I don’t know about you, but I needed this reminder. It is simple, but so transforming in our own lives and in the lives of women we lead. Guest blogger Dawn Stephens, Associate Minister of Local Disciplemaking and Women’s Small Groups at The Church at Brook Hills, in Birmingham, Alabama shares from her experience and her heart.
As a women’s ministry leader, in any church, in any city, and in any country of the world, you will encounter discouraged women in your ministry. At times, most every woman that is human, sinful and selfish will be tempted to be discouraged or defeated, including you.
Whether women are married, single, working outside or inside the home they are all living in a sinful and fallen world that daily tempts them to turn aside from their Christ, husband, children and churches.
As the disciple Paul said in I Corinthians 10:13, “No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man.”
This means that whatever tempts the women in your church to turn from God is not new. Satan just has one trick, to deceive us to think that God’s Word is not true and God’s love for us is conditional on our performance, not on His character.
As you have opportunity, and there will be many, to encourage women in their daily struggles, I’d like to encourage you with these reminders:
- Stay in God’s Word– God’s Word is the only weapon we have to fight the enemy who comes to kill, steal and destroy our lives. Commit to helping your women find a small group Bible study that teaches them how to study God’s Word and apply it to their lives. Commit to recruiting mature believers and train them to be able to teach your women in small group community. Encourage your women to set their heart and minds on His ways, not their worries.
- Stay in Community with God’s People – Help women who are struggling to find a healthy, growing community of women in your church. Whether it’s a small accountability group or a one-on-one discipleship and mentoring relationship, helping these women find a loving and consistent environment in which to grow is key.
- Stay Strong, Looking Forward in Faith– As much as you can, consistently encourage your women to stay strong in Christ, his salvation and His Spirit that lives within them. Encourage them to focus on the goal and prize as believers, which is the home Christ is preparing in heaven.
Leaders, you can be a influential friend in the lives of many women in your church and community who need to be brought back to the basics of staying strong in their faith and standing on God’s Word in times of discouragement in their lives. Be confident in God and His Spirit as you lead and love your women!
Dawn Stephens has been involved in women’s ministry in both volunteer and staff positions for many years. She is the Associate Minister of Local Disciplemaking and Women’s Small Groups at The Church at Brook Hills, in Birmingham, Alabama. Her desire is to train, equip and encourage women to use their God given gifts and abilities to show Christ’s love and grace to our world. She graduated from the New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary Women’s Ministry certificate program, has served on the Alabama Baptist State Women’s Ministry leadership team, and serves as a Lifeway Ministry Multiplier.
