Are you a planner? Don’t be afraid to “raise your hand” if you get excited about the wall-size Post-it notes and Sharpie markers making their annual appearance. Even now, I am getting excited about planning sessions that provide a fresh set of ministry ideas and opportunities.
Dreaming and planning for the future is exciting. However, the planning process can feel overwhelming without some guidelines. So, how can we tackle planning our women’s ministry calendars for an entire year effectively and strategically? Here are a few tips to help you and your team get started.
- Invite the right people to the table. Planning should never be done in isolation. Sure, all of us should go to our prayer closet and pray individually, asking the Lord to lead us. Then, we can journal the ideas the Lord lays on our hearts. But all of this should lead to a time of collaborative sharing and planning with women from different ages, life stages, and ministry passions. This step is vital and will result in balanced planning with shared excitement and ownership from key leaders across the church.
- Evaluate the previous year. Before you look ahead, look back and evaluate what was previously offered. Evaluation is crucial because it invites the team to think about everything that has been done, why it was offered, and the spiritual fruit that was produced. The bottom-line question is this: Did our previous ministry calendar lead women to grow in their love for God and His Word, resulting in spiritual formation and change? Evaluation moves us beyond doing things because we have always done it that way or because it is what our women want. Evaluation invites us to ask clarifying questions: Why are we doing this, and how are lives being transformed?
- Set strategic goals for the ministry. One exciting aspect of women’s ministry is the opportunity to be a part of what God is doing in and through the local church. This means that the women’s ministry goals can and should be tied to the overall mission and vision of the church. So, if the goal of the church is to make disciples, the question should be: How can the women’s ministry team contextualize this goal for women in the church? Another goal may be reaching the next generation with the gospel. If so, how can the women’s ministry get involved in the next generation’s lives in personal and life-changing ways? In addition, the team can select a biblical theme, key verse, or ministry focus and center their planning around that focus or theme. This approach will bring synergy and continuity to the ministry plan.
- Utilize strategies that foster spiritual growth and formation among women. Now, we are getting down to the nitty-gritty aspects of ministry planning. Here are some rapid-fire tips.
- Offer enriching Bible Studies: God’s Word should be at the heart of all we do. Offering Bible studies addressing the varying needs in a woman’s life positions the ministry to encourage and equip women in powerful ways. We need studies that meet women where they are in their spiritual development and then challenge them to grow. For new believers, offering a study that introduces and explores foundational spiritual concepts helps them to be grounded in the Word. For mature believers, offering a study with more complex themes and opportunities to dig deeper into God’s Word positions them to take the next step of faith and obedience. For some women, a study on parenting, marriage, or singleness can encourage them to trust God in their current season of life. I like to think about Bible study strategy as a process helping women learn and apply key truths that build upon one another. This mindset is exciting because it reminds us that our time in God’s Word can and should transform us.
- Host Meaningful Events and Gatherings: Retreats, conferences, and nights of worship are just a few ways to bring women together for spiritual encouragement. There is something special about women getting away for an extended period with other women for prayer, praise, connection, and time in God’s Word so that they can grow in their faith.
- Develop Meaningful Connection Points: Women need each other. We were created for community. Isolation and loneliness are rampant, even in the church. Focused planning that sets the stage for vulnerable, authentic, and meaningful connections should be on every ministry leader’s list. This invites leaders to intentionally make room for new people and think strategically about ways to cultivate biblical community. This might include a focus on mentoring or fun fellowship nights, the development of prayer partners, or groups developed around hobbies. The possibilities are endless!
- Focus on Ministry Inside and Outside the Walls of the Church. I love this thought: encountering Jesus and the Word should lead to action. Planning ministry projects and mission trips help women keep their eyes on the goal of sharing Jesus with others. A yearly ministry project can help women get outside their comfort zone as they meet tangible needs, which hopefully opens the door for sharing the gospel of Jesus. I love that women can link arms in strategic ways and, in the process, enjoy life and ministry together.
- Plan for the women who aren’t there—yet. One tendency in planning is to plan for the women currently active in our ministry. We know them. We love them. We can formulate a plan to serve them. While this is good, we must balance this tendency with planning for women who aren’t there—yet. This idea creates a healthy tension as we remember to have an outward focus. During planning, your team should consider any age group or life stage in your church that isn’t engaged and the women in your community who need to experience the love of Jesus. Pray for these ladies and plan for them. What are their needs? How can you reach out to them? What ministry strategy will position you to reach them? Prioritize this group and trust God to move in powerful ways. Then, celebrate the stories that result from this planning focus.
Friends, these are exciting days! God is moving in and through our lives, churches, and women’s ministry groups. Let’s ask the Lord to help us prepare for everything He has for us in 2025 and beyond. So, gather your team, grab the Post-it notes and the Sharpie markers, and start planning!
Find everything you need to plan your year with your women’s ministry including Bible studies, events, training, and free resources.
ABOUT ANDREA LENNON
Andrea is new to the Lifeway family. She is excited to serve as the director of women. Andrea is a Bible teacher whose life calling is to teach women to know the truth, live the truth, and share the truth. Her passion is honest conversation about the topics that drive our everyday lives and how we can always weather the storms of life through the love and power of God and His Word. Andrea is a 2004 graduate of Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. She has written and published books, Bible studies, and eBooks. Andrea lives in Arkansas with her husband, Jay. They are thankful for two amazing sons, two beautiful daughters-in-law, and one very chill dog.
