Five years ago, our women’s ministry director stepped aside. This action left a massive hole in our leadership team. We struggled for months to find someone lead this small group and keep the ministry going. What did we do? We covered it in prayer, sought godly wisdom, and looked intently into God’s Word. Unleashing your spiritual gifts should be a priority in every small group for women.
Walk Worthy of the Calling
To walk worthy of the calling given, we need to cling to God’s grace and look at the spiritual gifts given (v. 7-8). The Apostle Paul lists in his writings various gifts, including teaching, encouragement, mercy, leadership, giving, and more.[1] However, they are not to be used for personal gain but “to equip the saints for the work of ministry” Why? So “we all can attain unity and maturity in the faith and grow into the knowledge of the Son of God.” (vs. 11-16)
Believers are responsible for building up the church with the spiritual gift each receives at the moment of salvation. Women in ministry need to obediently help others discover and utilize their giftings for God’s glory. Everyone must know their gift to do ministry work, fulfilling the Great Commission.
The Power of Small Groups
Women gathering in small groups is a powerful way to build deeper connections and grow spiritually. A close-knit community allows women to share their lives and ask questions to receive feedback. Also it is a great way to help each other identify their spiritual gifts. Those who’ve already been through the process can share valuable insights to assist others by unleashing their spiritual gifting in small group settings.
A great start for any small group is to pray for God to reveal your gifts and show you how He wants you to use them. Next, do a Bible study together over the spiritual gifts to better understand them and see how various people used them in Scripture. Afterwards, lead each team member to take a spiritual gift assessment to provide clues for unleashing your spiritual gifts. Lifeway provides an excellent assessment to help.
The Discovery Process Revealed
Once each person has taken the assessment, have the women ask godly family members, friends, and their small group for advice or insights. And if their response aligns with what the Holy Spirit discloses, encourage an in-depth study of their results. We always want to make sure to emphasize that discovering our spiritual gifts is an ongoing process. It takes time, lots of discernment, and listening to the Holy Spirit.
The Role of Leaders in Cultivating Gifts
When women leaders help others find their God-given-gift, we must reflect Christ’s humble heart and be willing to serve and love others. This discipline involves working diligently to keep the Spirit’s unity and remain peaceful by creating an atmosphere where spiritual gifts can grow. Leaders are never to rank gifts, and women should not feel inferior to others. Each person needs to be valued and know her contribution makes a difference.
Offer opportunities for women to grow through training and providing resources like books, workshops, or online courses on spiritual gifts. When women serve and learn together, it promotes growth and builds stronger teams. If some women are unsure about their gifts or where to serve, pair them with women mentors. This practice will guide and help them explore different areas of ministering to others.
Unleashing Your Spiritual Gifts
Once a women’s ministry team discovers their spiritual gifts, they can strengthen the ministry and serve others effectively.[2] Below are some of the ways women can serve in small groups (for additional information on both catergories, click here).
Speaking Gifts:
Teaching: These women can teach Bible studies, lead small groups, develop curriculum, disciple others, and vet resources. They help women, young girls, and children grow spiritually by sharing biblical knowledge. Some even love to teach one-on-one; others write and speak at retreats or conferences to reach a broader audience. Titus 2:3-5 is a beautiful reflection of where older women are to teach younger women.
Evangelism: Women with the gift of evangelism can utilize their gifts by planning fun activities for the community or looking for ways to share the Gospel. They can also train the team to share their salvation story, help others have Gospel conversations, and build relationships with those outside the church. The Samaritan woman in John 4:4-42 is an excellent example of how evangelism can change the lives of many.
Exhortation: Every small group needs encouragers coming alongside them to bring an uplifting word (spoken or written). They are great at discipling new believers, praying, mentoring, and comforting women who are discouraged. Encouragers point people to Jesus and inspire others to remain faithful. A remarkable encourager is Barnabus in Acts 4:36, 9:27, and 13:43.
Serving Gifts:
Leadership: These servant leaders cast the vision for women’s ministry, and by adopting a Christlike servanthood style, they inspire others to act upon their faith. They can also plan meetings, set goals, and delegate tasks to the team. Women in leadership help team members utilize their spiritual gifts, apply biblical truths, and lead others to worship God. In Exodus 15:20-22, Miriam was a woman with leadership skills who collaborated with her brothers for effective ministry.
Hospitality/Serving: Hospitable women love to host events and create welcoming environments for fellowship. They like to prepare food/meals, care for others, and humbly extend God’s love in practical ways. These ladies go above and beyond to provide fantastic fellowship at every event. Luke 10:38-42 mentions Martha, who served Jesus in her home because she had the gift of hospitality.
Administration: These women take on stewarding responsibilities of organizing, making lists, and budgeting resources for the ministry. With a love for details, they keep vital records and keep everyone informed and connected, which helps improve the overall team’s efficiency. David had this gift, and we can learn much from his story in 2 Samuel 8:15-11:27.
Mercy: These women extend Christ’s compassion, kindness, and comfort to others. They are phenomenal attributes of any team because they listen empathetically to others. This gifting also create safe spaces for those hurting to share their struggles. As Scripture says, we are never more like Jesus than when we show mercy to others. Ephesians 2:4 tells us that God is rich in mercy and loves us greatly.
Let’s put it into action!
By utilizing our spiritual gifts, a team or small group of women can create an impactful ministry that brings glory to God and blesses the masses. The most crucial aspect is to use your gifts with a servants heart, seeking to build up the body of Christ and further His kingdom.
Also, if your women’s ministry needs help unleashing your spiritual gifts in a small group setting, reach out to me here. I’d be dee-lighted to help!
💛 With love and joy,
— Dee
Share with us in the comments what your spiritual gifting is or what is something new you learned in this article?
#Spiritualgifting #womensministry #leadership #Smallgroups #Spiritualgrowth
[1] For a complete list, look in Ephesians 4:11, Romans 12:6-8 and 1 Corinthians 12:28. [2] Ibid,. See the Scripture references for a complete list of spiritual gifts. This article only gives a various ideas to help small groups in women’s ministry.
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