Do you have a bucket list of things you want to accomplish in your lifetime? I have a place in my savings account in which I put a little each month toward something I would like to achieve. One of the goals on my bucket list was to visit Israel one day, and I would put a little toward that for years. Bucket lists can challenge, inspire, and motivate us to do something greater and give us aspirations for different goals in life. Likewise, for ministry, do you have a leadership bucket list that will stimulate growth and encourage you and the women in your ministry to walk closer to the Lord and expand His kingdom?
Below are some of mine, and I put them in two categories in my leadership bucket list, personal and ministry:
Personal
Head: Personal growth and spiritual development
- Read/complete a Bible study: Do a Bible study with my foster daughter that has an adult and teen version and focus either on a book or something that she would be interested in.
- Take a planned one-day retreat alone: Find a local retreat area and just hang out with God for the day.
- Attend a leadership conference: Attend a conference focused on Christian leadership.
Heart: Foster Meaningful Relationships
- Develop relationships at work: Because I work remotely from home, I need to be more intentional about finding creative and unique ways to meet up with my colleagues.
- Engage in more personal relationships that can keep me accountable: Schedule times to have fun and times for accountability.
Hands: Serve the church and community
- Do a project with the church: Serve in one of the service projects with my foster daughter.
- Meet my neighbors: I am one of those who are guilty of not knowing my neighbors. Make it a point to spend quality time with my neighbors who have just moved in next door.
Ministry
Head: Equip and empower women
- Create leadership conferences that are tailored for this generation of women’s ministry leaders: research and discuss with women’s ministry leaders what their needs are and develop or find resources that will help them.
- Initiate equipping opportunities for new leaders in ministry as well as leaders who are teaching and training others.
Heart: Focus on helping leaders with Soul/Self-Care
- Generate content to help leaders focus on the necessity of soul/self-care: Using webinars, podcasts, and articles to help women focus on the need for and importance of taking care of themselves. We often see burnout, mental illnesses, and stress that eventually take them out of ministry or at least from being as effective.
- Resource leaders with tools that will help them assess their current state in ministry.
Hands: Create a Community for Women’s Ministry Leaders
- Create cohorts: Providing a space for women to meet who can collaborate and build relationships as they lead their women in their specific context.
- Offer a coaching or counseling environment that a women’s ministry leader can go to in crisis.
This is my leadership bucket list for 2025 from my perspective as a women’s ministry leader. Here is a list of ideas that you may find helpful for you to make your own leadership bucket list:
Personal Growth and Spiritual Development
- Attend a women’s leadership retreat. Focus on spiritual renewal, self-care, and leadership training.
- Complete a Bible study on biblical leadership. Dive deep into the characteristics of a godly leader.
- Write devotionals for women. Share your reflections, teachings, and encouragement with your small group.
- Learn a new spiritual discipline. Try fasting, solitude, or prayer journaling more intentionally.
- Complete a spiritual gifts assessment. Discover and embrace how God has uniquely wired you to serve.
- Spend a day in silence and solitude. Retreat to reconnect with God and reflect on your leadership.
- Go on a mission trip. Lead a women’s mission trip or take part in one to serve others and grow in your faith.
- Organize a prayer walk in your community. Lead a prayerful exploration of your local area.
- Read one book per month on Christian leadership. Focus on books that equip you to lead with biblical wisdom.
- Create a leadership development plan for yourself. Set personal growth goals and track your progress.
Connecting with and Serving Others
- Host a community outreach event. Organize an event that serves women in need, like a starting a food drive or making care packages.
- Mentor young women in ministry. Invest in the next generation of women leaders.
- Host a women’s conference. Bring women together for worship, teaching, and fellowship. Lifeway Women has several virtual event options that you can host at your church or in your small group!
- Lead a Bible study group. Start a small group for women in your church or community.
- Organize a women’s night of worship. Lead an evening of prayer, praise, and personal ministry.
- Start a ministry for single moms. Create support systems for women navigating the challenges of single motherhood.
- Create a support group for women in crisis. Develop a safe place for women going through difficult times (for example: grief, addiction, or divorce).
- Plan a charity auction or fundraiser. Use your ministry’s network to raise funds for a cause that supports women.
- Partner with local businesses for community impact. Collaborate with businesses that serve women in your area.
- Volunteer at a women’s shelter. Help those in need through hands-on service and compassion.
Leadership and Team Building
- Attend a leadership conference. Gain fresh ideas, encouragement, and insights from seasoned leaders. We recommend Women’s Leadership Forum!
- Develop a leadership training program for your ministry. Equip other women in your church to take on leadership roles.
- Host a leadership roundtable with local women leaders. Bring together diverse voices to share insights on leadership challenges.
- Launch a women’s Bible study leadership team. Develop and mentor a team of women to co-lead Bible studies and ministry initiatives.
- Start a “Leaders’ Prayer Circle.” Gather ministry leaders to pray together and share insights.
- Create a networking group for women in ministry. Foster relationships and collaboration between women leaders across different churches or organizations.
Creativity and Fun
- Host a creative arts night for women. Encourage artistic expression through painting, writing, music, or dance.
- Plan a fun women’s weekend getaway. Organize a retreat or outing that focuses on fun, bonding, and relaxation.
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, CA. 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.). She desires to see women be firmly rooted in biblical truth, built up in Christ, and established in their faith so that they may share the good news with others to the ends of the earth.
Get to know Alicia Wong in this episode of the MARKED Podcast. Read more from Alicia in our Leading Well blog series.