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April 12, 2008

Live from Synergy 2008: What Is the Future of Women’s Ministry?

by by Hollie Baker-Lutz

When I first read Amy Simpson's blog post Why I Don't Do Women's Ministry a short while back, I remember giving an enthusiastic fist-pump toward my computer monitor. "Yeah," I said, "Why do we always call it a luncheon instead of just lunch?" More than just noon-meal terminology, Amy's words resonated with me because, like many of you, I feel out of place in traditional "women's" ministries. And with only 10 short months of marriage to my credit, I've come to realize that this extends to ministries to wives or married couples as well. As a person who loves the Lord and wants to be involved with his church, these aversions sometimes make me feel abnormal, guilty, or petty, as if I don't have the right to find fault with what someone else had diligently planned for me. Thankfully, Amy summarized my feelings exactly and I realized I wasn't alone. Her comments responded to what many of us associate with typical women's ministry: home parties, dubiously-named luncheons, or crafts.

Maybe this sensitivity is why I gravitated so quickly to the theme of the Synergy workshop I attended this morning called "What Is the Future of Women's Ministry?" Our group was diverse in ethnicity, age, profession, and family status. The panel discussion aimed to discuss about five questions on the subject of the future of women's ministry, but our dynamic group only made it through the first and most fundamental: what is women's ministry? In other words, what do we mean when we use that term? And how does that inform how we think about our hopes and expectations of this concept?

Here's when I started remembering Amy's blog post. I thought back to the sorts of church events that are often geared towards women. This is the conflict for me: while certain activities may typically be associated with women's ministry, often with success, need they be necessarily definitive or prescriptive? Does women helping women within the context of the church always need to look like this to be considered "women's ministry"?

The answer from our panel discussion was a resounding no. This is the summary that ended up on the white board describing traditional women's ministry: "Too small of a vision with unthought-through context." Gifted and called women of God, like everyone else, each inhabit a unique story (to use the language of Carolyn Custis James) comprised of an endless array of unique experiences. To reflect this reality, this morning's workshop developed a few key principles about ideal and authentic ministry to women:

--Women's ministry is not necessarily structural. The primary focus is encountering God and making him known. Structure enters the scene when leadership creates a protective arrangement to foster that growth, but it is not an end ? or a ministry ? in itself.

--Women's ministry is organic ? it is ultimately about people who struggle and grow together. Just as the church is more than a building, women's ministry must be more than a program. It's about doing life together.

--Women's ministry is about women intentionally connecting other women to Jesus Christ. Only then is it also about helping women discover their own giftedness and providing opportunities to utilize them.

--Women's ministry craves decision-making that includes men at the table. A true belief in the blessed alliance of men and women suggests that both gender perspectives are significant, all the time. In many church leadership discussions, it is the women who are absent, but that doesn't mean we can accept the loss of our brothers who would contribute to vital ministries to women.

This workshop at the Synergy conference challenged us to not simply disregard women's ministry but to redefine it. As we worship and grow together in our faith, I'm inspired to re-think my responsibility to landscape the field of women's ministry. Because, in a subtle twist of irony, those of us who declare with Amy Simpson that we don't "do" women's ministry are ? in the truest definition ? some of its greatest champions!

While traditional women's events, Bible studies, and other activities of the church are valid and helpful to many women, let's think about how we can include more of our sisters under the women's ministry umbrella. Let's ask ourselves, like the workshop this morning, what kind of message we're sending to those around us about the kinds of ministries that are meaningful to women. Let's ensure that the outgrowth of the term embodies the same diversity as the women we'd like to see participate in it!

I know many of you reading this post are already doing this! You're already engaged in an effective women's ministry just like the one envisioned in the workshop today. So I'm wondering: can you help the rest of us? What are some ways you've reached out to women in the church? What are some practical ideas you have for implementing a diverse ministry that reaches a variety of women?

Posted by Roxanne Wieman on April 12, 2008 10:20 PM

Comments

Sounds like a great workshop, Hollie! I would love to hear what other people are doing to make their ministries more varied. thanks...

