Hi, ladies
Before I get into that topic, I want to clarify a little about my blog here. While I use the term "ministry" in the title, this was not intended to be a church "women's ministries" idea blog.
I came up with the name of my blog on a whim while "trying out" blogging. I thought about why I'd become a certified life coach and realized it was to "minister" to women.
A BIT ABOUT CHURCH WOMEN'S MINISTRIES
Now, I just want to mention a bit about church women's ministries. There are just as many gaps and criticism there as in anything else. People have high expectations of a church because they see it as an entity they pay a membership to. They expect "it" to serve them. The thing is, the church is them. It is a makeup of the people therein.
BUT...church leadership gets stuck on paid positions, titles, rules, not wanting to tread on toes, wanting to make sure people assigned to roles "measure up" spiritually, etc. It is so full of self-protection that it creates a problem for everyone ministering to each other as they dream of. There is little "releasing".
Much of women's ministries tries to meet a broad group of women by focusing on traditional methods and interests that many women share. This is why you might see a lot of pink, flowers, candles, desserts, and notice a lot of special speakers, music, luncheons, and the like, going on. It is an attempt to provide "something" for women.
Of course this type of design is bound to fail, though. There are so many modern-day women that are taught to balk all the stereotypes I've mentioned above. But...if they can take a more mature view, they will see that women who like that stuff have a right to like it and they have a duty to let those women like it without them complaining.
That being said, those that want something more should be not only willing to develop it but to step up and make it happen. To make unique things happen, the leadership needs to allow it. Those at the helm need to become open-fisted, possibility thinkers, but then they also need to become developers. They need to be willing to push, nudge and back new ministries. But they don't need to be the ones to do them. Those that whine about what they want, need to step up and commit to making it happen.
NEW IDEAS
What do I mean? What are they whining about? For one thing, they want to be socially relevant to the world in practical ways. They want intellectual topics and a chance to voice their opinion. They want deep prayer with others. They want to be mentored but not in a way that makes them like the generation before.
Actually, I don't know all they want but they don't seem to want pink flowers on white table cloths and to sit drinking tea or coffee in a mixed group of ages.
What these "whiners" need, though, is to see that the existing ministry can't be all things to all women unless they are willing to develop other ideas. An Lord help them if the idea they create ends up being an "event"!
Furthermore, they need to ask themselves clearly, what do they have time to attend. What time of day would women like themselves show up? Is what they imagine a possibility, or merely a dream?
Please also see this post http://ministrytowomenlpc.blogspot.com/2011/05/my-leadership-vision-for-average-women.html
Ah, ladies...that's what we have in common.
Aside from that, though, we are very DIVERSE.
I came up with the name of my blog on a whim while "trying out" blogging. I thought about why I'd become a certified life coach and realized it was to "minister" to women.
What I mean by ministry in my blog here,
is support and encouragement to women
through a bunch of life coaching type
topics, questions and revelations.
The name is way longer than any url should be, but it's stuck. I've had thousands of visitors since.
A BIT ABOUT CHURCH WOMEN'S MINISTRIES
Now, I just want to mention a bit about church women's ministries. There are just as many gaps and criticism there as in anything else. People have high expectations of a church because they see it as an entity they pay a membership to. They expect "it" to serve them. The thing is, the church is them. It is a makeup of the people therein.
BUT...church leadership gets stuck on paid positions, titles, rules, not wanting to tread on toes, wanting to make sure people assigned to roles "measure up" spiritually, etc. It is so full of self-protection that it creates a problem for everyone ministering to each other as they dream of. There is little "releasing".
Much of women's ministries tries to meet a broad group of women by focusing on traditional methods and interests that many women share. This is why you might see a lot of pink, flowers, candles, desserts, and notice a lot of special speakers, music, luncheons, and the like, going on. It is an attempt to provide "something" for women.
Of course this type of design is bound to fail, though. There are so many modern-day women that are taught to balk all the stereotypes I've mentioned above. But...if they can take a more mature view, they will see that women who like that stuff have a right to like it and they have a duty to let those women like it without them complaining.
That being said, those that want something more should be not only willing to develop it but to step up and make it happen. To make unique things happen, the leadership needs to allow it. Those at the helm need to become open-fisted, possibility thinkers, but then they also need to become developers. They need to be willing to push, nudge and back new ministries. But they don't need to be the ones to do them. Those that whine about what they want, need to step up and commit to making it happen.
NEW IDEAS
What do I mean? What are they whining about? For one thing, they want to be socially relevant to the world in practical ways. They want intellectual topics and a chance to voice their opinion. They want deep prayer with others. They want to be mentored but not in a way that makes them like the generation before.
Actually, I don't know all they want but they don't seem to want pink flowers on white table cloths and to sit drinking tea or coffee in a mixed group of ages.
What these "whiners" need, though, is to see that the existing ministry can't be all things to all women unless they are willing to develop other ideas. An Lord help them if the idea they create ends up being an "event"!
Furthermore, they need to ask themselves clearly, what do they have time to attend. What time of day would women like themselves show up? Is what they imagine a possibility, or merely a dream?
Please also see this post http://ministrytowomenlpc.blogspot.com/2011/05/my-leadership-vision-for-average-women.html
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