BEST PRACTICES: Suggestions from women's leaders

GOD’S WORD

Women will depend on the firm foundation of God's Word and seek its guidance

• Use the first week/session of a new Bible study series to review observation/study skills, how to use the table of contents and a concordance, etc.
• Keep the women accountable: for example, if the homework is not complete, she can come but must listen, not discuss. Or pair them off to discuss the homework between sessions. If one person is not able to complete the homework before the discussion time, both must go home and study the same passage again.
• Scripture memorization – but memorize in context  (for example, memorize Philippians, 2 verses per week, to complete in a year).
• Plan definite start and stop dates for Bible studies, with breaks over the holidays (i.e., from Thanksgiving through New Year’s)
• During the summer, use One Night Bible Studies from Lifeway. Every other week, on a different night of the week each time so if one night isn’t good for a lady, another night will be. The studies are video-driven, and the answer sheets are provided. Require no homework so there is more time for fellowship. A different Bible teacher each time introduces women to different speakers. A great opportunity to include entry-level women who are not familiar with the Bible.
• Submit your best practice

PRAYER

Women will draw close to God in prayer and call on Him to act for His glory

• Post prayer requests on a closed, secure Yahoo group
• Offer the option of being on an email list or a phone list.  For late-night prayer requests, emails can be sent immediately; phone calls are made in the morning. Missionaries the church supports are included on the email list so they get to pray for the church’s needs also.
• Youth write prayer requests and give them to the women’s Bible study group. Gives women a connection with the teens; can go to them later and ask how they’re doing regarding the request.
• Teach women to praise God for who he is, his character and attributes, instead of only thanking him for what he does.
• Encourage the women to take a Sabbath for prayer.
• Submit your best practice

MISSION

Women will take God's message of hope and forgiveness to people in need

• Make shawls, afghans, etc. while praying for the individuals who will receive them.
• Visit shut-ins
• Make baby blankets, attach a card with scripture verse to each blanket, pray for the moms and babies.
• Work day to make items needed by missionaries (pillowcases, gospel bracelets, etc.)
• Reminder: Ultimate goal of mission should be to provide opportunities to verbally share our faith
• Missions trips to inner city and overseas
• Take one session of a regularly scheduled Bible study series and do a community outreach ministry to learn to focus on others instead of ourselves.
• Submit your best practice

MENTORING

Women will walk alongside women and girls, helping them to be faithful in their journey with Christ

• Apples of Gold mentoring program that brings younger and older women together; older women teach homemaking and life skills to younger women www.applesofgold.org.   
• At baby showers, pair up older moms with new moms as prayer partners.
• Life Mapping at a daytime event, brought older and young women together as they completed their Life Maps, then shared their life stories. Some younger women asked older women to mentor them.
• One-on-one times together
• Be flexible
• Submit your best practice

LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT

Women will train emerging leaders and empower them to be humble influencers in their world

• Gathering of Leaders for the women in charge of specific committees. Have it twice a year; choose a topic (i.e., leadership styles, issues leaders face, etc.). Included discussion, tasks to be done, prayer for each other
• The goal is NOT more workers; the goal is to help a woman discover what God has put in her and develop her skills so she can be all that God wants her to be.
• Train women in leading discussion groups (book: Leading Life-changing Small Groups).
• Give leaders an opportunity to get together – just to discuss the issues they face as leaders.
• Submit your best practice

COMMUNITY

Women will pursue circles of meaningful relationships through love, sharing and accountability

• Surprise Suppers – women sign up, come to the church, only the woman in charge knows where they are going but doesn’t tell them until they get there.
• Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner: women sign up who are willing to be hostesses. Lady is told to prepare supper for six, but not told who is coming. Five ladies are sent to her house; she doesn’t know who’s coming until they arrive.
• Progressive dinners
• Walking/workouts together
• Have women name things they would like to do/places to go, then ask women to sign up for the thing/place. Take that group to do that thing/go to that place
• Submit your best practice