August 29, 2023   I originally wrote this series back in 2015 but I have updated it and added a conclusion to it for you on this page.

I have been discussing with you five types of excuses women give for not participating in the women's ministry programs in our churches. Let's go over what they are one more time.

1. Physical
2. Conflict
3. Need
4. Structure
5. Emotional

I tried to cover just a little about each one so that we all can understand a bit more why women don't show up at our functions. Why don't women show up at our Bible studies? Why don't women show up at our events? Why don't women show up at our activities? It's usually because they have one type of excuse or sometimes more than one.

I think all in all that to combat any of these types of excuses that we have discussed is to get to know the women in our local churches better and understand what they need and what their lives are filled with on the daily.

Just think about your own life as a women's leader for a moment. Think about all that it is filled with on a daily basis. You may work. You may have a husband. You may have kids. You may have grandkids. You may have hobbies. You may have responsibilities. You may have a myriad of things hitting you at once.

So, when you think about your own life, don't you think other women are busy and their lives are filled with family, work, and all the extras that life throws at them? Don't you think that the women in your church have pain and suffering? Don't you think the women of your church have financial issues? Don't you think the women of your church have emotional issues? Don't you think the women of your church have spiritual issues? So many external forces play and determine what is happening in and around us as people.

There is so much that we have as women that fills our lives. So, in the end, we will have excuses for a lot of things, and yes, even for not participating in women's ministry programs. That's why it is so important as women's ministry leaders to get to know these women personally. We have to see what is happening in the lives of our women that are in our local churches. We have to learn to see past the excuses.

You may even find that some of the women in your church just have no interest whatsoever in participating and don't even try to give an excuse.

You will find that the Holy Spirit doesn't lead every woman in your church to participate in the women's ministry program. The Holy Spirit may be leading them to work in other ministries and be busy about God's work in other areas.

One of the things we have to remember is that women's ministry in our churches is a program. Programs are not the regular church services, and the majority of your women will take them as an option. This is especially true nowadays as most churches offer so many programs and activities that you do have to choose which ones to attend because it would be unwise not to do so. Being overly involved in anything can wear your health down, wear your family down, and wear you down spiritually. Even good things that we participate in can affect us negatively if we try to do it all, be everywhere, and try to join in on everything that is offered.

Bearing all that in mind, if the Lord has led you to lead the women in your church, then just remember that making a difference in those women's lives is the important thing. Seeing those women bear the fruit of the Holy Spirit is the important thing. Attendance at meetings, activities, and even Bible studies isn't as important as making a difference in the lives of the women we are led to lead. Attendance at functions isn't as important as all those wonderful fruits of the Holy Spirit. Participating in the women's ministry program isn't as important as seeing women serve the Lord and grow in their faith. And please read what I said correctly. I said "Attendance" at Bible studies isn't as important. The Bible is important. Just put that in there because someone will inevitably read that wrong. What I am trying to say is that as women's leaders we need to see the whole picture and worry less about attendance and participation and encourage spiritual growth in the women we lead.

I am reminded how when Jesus was talking to the woman at the well. He could see her heart. He knew everything about her. He was Jesus! But as leaders, we don't have the insight of Jesus. We have to learn to get to know people. We have to learn to ask questions. We have to choose kindness and caring in order for the women we lead to open up to discussing their lives.

I feel like we need to perfect that art of hospitality that the Bible talks about concerning meeting people's needs. We need to show more understanding. And we definitely need to learn to have compassion and love like Jesus. I think when we start working on those things as women's leaders, we will learn to combat some of the excuses we face in women's ministry in our local churches.

Copyright ©2023 Julia Bettencourt

Find all parts to this series in the Dealing with Excuses Index.

See more along this line in the Setbacks and Growth Index.

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