HOW TO CHOOSE A WOMEN'S MINISTRY DIRECTOR/COORDINATOR

One of the most important decisions you as a pastor and wife will make is choosing the women's ministry coordinator or director. This woman will be responsible for setting the vision and overseeing the activities of the first women's ministry in your congregation.

Even though women's ministry is new to the majority of our women, many will have administrative experience through their careers or through women's clubs or other service in the church or community.

Your candidate may be any qualified lay person, the wife of the pastor or an elder or a deaconess. One of the goals of women's ministry is to open the way for lay women to serve in the church. We want to work toward a service-oriented concept of leadership where everyone can have a ministry in the church.

Of course, you will want to choose a woman whose public and private life is above reproach. She will be faithful and teachable--not a novice in the church (perhaps three years minimum membership)--converted, with a close relationship with Jesus Christ, have the blessing of her husband (if she is married), and have administrative skills (she is able to follow through on details and to delegate). It's also important that she can commit to at least one year in this position--two years is better--and has the time and energy to fulfill her responsibilities.

As mentioned before, her responsibilities will include setting and maintaining the vision for women's ministries, overseeing women's ministry activities, working closely with the pastor and his leadership team, keeping them informed about women's ministry, acting as chair to women's ministry meetings, and staying in contact with women's ministry leaders and pastorally caring for them.

The women's ministry director/coordinator is responsible for the women's ministry leaders and is responsible to the pastor or whomever he designates (assistant or associate pastor, etc.). Therefore, she must be someone the pastor approves and feels comfortable working with.

You will want to choose a woman who is able to work with other women, training them and then mentoring them in their responsibilities. She must be a facilitator, not a one-woman-show, trying to do everything herself and delegating only the menial tasks to her women's ministry leaders.

While she is women's ministry director/coordinator, she should be training her successor--chosen from her leaders in the women's ministry advisory team.

(Adapted from Women's Ministry Handbook)

VALUES WOMEN’S MINISTRY COORDINATORS DEMONSTRATE

Accepting of Christ as personal Savior whose grace is complete and offered to all who will accept it, and with whom we maintain a personal relationship.

Endeavoring to behave in an ethical manner at all times, remembering that service to Christ is the appropriate motivation for leadership.

Striving to never use the public forum opportunities of women’s ministry leadership for self-promotional use, whether financial gain or advancement of personal, individual issues.

Honoring the high callings of motherhood and marriage, and yet recognizing that it is also fully honorable to be a Christian as a single woman.

Honoring Christian men as Christian brothers and all men as brothers made in the image of God.

Working to maintain and promote a strong relationship between the pastor, his wife and women’s ministry in the local area with grace, gentleness, honor, respect, communication and cooperation.

Remembering to go to a brother or sister first when a problem occurs, as instructed in Matt. 18, to encourage their growth and leadership abilities.

Maintaining confidentialities vested in her.