As I have surveyed women’s ministry leaders, I have seen that the size of the church, years serving in ministry, training, and access to resources all play a role in determining the needs and wants of each women’s ministry.
I want to encourage you that God sees all of that and knows exactly what your women’s ministry’s needs are before you do. As you know with many trends, there is a tendency for many of these to be repeats of the past. So what I am about to share may not be anything new to you, but perhaps it will spark something for you to think about moving forward in your ministry.
Community
This is a number one need for women. Whether it is in small groups, specific interest groups, or Bible studies, women are asking to find ways to belong. They are looking for places in which they can be seen, heard, and understood. They also want this time of gathering to be meaningful and purposeful. I go to a church where we meet in one large group for worship on Sunday morning and have small groups at other times during the week. But sometimes it is hard to get to know others through those kinds of settings.
So, this summer our women’s ministry had something called 4 for 4. Four of us would meet four times during the summer for the sole (soul) purpose of getting to know each other. We met at 7 a.m. and tried different breakfast places that were open at that time.
Some other opportunities like this could be having a big group Bible study and splitting the discussion groups up by putting people together who do not know each other. Maybe even bring the potluck back on the fifth Sunday of the month! Strategically use your events to spark ways to build community. For more ideas on building community a small group, check out this article by Mickey Pitts.
Cohorts
There has been a buzz around cohorts in the last couple of years. The first time I heard about cohorts was in my doctoral program where we would gather for a week four times a year to discuss seminars we were taking for our degrees. Ever since COVID, we have seen a surge in using Zoom to connect. It has provided a place for women from all over to gather with similar interests in a shorter amount of time. Some cohorts meet face-to-face, on Zoom, year-round, and for brief periods (four to eight weeks).
The purpose of cohorts is to provide a space for training and information-sharing. At Lifeway, we hope to create cohorts that will be tailored to the needs of the women’s ministry leaders that will help them serve their women better in the local church.
Competence and Confidence
Women want to be equipped to lead well in their ministry. They are seeking ways to be trained so that they may be better at leading or teaching a Bible study for their women. They would like to know more about how to serve those who are younger than them or older than them. Women are also looking to the church to be competent and confident in their personal lives. Women are asking about ways to navigate transitions—from working at home to working outside the home, being an empty nester, caring for elderly parents and taking care of grandkids, losing a loved one, retiring, and other relationship changes.
Care
I have been focused on caring for the women’s ministry leader. I often see many leaders alone, burnt out, tired, exhausted, and stressed. It could be the counselor in me that wants to make sure that our women leaders are taken care of. They often struggle with finding a place at the table where they can be seen and heard. Some church staff have made it a point to reach out to these women who are serving in critical positions, but oftentimes, they are overlooked.
I sit across from women serving in ministry who struggle with anxiety, loneliness, and stress in their ministry, personal life, and spiritual life. That is why I thought the next You Lead webinar needed to be on self-care for the women’s leader. You as a women’s ministry leader must take care of yourself so that you can take care of others in the church and in your family.
To join us for the free You Lead Webinar on self-care for the women’s leader, register here. Based on the popular You Lead events held throughout the country each year, You Lead webinars offer a glimpse of experienced Lifeway Women trainers who share their wisdom on a variety of topics. Spend an hour with us as we explore how to minister to women, whether it’s in the context of the local church, in your family, or in the marketplace.
ABOUT ALICIA WONG
Alicia Wong serves as the women’s ministry specialist for Lifeway Women and as an associate professor of Women’s Ministry at Gateway Seminary in Ontario, California. She has served as a missionary with IMB and NAMB and has been teaching in seminaries and local churches on the topics of missions and ministry to women for over twenty-five years. She is a graduate of Gateway Seminary (M.A. in Intercultural Studies and Christian Counseling) and Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary (M.Div. and Ed.D.). Her desire is to see women be firmly rooted in biblical truth, built up in Christ, and established in their faith in order that they may share the good news with others to the ends of the earth.
