Recently at a YOU Lead women’s leadership training, we had a panel of leaders answering questions submitted by attendees. Several past and upcoming posts address those and try to help answer them.
Today’s question is: For Women’s Ministry Basics, it was mentioned that one of the benefits of women’s ministry is that it helps new women find their niche. What are some things that the church and women’s ministry can do to help get them connected?
If women do not feel like they “belong” to a group and are “needed” in their new church, they can easily get lost. We must intentionally get to know these women personally, see what their needs, gifts and heart’s passions are, then network them into the places where they can both grow and serve.
Some women’s ministries have a “new member shepherding” team to accomplish this. Each team member is assigned a specific Sunday, or set of Sundays, and if any women join the church on their day, they personally invest in the woman. They will have 5-7 “touches” with that woman including a visit in her home to take her information about the church and answer questions, perhaps a follow up text or phone call, invitation and escort to the next women’s event, and other connections. The point is to find out what her immediate needs are so those can be met, hear where she has served before in church and find out what her gifts and skills are so she can find a place to serve, and discover ways to help her build a network of community, growth and ministry.
I have a women’s minister friend who has “tea and chat” time with new women. It’s an opportunity for women to set up an appointment, visit the women’s minister in her office, and spend time sharing and asking questions.
Another important aspect is a new member survey that can be taken to the new woman’s home to fill out and keep in a database so that it can be referenced as needs arise. Most of all, we just want to make sure we do not miss meeting a particular need a new member might have, but at the same time help her find various ways to connect to grow and serve.
You can find a chapter on this very topic in our leadership book, Transformed Lives: Taking Women’s Ministry to the Next Level.
Women Reaching Women