How to Start a Women’s Ministries

1. Pray. If the burden for ministry to women is on your heart, it could be that God is giving you this particular ministry assignment. Spend time in earnest prayer. Give Him the concerns of your heart. Share your vision with Him and seek His counsel on how and when to proceed. Be mindful that this ministry is His. It begins with Him and He will be the one who owns the responsibility for it. You become the means by which it is accomplished.

2. Share the vision with a few. At first this might be with close friends, a couple of church leaders, or others you believe would be interested in catching the vision. The vision will be clarified as you prepare it for presentation to the pastor.

The pastor is definitely the key person. He holds influence with the congregation and can provide the necessary guidance and direction as the vision passes through the various stages of development. He is able to share how Women’s Ministries will fit into the total program. Also, his influence and support will speak to other church leaders.

3. The pastor appoints a task force made up of women within the congregation who most accurately represent the women within the church. There may be as few as five or as many as ten or twelve. The task force must begin by studying the Women’s Ministries Leadership Manual. With the use of the Survey Form found in the Manual, the needs of the women in the congregation can be identified. Evaluate which needs are being met and which ones require more attention.

4. Understand the purpose for the organization’s existence. Our purpose is "to mobilize women into ministry through the development, nurture, and use of ministry gifts." This purpose motivates and directs all facets of Women’s Ministries around the globe.

5. Determine goals. What do we want to happen? Keep goals realistic, but make them exciting and challenging.

Key Terms

• Local: Organization for ministry by women in the local IPHC congregation, developed as needs are determined.
• Conference: Grouping of local IPHC churches organized by a central authority, overseen by a superintendent and board, with various focused ministries; most often defined geographically.
• General: International leadership team for the IPHC.

Organizational Structure

Local Leadership - WM Council

The leadership team of each local WM will be known as the Women’s Ministries Council (WM Council). Each member of the WM Council shall be a member of the Pentecostal Holiness Church. The council consists of a director, assistant director, and secretary-treasurer. Serving with the officers to complete the WM Council are the pastor’s wife and leaders of each ministry/interest group.

Conference WM Leadership

Officers of the conference WM are director, assistant director, secretary-treasurer and at least two board members. These officers are selected at the quadrennial WM business. All officials on the quadrennial conference levels shall be elected for four-year terms. There will also be a Directors Council, composed of all local WM Council directors in the conference. The WM board will appoint officers for Girls’ Ministries. The GM coordinator may serve as an advisory board member on the conference WM board.

General WM Organization

Officers of General Women’s Ministries are Executive Director, assistant director, secretary and four board members (Northeast, Southeast, Central, and West). These officers are elected quadrennially at the general WM convention. All officials on the general level are elected for four-year terms. The general GM coordinator serves as an advisory board member on the general WM board.