In the Women’s Discipleship Ministry, our focus is consistently on relationships. From Bible Studies and much-anticipated Coffee Talks to MomCo and SoulSisters, we see every small gathering and large gathering (retreat included!) as an opportunity to build relationships which are the beginning of discipleship.
We know discipleship happens best when we are sharing life on life, life in community, and life on mission. Women’s Discipleship brings all of our women into small groups and focused relationships where they can experience the discipleship process together. We are thrilled at the results we have seen in the last year and look forward to all God will do in the year to come!
Our purpose is to be disciples and equip disciples.
Through the relationships we build, we lay the foundation for discipleship. Every lady has the opportunity to be part of small group discipleship and training where they experience the discipleship process together, and at the same time, they gain the tools to disciple others. In everything we do, there is the personal focus on being a disciple with other ladies and the next level focus of equipping disciples too. As a result of this approach and our continual training, we have seen 8 new leaders trained to further equip our ladies into the future!
Scripturally Rooted.
Relationally Committed.
Sacrificially Minded.
Missionally Driven.
Our women have grown remarkably in being Missionally Driven in all that we do together.
For years we have seen our women enthusiastically invite unchurched, not-yet-believers, whether among their relatives, friends, neighbors or co-workers. One of the biggest places we see this each year is our Christmas Coffee Talk, and every year, some of those invited pray to receive Christ and become followers of Jesus. We see some come into the church and become regular attenders, but many we don’t see again until the next Christmas. However, our ladies made this past year one of the best year for following up the visitors that made spiritual decisions. Our ladies who invited those guests took responsibility for continuing to build a discipling relationship after Coffee Talk, engaging these women in Bible studies, sitting together in Gatherings, meeting outside of church, and inviting them into their homes for a meal. Together, the ladies of TGP have joined together to pray for specific women and help them feel a part of our church family, and our church is stronger for it.
Next year, we want to capitalize on our strengthening value to train disciples and equippers with greater intentionality. We think the last year has shown that we could increase the number of women studying God’s Word regularly, praying regularly, and living life together in the ways that true disciples do.
Life Change:
the result of being disciples and equipping disciples together
This last year, we saw incredible Gospel change in women like Melissa (not her real name), a young woman who came to our Spring Bible Study. She was not accustomed to coming to church, she did not own a Bible, and she was “exploring her spirituality.” But she heard of the study from a friend and decided to come. After lots of questions and participating in group discussions, Melissa continued to meet with one of our ladies who explained clearly how to begin a personal relationship with Jesus. While Melissa has not yet trusted Christ to be her Savior, she is open to learning and exploring who God is, what He has done for her and how she should relate to him. Further, when Melissa lost a loved one over the summer, she reached out for support and is now attending Grief Share with us. She is on the early steps of discipleship, discovering what it could mean to fully surrender her life to God and be a fully committed disciple of Jesus.
Stories like this are not possible without the investment and care of women like Joan. Joan has always been a willing servant, helping in whatever way is needed. She does not like being up front or speaking in front of groups, yet is an excellent one on one discipler. In addition, she was a Discussion Group Leader for our Spring Bible Study, and accepted the challenge to lead one of our next groups as well — a group which was supposed to be a 6 week summer study but still meets weekly. Joan is part of a disciple-training triad while at the same time continuing to disciple these women, studying the Word of God and living life together.
We have seen plenty of women move from spectator to disciple in key ways this last year. Lindsey has attended TGP for several years but this year accepted the position of MomCo Coordinator. While she would say it is definitely out of her comfort zone, she is doing an amazing job. (While she is leading, she is also part of a discipleship relationship with 5 members!) She is leading her team to care more deeply for the moms of MomCo. Since September, they have walked with 2 moms who experienced miscarriages, one who was in the hospital for several days and now on bed rest. Further, they are supporting hospitalized due to heart failure. Through meals, loving care, and discipleship, she is leading our team to share life with the moms God has entrusted to us.
What does engagement look like?
In the many different ways we engage women, we have been excited about the number of women participating and the indicators that women are engaging more deeply and becoming disciples of Jesus Christ.
For example, over 50 registered for both the spring and fall Bible studies, with 25% of those being their first time engaging with us. Meanwhile, there is higher representation of women from outside the church, and multiple women moving into direct discipleship groups that persist beyond a seasonal study.
With MomCo (formerly MOPs), the gatherings average 32 per meeting and at least as many children. New moms are attending the meetings and growing in relationships with mentors and other disciples, but at least 2 have made decisions to follow Christ and their families are coming to TGP on Sundays. Beyond the gatherings, we have also seen 24 moms and kids sharing in play dates outside of MomCo.
In Soul Sisters, women are deepening relationships and walking together in singleness and friendship. With an average of 12 attending, 25% are from outside the church and engagement continues with meals outside the church so that the relationships deepen and spread further.
Events like Coffee Talk and our retreat have grown in their reach toward new engagements. Christmas Coffee Talk pulled in 474 women, 60% of which were guests from outside TGP and led to 38 decisions (of which all were followed up with and invited into personal study of scripture and discipleship). Meanwhile, Girlfriend Getaway Weekend and its 91 participants was a rich time that also included 14 guests from outside the church.