Titus 2 is very clear. Older women are called to spur on the younger women in the Christian community. They are to be role models, encouragers, motivators for those who are less mature - either in calendar years or spiritual years. Women are also called to be part of the great commission, reaching out to their female friends with the message of salvation. There's an exciting mission field on most doorsteps.
And I hope in your church, as in mine, you see evidence of that discipleship and evangelism happening naturally week by week. It's a sign of spiritual health when more mature Christians are getting alongside less mature Christians or non-Christian neighbours, not because they've been asked to but because they love to help others grow. Every church needs women who see a need, pray about the need and then roll up their sleeves to meet that need without any fuss.
But on top of these normal, relational encouragements, it's a good idea for churches to be intentional about women's ministry: To make sure that people aren't slipping through the cracks. To ensure that active Christians aren't burning out with overwork. To ensure that everyone is getting the training they need to be able to disciple well. And to check that what's going on among the women fits coherently with other things that are going on in the wider church. In short, it's a good idea to have a mature woman - or team of women - responsible for women's ministry, under the authority of the church leaders.
Last week - at the Christian Resources Exhibition - I did a seminar on how to start a women's ministry in the local church. Over the next couple of blog posts, we'll be exploring some of the material covered in that seminar.
