Women’s enrichment ministry and Women on Mission both seek to reach and grow women in Christ, helping them be a vital part of God’s kingdom:
Women’s enrichment ministry is catalyst for women to grow through Bible study so that they have a heart for service, missions and evangelism. It mainly focuses on spiritual growth, discipleship, and serving women through the church.
Women on Mission (or whatever service type group you may already have at your church) has trained women for years in missions education and involvement, helping them to develop a missions lifestyle through its own activities and partnering with other groups.
It’s crucial for these two ministries to work together, but sometimes, when one ministry is already in existence and a new one is started, the result is tension. Sometimes, if a "new" women’s ministry is begun in a church, the existing Women on Mission leaders may feel as though what they are doing is not validated by the other leaders. They may think that their ministry is not perceived as valued. New ministries are sometimes seen as a threat – possibly "taking away" from rather than helping them reach more women.
All women’s leaders, regardless of ministry names or organizations, seek the same thing: to serve Christ through serving women. Various leaders are called to various forms of that ministry – not to compete with one another, but to complement and help one another move toward that goal.
If you’re a women’s enrichment leader not working with your missions or service group, it is your act of service to help women develop a strong walk with Christ through getting them grounded in the Word. They will then serve out of the overflow of that relationship, and missions organizations such as Women on Mission will see their ministries also flourish.
To effectively balance women’s enrichment ministry and missions groups, here are a few suggestions for things you can do to work with your Women on Mission leaders together to reach women for Christ:
1. Pray with and for each other.
2. Share common visions/goals toward reaching and growing women in Christ.
3. Even if these two groups are functioning as separate organizations, make special effort to plan your ministries together. For example, avoid calendar and facility conflicts. Plan to cross-promote one another’s activities and offerings.
4. Serve on each other’s leadership teams, perhaps in an advisory role, or at least sit in on them to be aware of what God is doing.
5. Seek together to reach, grow, and help all women find their giftedness, strengths, passions, and their places of service.
With a Kingdom – not just a program – focus, you and other leaders in your church can effectively reach women in your congregation and community for Christ and empower them to do the same.
For other helpful resources check out:
