Do we really need gender-based ministry?
Why Women Ministries?
It is a good question. We should be asking it—and not just to justify our existence, but to discern how we create vision and move forward.
I’ve considered this question often since you called me to this role. And I’m sometimes asked: Why should we have gender-based ministry if women can now serve in all roles in the church? Why do we need to single women out? The Covenant doesn’t officially have men’s ministries. Why can’t we just do things together as a church? Do women really need their own stuff? Great questions.
Listening to many voices, I’ve learned:
*Women want to connect with other women with authenticity and candor in a faith-based setting without being judged. Whether introverts or extroverts, women are connectors.
*We are better together than we are apart, especially when it comes to life-changing, world-impacting ministry. Our combined efforts to fight heinous, women-specific problems like trafficking and abuse have
impacted parts of Southeast Asia, India, and Northern California. And we can do more.
*Some things are best done through gender-specific community. Healing from childhood sexual abuse or domestic violence is often best facilitated with women only.
*Women’s life stages are unique. Yet regardless of our season of life, we have needs to talk, process, unburden ourselves or just put our confusion and pain out there for others to help us heal.
*For those who know and love God, there is often a desire to work the scriptures into our lives as women, processing it through our distinct, inherent challenges and without stereotyped gender-based ideals.
*Women long for formal and informal mentoring—help and encouragement without over-directiveness. With the great cadre of seasoned woman disciples in many of our churches, we are primed to abet those walking a path that already bears our own footprints from years before. It’s about those life stages again.
So do you resonate with any of this? Does it make sense? Do you see it this way, or do you have a different perspective? In a future blog post, I’d like to continue this conversation. What do we need to do to empower younger women to step up and take leadership? How can we open pathways for authentic sharing?
Drop your comment in below, and stay tuned. We have a lot to do together.
Thanks,
Meagan Gillan
I have often wondered about this topic. This question actually came to mind today as I was listening to the radio. In all honesty it still bugs me. (just being real here) Your points give me some more to think about. I wish we could have a conversation about this, but I suppose it will be something I just need to work out on my own. My first reaction is that it can be divisive. Women over here – men over here, kind of like when I was growing up after a holiday, the men would go to the t.v. room and the women would sit and chat. I always wished we could all hang out together. This is just the surface of my thoughts and don’t want to take up a ton of space. I don’t usually comment on things, but like I said it was on my mind today.
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01.07.13 at 5:47 pm
Thanks, Jodi. I appreciate your candor. There are definitely times when men and women can and should be together. I’m grateful for your perspective.
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01.07.13 at 5:56 pm
There are some things as a woman I will only share with my sister and somethings I will only share with my brothers,but when its time to talk about family we come together, it is no difference when it comes to ministry. Men have their issues they only feel comfortable sharing with men. The same with women their are somethings that go on another woman can understand our hearts and thought process are different. Compassion and common sense thinking makes for a Ministry that includes all. It would be like saying because we have water do we need milk of course it does for bone growth. Though both important they serve a different purpose but both are vital for the health of our total well being.
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01.07.13 at 7:25 pm
Thanks, Thelma. Good perspective that rises from your good leadership. What do you see as most important in encouraging young women leaders?
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01.08.13 at 1:30 pm
A year and some months later. What do I see as most important in encouraging young women leaders? Legacy and continuing of women in ministry. I often pray and ask God how can we connect with all cultures and generationally and not just twice a year. When we strengthen women we strengthen churches. Though it is seen and sometimes downplayed women are the backbone to ministries and The Church. As much as I desire for men to take there rightful place in our churches they have been the weakest link as attendance especially young adults. My hope is we will continue to grow through evangelizing so that the bonds are life changing, to all we come in contact with through women ministries. I see some doors closing but so many more opening. We must prepare our women to be ready to walk through each opened door. God bless you Meagan for your continued Leadership.
