Over the last 15+ years, I’ve had the opportunity to serve in five women’s ministries in five different churches.
Everywhere I’ve served and even in the places where I haven’t, I’ve seen this women’s ministry mistake committed over and over again. And I’m not just throwing stones, I’m 100% guilty of committing it myself.
This one mistake:
- Increases burnout
- Dismisses the other women in the church
- Fuels pride
- Creates isolation
It’s a mistake this is fixable. It’s a mistake that’s reversible.
And it’s a mistake you need to address and correct if your team is making it.
Are you ready for it?
The biggest mistake women’s ministry teams make is not utilizing women outside of the women’s ministry team.
If you’re thinking, oh, that’s not us, hang with me for a couple more minutes. You may be surprised to find your team is guilty too!
Think about your women’s ministry team events.
Who brought the food?
Who sat at the welcome table?
Who served as prayer counselors?
Who decorated?
Who sat at the registration table?
Who served as Bible study facilitators?
Pull out a sheet of paper and write down the names if you need to.
How many of those women are NOT on your women’s ministry team?
Over and over I’ve been a part of and witnessed teams that do it all themselves.
Whether it’s an issue of not wanting to bother other women (that’s a lie, by the way), not making the time to make a few phone calls, texts, or emails, or hanging onto control it’s a problem.
When we exclude women of the church from serving at our women’s ministry events we:
- Create a clique
- Keep women from using their God-given gifts (1 Peter 4:10)
- Restrict other women from being a blessing
- Inadvertently hurt the feelings of some of our women
- Limit our reach
I get it.
It’s sometimes (okay, almost always) easier to do it yourself. It’s a pain to communicate your expectations. It takes time to train others.
Here’s the bigger problem – those excuses/reasons aren’t Biblical.
God calls us to be part of a church body. (Hebrews 10:24-25)
God tells us to carry one another’s burdens. (Galatians 6:2)
We are to work together in community with other believers. (Ecclesiastes 4:9-12)
Titus 2 tells us the older are to teach the younger. (Titus 2:3-5)
When we ask women outside of our women’s ministry team to bring food or serve it does two big things:
- It allows other women to shine and serve! There are many women in your church who would LOVE to bring a snack to or serve at your next fellowship. Bringing a dish or serving guarantees they will show up. And chances are they will bring a few girlfriends along with them. If you are struggling to get a specific generation to come to your events – ask them to bring some food (or serve)!
- It gives your team a break. Seriously. Your team is already working hard to pull off the event. They don’t need to be the ones making food, greet, register, etc. for every single event. They are doing enough.
Tap some women who are welcoming to serve as hostesses.
Call on some mighty prayer warriors to serves as prayer counselors.
When it’s time to add women to your team, you’ll have a whole pool of women whose strengths you know that have already dipped their toes into women’s ministry. It’s a whole lot easier to serve when you’ve already been made to feel like you are part of the team.
When we involve as many women as we can, the women’s ministry truly becomes the women’s ministry.
Is this something your team has struggled with? How have you overcome the problem of doing it all yourselves?
You may also want to read:
How to Ask Women to Serve on Your Women’s Ministry Team
How to Recruit Women’s Ministry Team Members
Women’s Ministry Team Job Descriptions – Part 1
Women’s Ministry Team Job Descriptions – Part 2
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This has give me great information. In supporting my women’s Group
Thanks, Catherine! I am so glad you’ve found this post to be helpful!
Hello, as a team member of the women’s board in my church this article is so true.. and yes my board is guilty of this. For example during our early morning prayer and fasting week we were on the prayer line when a church member came on, the Pastor and a couple more just stopped talking I could not believe it all we were doing was elaborating on a short lesson and praying and this person preceded to pray, she’s an awesome prayer warrior. I listened to her pray in areas that were needed. This is my second year on the team and I’m trying to figure out what am I supposed to be doing. I am being treated like you’re in training just do as you’re told. I want to send this article to the newly appointed leader who is my best friend, who is unsure of how she should be conducting things. Thank you for the article.
Ramona, I was glad you found this article to be helpful. Praying God will guide your team.
Thank you so much for sharing the importance of including other women in women’s ministry events. Yes, the committee does burn out. Yes, we are the ones doing everything and feeling overwhelmed. And, yes, it doesn’t allow others to serve (which was the focus message at our last event!) I can see how God can use women (other than committee members!) to become more involved and relational through events if they are included. Interesting – the women’s event we had in July included an opportunity for women to fill out a simple 3 x 5 card telling us if they would be interested in helping. We had 15 responses of women that wanted to help! PTL! Your article confirmed the importance of following through.
Judy, thank you so much for commenting! How awesome that you had 15 women respond that they want to help!! God is good! 🙂 Yes, don’t forget to follow thru! Remember, they are waiting to hear from you! 🙂
Thank you for sharing this. I have asked several times to help with Women’s Ministry, and I’ve not once, in 5+ years, been asked. So, I started my own small group, where we meet for coffee & fellowship, one month, and on the opposite month, we have someone share their testimony, or an activity they love doing. It’s a great time of fellowship, and it gives me the opportunity to minister to hurting women.
I am so sorry that was your experience…I am thankful you did not allow a lack of response to keep you from what the Lord has called you to do – minister to hurting women. May He continue to bless your fellowships!