If one has been in the church for many years taking Bible study after Bible study, and even led studies, what is a logical next step?

Do you think women should be encouraged to lead new ministries, maybe ones the Lord impresses on them? Do you think leadership training might be a good next step?

I think you should always be in Bible study.

Leading Bible studies is a ministry. It is so much better if the teacher is spiritually gifted with the gift of teaching, but frankly, all Christians should be able to teach the Bible in some form or fashion...even if it's to preschoolers at a very simple level. Saying "yes" to leading Bible study is very hard BUT rewarding. It is where true growth comes from in your spiritual walk. I can't explain why, but when you start responsibly serving God in the way you feel He is calling you...you start being more accountable in your study habits and in your outreach towards people.

As far as encouraging women to lead new ministries...that can be a divisive topic. Some women today feel called into areas of ministry that can be against what different faiths teach based on God's Word. Do we really want to go there? I sure hope not.

There are so many areas of service to Christ that are church-related, family-related, community-related and mission-related. Surely women feel GOD'S call before pushing open these doors.

Nothing is more important than serving your family. It is a ministry. Other ministries are good if the family is not neglected.

Leadership training, who wouldn't benefit from that?!?

Personally, I think the best ministry and probably the most overlooked is a prayer ministry.

As for other ministries, of course I don't mean encouraging ones that aren't Biblical, etc. But what about the woman who craves to use her second property as a retreat center but doesn't know where to begin? What about the woman who craves to reach out to illiterate women in her city? What about the woman that wants to start a young girls etiquette group?

Leadership training can help all. As moms we lead our children. Leadership training isn't about teaching others how to control others. It is much more pointed than that.

While I agree, we should always be in study, I think there should be something that gets women off their confortable consumeristic chairs and gets them out reaching the lost, helping the poor, and being spiritual doctors to others.

quote:

there should be something that gets women off their confortable consumeristic chairs

Knowing the Christian women I know...this statement offends me.

Most Christian women are NOT sitting in a comfortable consumeristic chair. They are serving mightily in their homes, their churches and in their community.

I'm not sure what your point is but I think you are mistaken if you want to portray Christian women today this way.

I am part of a worldwide women's ministry that reaches an estimated 200,000 women each month through local groups in over 170 nations so I would agree with Twinkle that the women that I know are certainly not just sitting around. In addition to being a part of our ministry, these women are active in their homes and churches. Many of them are involved in their own ministries when God has called them to it...but that is the key...the call has to be from Him.

When He calls us, He will equip us. Training can help, but to be honest, the best leadership training that I ever received was on the job. It was hard, but the lessons I learned as a new leader are ones that I will always carry with me.

It depends on in which vein this is taken.

My viewpoint assumes it is a given she is taking care of her children, home, being a mom. That I don't deny as ministry and leadership.

I don't know the stage or age you are at, but children grow up. Helping at their schools and being part of moms groups dwindles. I've met a lot of 40+ women who are looking for a greater life purpose beyond their home.

When the children grow up there is a lot more time on our hands. We are brought up to achieve high education, to pursue an active life, to achieve. This is the type of women we are ministering to: Educated, ambitious, and godly at the same time. If they don't find a "logical next step" in the church, will they look for it outside of the church? Will they choose to go back to University or into the workforce? Yes, of course those places are mission fields too, but what about the potential of taking the wealth of Bible study, growth and spiritual gifting and encouraging them to take God's word into unique ministries in more profound ways?

The world is a mess. We are needed as God's army in all kinds of places. Yes God calls and enables, but what if he is looking for supporters in the church to be the enabler? Who will stand in the gap with these women?

Is it right to turn a blind eye to these callings and suggest, "Oh that's just some whim of hers?" Or, may it be that God put us in her path to be her support just as his disciples were his support? Is it better to just stay where it's safe (comfortable and consumeristic modality)? and keep doing what we've always done, or is it time to challenge women to reach their full potential for the cause of Christ?

Maybe this is a better way to say what I'm thinking:

<< James 1:23 >>
For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks at his natural face in a mirror;


James 2:20
20But are you willing to recognize, you foolish fellow, that faith without works is useless?

Thessalonians 5:14
And we urge you, brothers, warn those who are idle,

Your questions seem to be rooted in anger.

Does your church not support your lifecoach calling?

I think if you are being called to encourage people...then encourage them, but it's not up to you to judge whether anyone else is living up to their calling or not. You cannot know what God is doing in their lives...perhaps what looks "comfortable" to you is simply a time when God is preparing another for something He has planned for them. God knows the end from the beginning, we don't.

There are times when God may call us away from "doing" to just "be" with Him...and it's during these times that our intimate relationship with Him is developed. That intimacy is what sustains you. Those times of simply "being" are very hard for those of us that feel driven, but they are vital to us.

We can sometimes have a hard time realizing that God is more interested in having an intimate relationship with us than He is in us serving Him. "Achieving" means very little to God, but love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control mean a lot.

