Ladies Group Is Be A Very  Helpful Ministry In Churches

Women’s group is perhaps one of the most dominant ministries inside the Church. It’s just sometimes, it matters on what and how does your women’s ministry functions inside the Church.

Today, I want to share to you a kind of women’s ministry that a friend of mine handles. It is a ministry for ladies in their church where she leads. Let us see how she leads and how this ministry works inside their church. And I do hope that we will have some more ideas on how to develop women’s ministry in our own

churches.

Ladies Ministry by: Zelda Masterson

The 1^st call to any ministry c

omes from the Lord himself. I would describe it as the Lord putting into your heart a real love for the place he has called you to.

For me it was women which

God then developed into a ministry.

A lady from my church had done this group for many years and one day asked me if I would consider coming to the group to be a support person for her there; I had a lot on my own plate at the time but told

her I would pray and consider it.

In my prayer time I was brought to the many times women would come to me for council often in the hall of our church; or in an empty room; this became the norm for me. I will be there long after a service or on the phone just to talk with someone who was in pain!

I believed that the Lord would have me do this; then shortly after my agreeing to do this she moved and for health reasons was not able to travel the distance to continue the group. So she was out and I was in!

One of my pastors who was and is today a therapist is who I went to; feeling unsure I could do this; He told me he was sure that I could he also pointed out that the circumstances were God’s plan that was all 23 years ago.

He was there for me if I ran into something I wasn’t sure of I could come to him and present the situation hypothetically because of the confidentiality.

I read a lot and gained information that would be useful on alcoholic families and the various patterns they present! I also took a Christian psych class through Rapha training!

Today I lead a woman’s support therapy group. It is for women who have grown up in alcoholic or otherwise unhealthy homes where often there was abuse; emotional, physical and sexual. The women who come in to the group often have little or no sense of self, a lot of secrets. a lot of shame often misconceived views of God, a lot of pain, codependency issues, blame themselves, lack of boundaries, self destructive, and shame based

The ladies group lasts for approx 2 years depending on it’s size and the various issues that arise during our time together.

Here are some of the things we have to take note in starting and working with this kind of ministry.

Starting and stopping on time is important!

• This will offer structure & set boundaries

• With the structure & boundaries will be security.

• It will offer individual discipline

I like to keep the size to 6 tops!

• Larger than that I would not recommend due to the nature of the group.

• You will have a talker and you will have the very quiet one.

• Each must have the opportunity to express themselves.

• Help the one who likes to talk by setting boundaries for her (a time frame)

• Draw the quiet lady our carefully perhaps asking her if she would like to comment on whatever was previously said.

• Know that she is hurting equally as much.

• She may not talk for months, she needs to feel safe.

• Give her the opportunity to speak but never force her!

• Know the lady who is unable to maintain eye contact is likely to be feeling a lot of shame.

• Shame is a being word it is more than being embarrassed. Being embarrassed is more a social experience, where shame affects the way I see myself and then how I view others and the world around me.

• Shame is about exposure; being exposed before one is ready to be exposed.

• Alcoholism can skip and entire generation but the learned behaviors will not; making it still an alcoholic home,

• We have an opening and closing letter that are read by one of the ladies each week we are together this is a constant reminder that……….

The place is a safe place!

• Anything said there stays there!
• Violating the groups trust excludes the one who violated it from the group!
• All this allows trust to develop which is necessary for growth and healing

How about you? Do you have a Ladies’ Group Ministry in your church? If you don’t, why not try to contact Zelda Masterson? You can search her through facebook.

It’s time for your church to have this kind of group: