• Interviewing to discover the right role for each woman that matches her gifts and talents. i appreciated the male pastors who took me seriously when i presented my ministry plan and handed me the “12 Steps to Starting a Ministry at Saddleback.” this was an organizational tool i understood and it allowed me to develop the ministry under the parameters of the church guidelines. When i completed the steps and reported back to the pastors, i listened to their input and they listened to mine. A ministry was launched that has been duplicated in churches around the world for more than 16 years. three “adapting” points to consider are: 1. include the women’s ministry director in staff meetings and leadership training so she can learn how to develop, equip, lead and commission teams that encourage women to use their gifts. 2. Support the women’s ministry in learning the dynamics and needs of the women in your church by utilizing technology and networking tools, to reduce program-oriented structure and implement fluid and flexible ministry opportunities. For example: online Bible studies; communicating via websites, blogs, email, twitter and social networks; one-day conferences replacing go-away retreats. 3. encourage women’s ministry to participate in a
church-wide effort to idenno woman left tify the next generation of Behind leaders and mentor them Carolyn Custis James in two-way relationships lives in Boxford, MA, and has authored Half where each generation the Church: Recapturlearns from the previous. ing God’s Global Vision Chris Adams, LifeWay for Women (Zonderwomen’s ministry senior van, 2011). She says specialist, agrees: “if we the church attempts are going to pass down the to speak with relevance to women, but the message often legacy to the younger genfails to address the opportunities, eration, we must mentor.” changes and contingencies of life A church that invests in a fallen world. in and supports the development of women’s ministry will experience significant growth and spiritual maturity in the congregation. “do we really need a women’s ministry? is it worth the effort?” i believe the answer is an irrefutable, “Yes!” CE Janet Thompson lives in Idaho and is the founder of Woman to Woman Mentoring and About His Work Ministries. She recently released a book, The Team That Jesus Built: How to Develop, Equip, and Commission a Women’s Ministry Team. (New Hope Publishers) [www.womantowomanmentoring.com]
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