Posted By: Roxanne Wieman | April 13, 2008 7:43 AM

I love this. As a man, I find it refreshing and inspiring. In middle American churches, on occasion I've seen women more so than men detached from eachother. In some cases, alienated from all leadership roles. Hollie has hit the nail on the head here with why this may sometimes occur among the male dominated (...indoctrinated?) world of traditional church. As far as Women's ministry, I think redefinition is key whereas many approach a problem initially with its destruction, then to rebuild. Great stuff!

Posted By: Joshua | April 13, 2008 10:30 AM

I, too, have felt "abnormal" when it comes to the way that women's ministry tends to be expressed in many church environments. Only 19% of homes in the U.S. today are considered "traditional," with a breadwinner husband and a stay-at-home wife. Yet in many local churches, our women's ministries still tend to focus on this segment of our society. I am excited and intrigued to think of the possibilities of redefining women's ministry - and the scores of women who could be reached for Christ!

Posted By: Cathi | April 13, 2008 6:36 PM

What exactly do you mean by the word redefine? When you say that are you referring to the person in the leadership role and what she does or the structure,program,agenda of what women's ministries offer to women. Why do women feel disconnected to women's group and what are the men leaders in the church saying about women's programs and the leader?

Posted By: bonnie epperson | April 15, 2008 8:07 PM

The question that seems glaringly absent here is 'What does God have to offer us as a guideline or structure for effective Women's ministry?' I don't ask this because I feel a need to be critical or confrontational, I ask it because all too often I have seen that the previously described attempts (luncheons, 'Bible studies,'home parties,etc.) at women's ministry seem to do more harm than good. While I have no quarrel with the 'newly identified' principles, they do not provide enough information to effectively change the status quo; and some of us can't go back until there is a radical shift in priorities. While I agree with the author that our ministry as women to women does not revolve around an organized church format, I do not see the absence of clear guidelines as a positive habitat for spiritual growth.

There seems to be a fundamental lack of understanding in our churches--and indeed in ourselves--of what qualifies one for leadership in the first place, and where, exactly, that leadership should take us. It seems that more and more people believe that completing a course on spiritual gifts and 'discovering' they have the gift of 'leadership' somehow qualifies them for immediate positions of authority. What's worse, is that sometimes they obtain them, with disastrous results. Gone are the days when character, humility, knowledge and a visible Christ-likeness were the hallmarks of a responsible shepherd. It's no wonder that so many of us feel uncomfortable in women's groups when they are lead by people chosen because of their outgoing personalities or their peg on the social totem pole.

It's time to do more than reevaluate the definition of women's ministry--it's time to actually go back and look at the biblical basis for women's ministry--or are we too afraid of the uncomfortable cultural implications?

Posted By: marilyn | April 23, 2008 7:58 PM

This discussion is so timely for me as I begin to lead a national women's ministry. I have been going through a branding process to rename "Women's Ministries" and have considered taking these words out of the name altogether because they represent limited ministry inside the church walls.
For years it has been a burden on my heart that we, as women make a shift in what we do in women's ministry toward following the lead of Jesus as the head of the church. He left us with the mandate and a mission to participate in the Great Commission to make disciples that multiply. The history of women's ministry in ours and most denominations has gone from supporting oversees missionaries, to monthly meetings with a theme targeting the church lady with an occasional outreach, to Bible studies. Our next endeavor will be to enter a new era of following Jesus' example, how He strategically trained the 12 and had them equipped and released within 6-9 months of being chosen. Based on the stats of less than 2% conversion growth across denom lines, it is my observation that we have lost our clear sense of purpose/mission as a foundation for what we do with the women the Lord has entrusted to us. I'm looking forward to seeing women find renewed significance as they venture into being a part of something much greater than themselves. Engaging culture where the pre-Christians are, then balancing winning, building and equipping; not only for church but also for the harvest field and multiplying ministries inside and outside the church is what I'm being led to implement. I'm thinking that this philosophy of ministry spans the diversity among women and has the potential to cut through some of the things we do in women's ministry that keep us too busy to have greater impact for the Kingdom.

Posted By: Jackie Redmond | April 25, 2008 10:54 PM

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