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07.29.14 at 7:20 pm
“When we strengthen women, we strengthen churches.” What great words, Thelma! In the Covenant we are all about strengthening the church, so we need to be all about strengthening its women. Retreats, Bible Studies, the work of supporting the global efforts of the Covenant–particularly in Congo–these all play a role in healthy churches. Thank you for your efforts of leading women in local churches to engage deeply with Women Ministries. We all need to be pointing our efforts at the local church to energize, revitalize and call women together!
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07.30.14 at 8:38 am
You have expressed this issue very well, Meagan. I agree with your reasons for Women Ministries. Yes, there are times for men and women to minister together, yet there are times for gender based meetings/ministry for all the well stated reasons you have given. As to empowering young women — my work with high school and college age students has taught me that they are often task oriented — they like “to do” ministry; they like “mission” work. Give them an “action” step, and they will gratefully get involved. I realize these are broad generations about “young” people, for which I apologize, yet this has been my experience. We have an amazing younger generation with servant hearts who want to actively live their faith with a strong sense of justice issues. Thanks you so much for starting this forum. Blessings and thanksgiving for your work.
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01.07.13 at 7:47 pm
Well, said, Sally. WRT young women leaders, I agree that action–direct, hands-on ministry that changes real lives in real places–is so very important. We are engaged in fighting abuse and human trafficking. Where do we go from here, or do we drill down on new initiatives within these justice issues?
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01.08.13 at 1:32 pm
One word. Process. Women love to process ideas, concerns, thoughts, plans, visions, hopes and dreams. Men love to fix it and sometimes women don’t need fixing, just processing. And who can we do that best with…another woman! Our emotions kind of scare men a little whereas, another woman will just cry with us. I agree with Jodi, I don’t quite think we need a separation between men and woman intellectually, but emotionally and spiritually women can minister to each other in powerful ways.
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01.07.13 at 10:47 pm
Thank you, Jan. One study I read said that, in general, when faced with crisis, tragedy or fear, women “tend and mend,” meaning we take care of one another and work to heal the hurts. Men have a “fight or flight” response that causes them to respond differently. I don’t want to play too deeply into gender stereotypes, but I’m interested to know if others find this true.
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01.08.13 at 1:34 pm
I completely believe in Women Ministries. As a woman recovering from childhood abuse, recovering my whole life, I was able to “hear” God’s call because other women saw me, the real me, the giftings I was afraid of. But it was vital to be in a church where men also blessed my giftings. Both of our pastors have encouraged me and created opportunities to walk in my giftings. I would never have taken the risk without the soundess of women around me, to feel protected and encouraged. I would never have taken leaps without the blessing of the men. Gender Specific ministry does not mean separate. We are a part of the whole, addressing needs of a part, to lead them in service to the whole.
I have recently begun to volunteer with our youth group, connecting with young women struggling with the same pain I grew up with. It is humbling and gratifying and fun all at once. The side blessing has been getting to know the young women in their 20’s who also serve in the youth group. I so enjoy their hearts and spirits. I have laughed a lot with them and had some of the most incredible conversations about God’s heart and intention. I found a hidden gem in friendships with these young women. If you want them in leadership, decide to follow their lead, see them, believe in them, help identify their gifts, get in the ditches with them where they are working. They are waiting to find women who will walk beside them, not look down from the lofty place of age and define them. I am in a full place 🙂
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01.08.13 at 10:54 am
Thank you so much for your compelling testimony, Cheryl. I thank God with you for pastors who have encouraged you to live into your gifts and call. But when you talk about them “creating opportunities” for you to serve into your giftings, that’s extraordinary. Oh that more of our leaders would open pathways for gifted women and men so all in the church can serve in meaningful, world-impacting ways. And how great that you have landed in youth ministry. Your counsel is well-spoken; we must listen to young leaders with respect and thoughtfulness, following their lead with earnestness and offer to walk the path with them without over-guiding.
