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Hearts to Serve, Part II

As explained in an earlier post, the women who are a part of the  “Hearts to Serve” team are called upon at retreats, conferences or special events to serve as the hands and feet of the women’s ministry.  They support the women’s ministry leaders by freeing them up to teach and minister, much like the deacons did for the apostles in Acts.

As we create this team within our women’s ministry, we are requiring a short commitment of 1 hour per month for 6 months to be dedicated to discipleship for leadership.  The group will read and discuss a leadership book (see the “Ministry” section of our recommended reading page), preparing the women for the challenges of leadership.  As they are called upon to serve, they can be observed, to see if they are “faithful in the little things” and willing to humble themselves to serve in less recognized capacities.  Those who are faithful in these ways can then be trusted with bigger things.

 

Posted in: Developing Leadership, Ministry at the Retreat

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We Need Your Help!

We need your HELP to provide the valuable resources and links available at www.retreatinabag.net to women’s ministries across the country!  There are truly very few websites devoted to women’s ministry ideas and resources.  In fact, I have only found a handful of truly helpful links.

Retreat-in-a-Bag now has a Facebook page.   Check us out if you are a Facebook user.  Please “like” us on Facebook, and then as we publish something that would be of interest to your friends, “share” it.  As we run across ideas on the web that could be effectively used in women’s ministry, we are posting them.

Then there’s Pinterest–there are so many clever ideas are out there that could easily be adapted for women’s ministry.  You can follow my “Women’s Ministry” board here.

Use the contact form at the Retreat-in-a-Bag website to submit any links or ideas that we can pass on through Facebook or Pinterest.  Social media has provided us with ways to expand the network of people that we serve, but we need to work together.

Finally, if you know women involved in women’s ministries, particularly in smaller churches, please share the RetreatinaBag.net website with them.  Word of mouth may be the best way that we share helpful resources with one another.

 

Posted in: Website News

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Going Fishing

gonefishingMy friend, Tami, shared with me the insights God has given her in the midst of her struggles with setting ministry priorities.

She describes her brain as one that “takes the scripture verse ‘Here I am, send me’ (Isaiah 6:8) to the extreme”–which can be both a blessing and a curse at times.   Regarding ministry opportunities, she is always thinking, planning and pondering possible events, activities, book studies, parties, etc.–any idea that will further the kingdom of God.  It is humanly impossible to pursue all of her ideas.  So where does God want her to serve NOW?  How can she best use her time and abilities?  Perhaps you can identify with her challenge–seeing so many needs and opportunities for ministry and not sure which one(s) to pursue.

After writing down all the possible ministry ideas that had been overwhelming her, Tami looked at the very full page and wondered if they were her ideas–or God’s.  How did God want to use her?

As she prayed over her page of ideas, God spoke to her heart, saying, “Let’s go fishing.”  This was a puzzling answer, considering that she has never liked fishing, hates putting worms on hooks, doesn’t have the patience to wait for a nibble, and if she were to catch something, she doesn’t even want to touch the slimy fish.  So what was the Lord saying to her with this fishing illustration?

God said to her, “When you go fishing, sometimes you catch these beautiful little fish and they are just too young to keep.  So you release them back in the water to allow them to develop more.  Maybe they will be the right size next time you catch them.   Sometimes you catch these huge fish that nearly break your line and pull you under because they are just too big for you right now, so you let those go.  But sometimes when you go fishing, you catch the perfect size fish for you, and it reels in easily.  That is the one you take home.”

“Those little fish represent those beautiful ideas and plans you have that need more prayer and time to develop before you can pursue them My way.  The huge fish represent those ideas and plans  that you are not ready for yet.  These are best put on hold until I give you more experience, more patience or just more of Me.  The perfect size fish are those ideas and plans I have prepared for you now, where you are in your walk with Me.”

Let God take you fishing.  Let Him help you sort through all those possibilities for those opportunities that are right for you.  Our God is full of creative ministry ideas, ideas which will be perfect if done His way and according to His timing.  Wait for His timing and direction, and avoid the frustration that striving in the flesh brings.  As Proverbs 19:21 says “There are many plans in a man’s heart, Nevertheless, the Lord’s counsel–that will stand.”

Posted in: Retreat and Event Planning

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Five Ways to Promote Your Event

Have your ever noticed that people don’t really read their church bulletins?  That presents a challenge as you try to get the word out about upcoming women’s ministry events!  While we always try to keep an announcement in the bulletin, here are five other ideas that we have used.

  • Verbal announcements (during the service, at other women’s ministry events);
  • Via Internet (church website)/Social Media (Facebook announcements);
  • Email blast to women in the church – At  women’s retreats and other events we have asked women to sign up who desire to receive email blasts about upcoming women’s ministry events (possibly five to six emails in a year);
  • Posters (on women’s bathroom doors and mirrors, by the nursery and children’s areas)
  • Personal invites

 

Posted in: Retreat and Event Planning

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Serving to Please

The foundation of ministry is servanthood.  If you are serving with a desire to be noticed and appreciated, to gain power or achieve status…good luck.  By its nature, servanthood is an occupation that is NOT noticed.  Besides that, we won’t find joy in ministry if we are doing it in the power of the flesh because the flesh tires quickly, is easily inconvenienced and avoids discomfort and work.

The responsibility of the servant is to be faithful to his master–obedient to the master’s wishes, not distracted by those who would assign other tasks.  A servant can’t serve two masters–there will always be a conflict.  A servant may not please other members of the household, may not please some of his or her fellow servants…but if he pleases his master, he is a good servant.  As leaders in women’s ministry, pleasing our Master is our responsibility and should be our primary focus.  We need to pray that God will make clear those things that He wants us to spend our time doing.

Posted in: Retreat and Event Planning

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