Do a Bible study together
Just Sisters Is A Great Addition To Women’s Ministry For Small Churches
Therefore encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing.
I Thessalonians 5:11
Just Sisters can be an aid to help small churches be light and salt in their community by being strong and loving within.
It’s a simple plan with a big heart for the women in our fellowship and a great alternative to secret sisters.
Allowing this program to build at its own pace will help it to be stronger in the end. It’s possible some will only be able to handle the minimum, while others will jump in and try to do it all.
We are ‘just sisters’ striving to live for the Lord.
- As believers, we are simply sisters, who belong to a loving Father.
- We desire to serve Him faithfully and truly love as He loves us.
- We are called and mandated by God’s Word to care for each other. Just Sisters is a tool to accomplish that goal.
Read More
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Wonderful! This is a great, updated twist on getting women connected!
Yes! I love the intentionality of why we do it and how to do it better! Grateful for Cheryl Lason for sharing what’s working in her small church! ❤️
I absolutely love this idea! I’ve been praying on how to connect and have other ladies in our small church connect in a deeper level and I am hoping they will like something like this! Hopefully we can get enough interest to implement this!thanks so much for sharing!
Yay! I’m so glad it’s helpful. This was written by someone in our FB community! We love our guest bloggers – it’s so sweet when people in small churches share what’s working for them!
I would like to have a secret sister.
It can be a fun program that builds great connections!
This article was an answer to my prayer. I am the leader of our ladies group. I have been quite disheartened about the lack of caring among us ladies. My church is a small, rural church that also did secret prayer sisters for years. And you are right, it caused some hurt feelings, especially when some people didn’t get any correspondence or gifts from their secret sister while others got lots.
And just because we are a small congregation, doesn’t mean we are close knit or see each other outside of church. This is a great way of changing things up and helping us get to really know and trust each other. I will be talking to the ladies this morning about doing “just sisters” and see how God works us through it.
Thank you for sharing this with us! Your encouragement helps fan the flame for more to share what’s working in their churches too!
Has anyone done this? I see great possibilities but also a lot of things that might not work. For example two shy ladies together might not be able to reach out to each other. Can someone give what has actually happened with this program?
Hello! YES! The person who wrote the post hosts this program at her church – it’s succesful! That’s why she shared it. Everything we share on the website are ideas that have worked in small churches. Come join our Facebook Community and you can ask the question! You’ll receive lots of encouragement and some great ideas too!
So they talk throughout the year and share and it’s not a secret who your sister us??? Do you draw nane. Not surehow to go about this
Victoria
Yes! This article is how one church did it. You can draw names or assign them – however it works in your church.