Women’s Ministry: 5 Steps to Get Young Women More Involved

How can a women’s ministry get more women, especially younger women, involved? It probably won’t happen by “doing the same old things because we have always done them that way,” says Christy Sylvester in Today’s Christian Woman (www.todayschristianwoman.com).

Sylvester provides five practical ideas:

1. Ask for their input. Ask a variety of younger women—singles, stay-at-home moms, single moms, working moms, and others—questions, such as these:

• What would you like to see us do as a women’s ministry?

• What topics would you be interested in discussing in studies?

• What ideas do you have for fellowship or outreach events and activities?

2. Listen and affirm. After asking, be sure to actively listen, asking questions and taking notes. Acknowledge and consider all ideas, even imperfect ones. Stay open to new ideas.

3. Invite. Ask interested women to join the team and be involved in decisionmaking. Ask for their help in getting women their age involved in the ministry.

4. Empower. Give women the lead with parts of an event or ministry, or in carrying out an idea they’ve helped develop.

5. Mentor. Some women who have a heart for ministry will need guidance and coaching. It can be like learning to cook by spending time in the kitchen with your mom or grandmother—a younger woman can assist at first, receive feedback, and then increase in responsibility.

—Bailey McBride, “How to Be a More Effective Bible Teacher,” The Christian Chronicle (www.christianchronicle.org)