Research shows women make up 50-60% of the attendance at our churches across the country. When we look at our Illinois churches that are running 50 or less in attendance, it’s been my experience that most of our pastors recognize the intentionality of the women seeking to be discipled and further their leadership opportunities who are there on Sunday morning filling the pews.
I believe many of these women have a call on their lives to ministry. That they are in our churches sitting at the table ready to lead. I’m not alone. According to Lifeway’s recent State of Ministry to Women Study, most (57%) women’s ministry leaders say discipling women and encouraging their walks with Christ is the top priority for their ministries.
Discipling women builds stronger leaders which leads to transformation. It helps us get an understanding of the Word, making us accountable. We see transformation happening in our churches as women are sharing their faith. It’s making their families and marriages stronger. They’re going outside the four walls of the church as agents of hope engaging broken people.
In that same survey, leaders said 52% of women were attending or participating in their ministries, while 55% were connecting with women in different age groups. We see that same multigenerational ministry is happening through the efforts of women in our Illinois Baptist churches. Many smaller churches don’t have youth groups, but younger women are at the table with senior women who are pouring into them.
In the past, younger women may have been confused about women’s ministry and what they did. Now, they’re learning its more than just crafts. They’re getting around tables together and connecting by talking.
I know as I began to age, I started to realize that the older women who were sitting around the table were on the other side of any hurt I was about to face as a younger woman. They have friends at their own heart level that they’re doing life with. We don’t see as high of a rate of loneliness among them as we do people who aren’t doing life together.
So, now we’re seeing the older generations pouring into the younger generations and the younger ones are asking them questions. They [the younger women] are asking the senior women questions about the areas they are struggling in. It shouldn’t surprise us because 68% of the women surveyed told Lifeway that women’s ministry helps them to have stronger relationships with other women; while 58% said it gave them a place to ask questions and discuss their faith. Plus, 65% said it provided them with opportunities to be refreshed and restored both spiritually and emotionally.
The survey also found that women go out and tell. As women we’re creating a culture of evangelism and don’t even realize we’re doing it! We start to share stories and that becomes catalytic. Collectively we’re starting to see God’s hand move and we’re creating the cultures to see what God is doing.
Women’s discipleship is creating healthy churches. Women who are intentional about discipleship and maturing in their faith are often the first to step forward, serving and cheering on what God is doing. Women are helping sustain and even grow.
Carmen Halsey-Menghini is an IBSA leadership director.