Women’s ministries have an abundant capacity to provide unique opportunities for women to deepen their faith, develop their God-given gifts, and grow in discipleship. Consider the following:
- Bible studies as a part of ministry meetings; special Bible study small groups.
- Prayer opportunities; prayer chains; special prayer services; studies on prayer and other spiritual exercises.
- Devotions at meetings; email devotions; putting together a devotional book based on a theme or liturgical season and inviting submissions from women; making available published devotional resources (books and magazines).
- Promote and make available Christian literature through a church library; a book table ministry; offering gift subscriptions to Vital Woman Magazine to new women members or new women’s ministry leaders; reviewing new releases in congregational or women’s ministry newsletters; starting a book club.
- Use gift inventory tools and resources to assist women in discerning their spiritual gifts; offering a wide variety of ministry opportunities that empower participating women to develop their gifts; encouraging women to use their spiritual gifts through leadership, mission involvement, and volunteering.
- Encourage and educate women about stewardship of time, talent, and treasure.
- Provide opportunities for women to share their faith stories with each other; to develop their tools for “witnessing”— sharing the Gospel story with others; encouraging women in evangelism and outreach.
- Provide ample opportunities for building close relationships among women that cross generations, ethnic groupings, economic status, skill levels and gifts; encourage women to mentor each other through life’s many stages, and in the sharing of skills; develop prayer partners or other intentional relationships.
- Offer opportunities for women to explore issues of work-life balance, financial management, health concerns and healthy lifestyles, family and parenting skills, coping with life transitions, caretaking for loved ones, etc., from a faith perspective. These may be done by inviting in “expert” guest speakers, doing a book study on a topic, having panel discussions, linking with your church’s Christian education program to encourage particular topics in adult classes, and so forth.
For further resources to help you include areas of Personal Development Ministries in your ministry planning, check out our
Store or our
Resources page. You may also find ideas shared by women across the country in the
Community Forum, and you are invited to share your own ideas as well!
