Each church is different, and its leaders should determine the best approaches to ministering to the moms of their specific congregations.
By Jasmine Luter
Ministering to moms in your church is vital. Moms need and crave community. And many churches recognize the need and value ministry to mothers in various stages of life.
According to Lifeway Research’s State of Ministry to Women report, 67% of women whose churches offer Bible studies for women say they offer some outside of work hours, 58% say they offer some during the day on weekdays, and 38% say they offer Bible studies specifically geared toward moms with young children. In addition, the research found 52% of women’s ministry leaders said their ministries were well designed to meet the needs of moms, but fewer said they were well designed to meet the needs of working moms (46%) or stay-at-home moms (47%).
Offering a Bible study or ministry specifically focused on moms is crucial for not only engaging but also retaining young families in your church. I began attending Mothers of Preschoolers (MOPS) at the church we were serving in Florida soon after we moved there.
52% of women’s ministry leaders said their ministries were well designed to meet the needs of moms, but fewer said the same about the needs of working moms (46%) or stay-at-home moms (47%). Share on XThe ladies I attended MOPS with and my mentor mom became the friends and family I didn’t have there in that new environment. We walked through various seasons of life together. It was a true example of what discipleship looks like, and I had never experienced a group like that before.
Through this experience, I developed a heart for ministering to the people in my life stage—other moms of young children. I eventually began serving on the MOPS steering team, and this is a passion I still have to this day with older elementary children and a toddler.
Recognizing various seasons of motherhood
How can churches better serve and minister to this particular population? There are various means and methods of going about this—whether offering a Bible study specifically geared toward moms or starting a full ministry that caters to and addresses the needs of the moms in your church. Each church is different, and its leaders should determine the best approaches to ministering to the moms of their specific congregations.
It’s important to note that there are different seasons of motherhood. Some are stay-at-home moms, working moms, moms with young children, moms of older children, foster moms, and adoptive moms. There are moms in all different stages and circumstances. Prioritizing making sure mothers of all ages and stages are welcomed is essential in building and developing a ministry to mothers.
One of the most important takeaways I gained from my experience in MOPS was learning from other moms of various ages and levels of experience. Learning from moms in different stages than me helped me develop empathy and understanding as well as key lessons in my own mothering journey.
“Prioritizing making sure mothers of all ages and stages are welcomed is essential in building and developing a ministry to mothers.” — Jasmine Luter Share on XMoms ministry and evangelism
The way your church ministers to moms will vary depending on your context. Christine Quackenbush, Mom2Mom leader at First Baptist Church Kenner (a suburb of New Orleans), took the helm of this ministry when the former MOPS leader stepped down and they revamped the ministry as it is known now, Mom2Mom. This ministry involves three Saturday meet-ups a year with a speaker and time of fellowship. They also host playdates throughout the year and meet for discipleship in homes in the three cities nearest the church. This ministry meets the needs of moms in various stages and circumstances—both working and stay-at-home moms.
Quackenbush emphasized the importance of developing goals and a mission and vision statement when starting a ministry to moms. She advised relying on good leaders to serve in the ministry and recommended choosing which elements of ministry to include at what times of the year without feeling pressure to do everything at once. Since the group invites people from the community to join and attend events, many non-church members attend their meetups. This provides opportunities to evangelize those who may be unchurched.
Ministry for moms in every season
Jodie Montgomery, the women’s ministry leader at Idlewild Baptist Church in Tampa, Florida, oversees Heartfelt, a discipleship-centered ministry to moms based on Titus 2:3-5. Montgomery saw a need as moms transitioned out of MOPS and struggled to know where to go next.
As Montgomery prayed about this need, she met an older lady who also had a heart to meet this need for moms, and the formation of the ministry flowed from this relationship. Throughout the school year, Heartfelt meets in homes of mentor moms who “don’t necessarily have the gift of teaching but can share what gifts they have—whether it be cooking, hospitality or anything else—with the younger ladies they mentor,” Montgomery shared.
Through this ministry, Montgomery has watched as moms have experienced unexpected challenges and circumstances and the group provided prayer and support through those seasons of difficulty. “It’s amazing how God puts people together of similar challenges and they can walk through that together,” Montgomery said.
Start ministering to moms today
How is your church ministering to moms? “Churches with no organized ministry to women have a significant opportunity to make a change and help women spiritually. Finding a leader to begin offering relational, Bible-focused, relevant activities is critical for these churches,” said Scott McConnell, executive director of Lifeway Research.
“For churches who already have a women’s ministry, the greatest opportunity comes from women attending the first time, because participating in women’s ministry causes many women to be more interested in activities that help them grow spiritually.”
“Pastors and leaders often know best how to meet the particular needs of their congregations but shouldn’t be afraid to ask for input.” — Jasmine Luter Share on XThis applies to ministry specifically to moms also. Pastors and leaders often know best how to meet the particular needs of their congregations but shouldn’t be afraid to ask for input. Conduct surveys or put together focus groups to identify needs and seek ways to best meet them. Lastly and most importantly, pray. Ask the Lord for guidance in how to address ministering to moms, ask Him to show you leaders who have a heart for that population, and trust that He will provide all the necessary tools and guidance in how to best serve moms in every life stage and circumstance in your church.
For permission to republish this article, contact Marissa Postell Sullivan.
