My question is, as the Sr. Pastor's wife, are we responsible for starting and leading the women's ministry, if your church does not have one?
I ask b/c I was told that it is my responsibility, yet whenever I start it, I get really frustrated and I do not like this role.
This week I have been very excited b/c I went to churchgrowth.com and took a test to determine my spiritual gifts. My gift is the gift of mercy and I really want to flow and operate in the area in which God has gifted me, not just doing something that someone else expects of me. This makes me resent what I am doing if I'm not doing it for the right reasons.
Any advice ladies????????????????????????????????????
Who told you that it was your responsibility? If the mandate does not come from your husband then I would not feel an obligation to start something outside of my giftedness - I think it is tanamount to saying every minister's wife should sing and play piano (well I do, but most don't!).
The question is not just one of gifting, but passion. If you do it and are not passionate about it, you will only find confusion and frustration in your wake. One of the things I have decided in my ministry is that if the Lord does not speak it to me I don't do it... I have learned that my plate which is always full should only have things on it that I will actually eat and make use of... Why should I sit at a banquet with a plateful of liver and onions when I know that they will only sit there and make me turn up my nose and frown the whole time - especially when there is chicken cordon bleu on the menu....
Do what God has called you to do!
Also is this a ministry that people are receptive to? Is there someone who has a burden to see it come to pass - let them do it!!!!
I do not believe it is your "responsibility." I believe if you enjoy it and have a call to do so and a rapport with the ladies certainly with the pastor's wife doing it there are many advantages and it flows well in a church. My husband says with me doing it he has so much less to worry about with the women of our church. However, if you are not called specifically to lead that ministry of course you will be frustrated. I agree with Flow. Don't do it. Understand your gifts and flow in them.
I do not believe you need to lead the women's ministries nor is it your "responsibility" however keep in mind that being the pastor's wife women will still come to you for ministry and advice and wisdom and probably always moreso than the "women's ministries director." Even if that ministry is turned over to another woman in the church there will still be women coming to you for prayer, counsel and ministry so you do need to be prepared for that even if another woman has oversight of "women's ministries. I am assuming by "responsibility for women's ministries" you are referring to women's events, planning, outreaches, retreats, outings, etc.?? I can understand if you do not feel called to do that. If not, don't.
Don't let anyone put you in their mold. Be yourself, and flow in your gifts. Whatever you do more important than anything just love the people!
Be encouraged - you are better at being you than anything so just be you and love them and let it flow!
I totally appreciate this advice. For far too long I have thought it was my responsibility to plan the outreaches, events, etc...just as you, Deanna, listed. The lady who told me this was an older PW for many years. But, recently, she and her husband quit ministry. So, I was just wondering.
I finally feel so liberated to finally know my "niche" and where I am called. I do however, enjoy singing in the choir. But, I want to begin working in my spritual gift, which is mercy. Such as sending letters to members, hospital visitation, greeting people at church, and the other areas that I enjoy doing.
As of right now, I have no one who is interested in taking on the responsibility. I have tried to compel other ladies to step forward, but they are not ready, yet. What will I do in the mean time?
As a matter of fact, the only reason I attempted to start that ministry is b/c I heard a few ladies talking about how another church was having women's events, and so I assumed we needed it. So, I started it and got upset that the ones who talked about the other church, did not even attend our meetings. I was so mad. My DH said they were only trying to compete with the other church. They are not interested in women's ministry when they are NOT showing up to participate in it.
I started the ministry for the wrong reason, I believe. It was for competition with another church.
Thanks for helping me to see my error.
***And, by the way, my dh gives me liberty to operate in whichever areas I desire. He didn't ask me to do women's ministry.