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01.08.13 at 1:42 pm
Well said. I was just thinking about this, too, and you have helped clear things up. Women are leading the way for getting involved in sensitive issues such as domestic violence and human trafficking, and I do love to connect with other women with the hope of forming transformational relationships.
I think the key to involving younger women is media and technology, along side encouragement to get involved in something that will have an eternal significance. Spur us on to continually examine our priorities to see if they match up to God’s priorities.
Blessings on you and the work being done in His name.
Marci in Patterson, CA
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01.08.13 at 11:12 am
Thank you, Marci. Are women in your church engaged with fighting abuse or trafficking? What is meaningful in your context? And where do you see transformational relationships working around you? I’d be so interested to hear from you in Patterson!
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01.08.13 at 1:44 pm
As I reflect back on how Covenant women’s ministries impacted my life I am full of gratitude to have many blessed memories. I echo the voices of the CW you polled on the need for women gathering and serving together. A unique aspect of women is that they are typically more the nurturers and caregivers and tend to enjoy intimate relational connection. Covenant Women’s ministries has played a vital role and touched many lives. My first memories go back to when I was 10 years old when I recall the beautiful Covenant women who met for Bible study and prayer and fellowship in homes. We were new in the Chicagoland suburban area and attended a neighborhood Covenant church. Covenant women reached out to my mom with warmth and caring. They extended a warm invitation to their bible study and in time encouraged and mentored her in surrendering her heart and life to Jesus.That changed the spiritual direction of my mom to love and nurture my sister, my dad and I in the Lord. The women of the church sponsored fund raisers for Covenant camps and for special outreach missions like a summer rural bible school run by our youth- both areas I participated in and grew spiritually from. When I went off to North Park College, women’s ministries at the Chicago Covenant church provided a personal warm greeting on my birthday bringing a home baked cake every year like my mom would have made. When I got engaged in college the women at my home Covenant church and my future husband’s Covenant church planned lovely bridal showers that blessed me with lovely household items and godly counsel on marriage through their devotions. As newlyweds we landed in another town in the Chicago area and found a Covenant church where the Covenant women served every Sunday morning in the church kitchen with hot coffee, homemade coffeecakes that enchanced the after church coffee hour and made it warm and homey. Missing the nurture and companionship of my mom when my parents retired to Florida, the Covenant women’s monthly meetings filled a unique nurturing role of “family”. When my 3 sons were born they brought lovely meals and words of encouragment to ease those difficult 1st weeks of adjusting to the demands and responsibilities of motherhood. Mothering was wonderful but all consuming so I looked forward to the annual Covenant Women retreats for blessed weekends when I could leave my wife and mother hats at home and enjoy myself, grow in my relationship with the Lord and get to know my fellow church women in a relaxed and laid back atmosphere. I was invited to be on the CW board at our church and enjoyed fundraising and planning. Years later I served as the Covenant Women’s president of our local congregation for years and enjoyed leading a variety of fellowship, mission outreach and service events. When my husband’s corporate job moved us out of state with 3 young children I did not know how I would navigate a new town and not knowing anyone. We searched and found a friendly Covenant church when house-hunting on a weekday and the pastor’s wife who was the secretary welcomed us with fresh homemade Christmas cookies and shared with me about the upcoming CW Triennial that I attended with the Covenant women within 3 weeks of our move. I felt so welcomed and the pain of moving lost its sting when I found a new place where I could belong and felt accepted and nurtured. When we moved back to IL years later I found a welcome back into the Covenant church and a place serving with our church’s Covenant women. In recent years I attended the CW Mending the Soul Training and was enlightened, educated and inspired to see the Covenant expand its outreach to abused women in our communities and churches. Yes CW is still so very vital and necessary to touch the women within the church and to encourage them to exercise their gifts outside the church together to a hurting world. In such a time as these when families are so mobile due to job relocation, often separating them from extended family and women are working within and outside the home in growing numbers, it seems the need for female gathering for nurture, support and fellowship is ever more needed.
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02.01.13 at 3:11 am