Recently Lifeway president Dr. Thom Rainer posted a blog written by Dr. Chuck Lawless on diagnosing the health of the church. As I read the list, I thought this was a great list to consider if we want to check the health of our women’s ministry.
Read that post here and the see that list below tailored for women’s ministry along with my thoughts:
1. Is the church’s teaching based on the Bible?
Take a look at your women’s small groups and other activities. Are you seeing a healthy focus on God’s Word even in those groups that are not specifically Bible study?
2. Is the church a praying church?
Do you leaders pray together? Do they pray over their teams? Are you teaching women how to pray in faith? Consider how you see prayer threaded through everything you offer for women.
3. Is the church driven by a Great Commission focus?
How often do you expose your women to Jesus’ command to make disciples? Is your ministry mostly inward focused, or are you seeing your women increasingly focused on those outside the walls of the church? Be intentional about helping turn hearts to those who are not “in” women’s ministry.
4. Is the church reaching non-believers?
Do your women ask for help in sharing their faith? Are you seeing women come to know Christ through your ministries to women? If not, look for a way to encourage your women to recognize God’s work in their lives and to learn how to connect their stories with the lost.
5. Is the church keeping and discipling new believers who join?
Are you not only leading women to Christ, but showing them next steps? Consider having a process in place for helping new and young believers grow daily. Help more mature believers to not only deepen their walk, but lead others to do the same.
6. Is the church both locally and globally minded?
How often do you include mission endeavors in your ongoing ministries for women? Do you have specific community outreach options to offer women so they have a way to act on their outward focused view? Have you ever taken your women on a mission trip overseas to get them out of their normal routine and comfort zones so that they might be a part of what God is doing globally?
7. Does the church have a strategic plan for future growth?
Do you even expect growth? If you believe what you are doing is vital for women and their spiritual health, then you must now plan for how you will encourage and plan for future growth. Begin now to show small groups how to begin new small groups. Train up leaders by experienced leaders apprenticing less-experienced ones (or even some who don’t even consider themselves a leader) as they first serve together.
8. Are the leaders committed to the ministry of the church?
Do your women know the purpose of your women’s ministry and how it supports and fits directly into the overall purpose of your church? If not, start now weaving that picture into all your women’s activities. Show them how what they are doing will overall grow the church which grows the Kingdom. If they don’t understand the mission and catch the vision, it will be hard to commit their hearts and hands to serve Christ.
These are some great questions to consider with your women’s team. What other questions would you include to discern the health of your women’s ministry?
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