I will tell you that when God places a call on your life, that it is much more than a "whim"...it's something that you cannot let go. God most certainly sends encouragers along the way and confirms His call to you through others, but it is personal walk. As I was being called into ministry, God placed encouragers in my path...but I also ran into many more discouragers...as part of the process each of us has to learn to listen to the voice of God over all others.

If you want to stand in the gap with those women, pray for them...become one of their intercessors and let them know you are praying for them. But let the Holy Spirit be their enabler. My intercessors are the women that have blessed me most in my life...they are the ones that might look like they are just attending Bible studies and doing nothing, but let me tell you the intercessors that I know are the most mighty women of God that I have ever known. The intercessors are God's army.

I've read several of your posts on this forum and I want to encourage you to stop trying to "do" and just "be" for awhile. Take time to deepen your relationship with God, and let Him open the doors for you whether that be through life coaching or something else. One of the most blessed things about being in your 40's without so many demands by your children on your time is that you now can spend hours in His Word or in prayer...and you'll not ever regret one minute you spend with Him.

IPJ,

I agree with Rosebud and Twinkle on the front of giving God some room to work. I allowed this very thing to get me distracted early when I stepped into ministry. Ministry is an everyday thing. It is not separate from our work, our relationships and other areas of our life including the things we do for our family.

Jesus said that between serving and sitting at His feet, those who choose His presence have chosen better. If there is uncertainty, seeking time with Him in solitude and listening rather than doing is beneficial in every way.

Encouragement is one thing, but unsolicited advice can do more harm than good.

I'll be praying for you.

Blessings.

Ok, I'm going to add one more thing that may seem out of the vein you are going...iprayforjoy...but it's something I learned a very long time ago. I'm 51 years old and have been a very active, serving-the-Lord Christian since I was 9 years old. In church since I was 2 weeks old! But I gave my life to Christ when I was 9.

Spiritual gifts give us a passion for the area we are gifted in.

Prayer...we think everyone else should feel a call to pray over everything.

Evangelism...we think everyone else should feel a call to witness.

Giving...we think everyone else should feel a call to give sacrificially.

Ministering...we think everyone else should notice the same areas that need ministry.

Fact is though, we tend to feel passionately about our area of giftedness. And this is a good thing. If we are a "body" of believers, we can't all be hands. Some are to be lips. Some are to be eyes. Some are to be ears. Some are to be elbows. Some are to be bones. And each should be passionate about being what they are!

That's where we have to be more understanding about others who don't share our passion for prayer...or evangelism...or giving...or etc. They are passionate about their own gifting.

I'm glad God made us that way. We all can have the Holy Spirit guiding us and empowering us to do His Will. We shouldn't be limited to the one passion. Christ had all the gifts of the Spirit and the fruits of the Spirit. And we should desire them all.

I think women who have free time on their hands can be directed by The Holy Spirit. Just like Peter was. And Paul. And John the Beloved. And Priscilla. Without leadership training. God plants the desire in our hearts and He guides us.

Specifically, what would hinder someone offering their home for a retreat? Why would leadership training help this? I see this all the time in churches. The deacons and pastor and ministers along with committees help encourage these. Unless it goes against the teaching of the church...or if someone wants to profit from this in a financial way.

Can you be trying to push this lifecoaching ministry in your church and they are resisting? If this is so, it could be because you want this to be your business...with an income. And most churches would be resistant to that. I've seen so many problems surface in a church when someone tries to sell services or things (life insurance, real estate, tupperware, even morticians). Church members can feel like you are after their money more than their relationship.

Possibly on a flip side of this coin...
I've had strong feelings for years that I am supposed to be in leadership in a church however, I was scrutinized a bit harshly when I first asked about apprenticing in small groups. Later on I was in some uncomfortable situations where I felt the leadership of the church needed to get involved. I admit my mishandling of the situation but I was very hurt some who used their spiritual gifts in inappropriate ways and they were going after newer Christians. I acted out of fear rather than faith. So when the opportunity to minsiter in another small group came up, I was told I would have to wait because the leadership of the church wasn't sure I could handle it.
I waited and finally was made an official apprentice. I felt strongly that this was what Gods plan for me was. However, the small group took a different turn and decided to take a three month break because the leaders were burned out. I offered to continue the group in their absence for those three months and was told no.
That was when I moved. I had to give myself permission to leave that church because I could not break free from the chains that were holding me down. With much prayer and encouragement from my husband I began a new ministry in the community. It is a 12 Step codependancy support group for women using the same workbook that we used in the small group at church. It's Christian based.
I've been doing this for just over a year now and it's been so rewarding.
Maybe the next step is to branch out and follow what you feel God leading you to, outside the church. I stepped out in faith. My group meets once a week and there has only been one time when no one showed. Every week other than that there has been at least one person here and I've found that God choreographs who needs to be here, when. If only one person shows, that one person needed some one on one time. If a group of several show, it seems they all leave with a fresh new Word from the Lord.
True ministry is not about how good we do...It's what God does when we show up to unlock the doors.