Women's Ministry and Women In Ministry

Posted on Friday 28 July 2006 at 10:25 AM in Bible - Post Comment

Well, this has been on my mind for a while, and probablly won't be very popular...or maybe it will!    It's kinda long, so you might want to enjoy a lovely cuppa tea while you read.

My old church back in Michigan had what I thought was a great women's ministry.  There were all sorts of Bible studies and activities, get-to-gethers, nights out and retreats.  I find that the church hubby and I are attending now has much the same thing.

These really are some great times, but one thing I've noticed in all the churches I've been to is that the Biblical key to women's ministry is overlooked or completely missing:

Titus 2:3-5
The older women likewise, that they be reverent in behavior, not slanderers, not given to much wine, teachers of good things— that they admonish the young women to love their husbands, to love their children, to be discreet, chaste, homemakers, good, obedient to their own husbands, that the word of God may not be blasphemed.

I do believe all us moms need a break now and again.  All us moms need to be in the Word.  But our priority as wives and moms is to be ministering to our families.  Our hearts should be at home.  Shouldn't a women's ministry be encouraging, training and guiding us in that?   The Bible clearly says that they (the older, Titus 2 women) are to teach...or mentor...the younger women.  I believe they should be teaching us from the role of the Proverbs 31 women.  I don't know many women's ministries that do that.

And it's not just the woman's ministry that seems to be off, but the churches themselves.  Instead of encouraging women focus on their primary ministry at home and raising up the older women to training them in doing so, the church encourages them to step out and serve in other church ministries.  Get involved!  You will find in many churches lots of women with younger children taking on church ministry and leadership responsibilities (such as women and children's ministry) and I believe it takes away from their Biblical priorities at home.  I've been there and done that.  When Boo was still an infant I was working in the church office, I was doing administrative work for the nursery ministry and the women's ministry, running the church pantry and being part of the church worship team.  And I was encouraged to do more for the church.  Looking back now, while I felt that I was "working for the Lord" I believe that I was outside of God's will.  There were no older women coming along side of me and admonishing me to love my husband, to love my son, to be discreet, chaste, a homemaker, good, obedient to my own husband, "that the word of God may not be blasphemed."   All I was encouraged to do was "Serve!  Put your kid in the nursery, get a baby sitter and serve!  If this church is going to be a success, you need to serve!"   Is that really how God has called us to serve?  I believe he does call women to serve in the church, but I also believe that there is a time and season for everything.

I don't know about the other women in my church, but I sure could use Titus 2 women in my life.  I've never had anyone to encourage me that way.  I bet the other women in my church as well as other churches would say the same thing.   We would love to be blessed by their wisdom and experience, and their encouragement.  I feel that this is a vital ministry that most of our churches are missing the boat on.

While I'm not exactly a Titus 2 women yet, let me encourage you to join the best women's ministry:  encouraging women's hearts toward their main ministry at home.

You have spoken my heart!

Posted by gokings13 on Friday 28 July 2006 at 3:25 PM - Link

I echo what you are saying.
I have emailed with a pastor or two looking for a "real Titus 2" ministry.....and I get the same thing:
Dump your kids here and go there and teach 3rd grade or "do this" or "do that"......all the while my kids and I are separated.
When I enquired about 'family worship, and family service' I was told "we are looking into that for the future".
Horse feathers.
The last 2 churches I went to the women's ministry was a 'girls only country club'. Dump the kids, ditch the husband, go on "retreats" ((shopping and dining out)) oh yeah and listen to someone talk "about" the Bible.
No thanks.
I feel what you are saying....it's frustrating.
Laura

Amen!

Posted by runnelsrhapsody on Monday 31 July 2006 at 10:21 PM - Link

I agree. Sadly, my church sounds like yours. I'm currently involved in lots of areas but long for a good mentoring relationship with an older Titus-2 lady. Unfortunately, I think I'm probably the only gal at our church who sees this as a problem. Most other moms desire to be separated from their kids (I need a break, they say) and enjoy time away from hubby too. I look at their life and wonder if they realize that children and husbands are blessings from the Lord! They should be welcomed and encouraged and cherished, not shoved aside. There is nothing else more important. Everyone loses in this scenario - the church, the children, the husbands, and the wives too, though they don't want to admit it. Keep pursuing God's way... be the voice in the wilderness! Blessings.