Titus 2: Women’s Ministry that Works
by Amy Lively
This article was originally published in the August 18, 2010 “Tip of the Week” newsletter from womensministry.net, a publication of Jennifer Rothschild Ministries.
I recently invested in a new health and wellness plan that my friends had been raving over. I did pretty well the first couple of weeks, but when it became apparent I wasn’t going to drop a dress size before an upcoming dinner date, I let up a little. Then a lot.
I won’t tell how much I spent or how much weight I lost, but the price per pound was comparable to caviar! There are no paid sponsorships in my future: I am the poster child for what not to do!
Sometimes I treat God like an As-Seen-On-TV gadget. I get excited at church or emotional during a song, and I listen to my friends talk about their faith. But when God and I get home, and it’s just the two of us together, He doesn’t work like they said—and His user manual is thousands of pages long!
On those days when I’m not gushing goodness, my godly girlfriends hold me accountable. Titus 2:7-8 identifies a successful ministry to women as one that sets an example of good deeds (not misdeeds like mine) using solid biblical teaching modeled in authentic relationships and wholesome conversation. Consistency is key. Unlike my on-again, off-again attempts, an effective women’s ministry acts with integrity every day so no one can find anything bad to say about our leaders, members, church or our Savior.
Titus 2 is a defining chapter for women’s ministry and ends with a reminder that God’s grace enables us to say “No” to our own appetites and live self-controlled and godly lives. When we strive for short-term goals (like reaching a certain dress size or number of members), the only thing we lose is the big picture. Breakthrough will happen in the lives of the women we serve when our teaching, friendships and conversations consistently focus on “the blessed hope—the glorious appearing of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ.” (Titus 2:13)
ICEBREAKER: Ask women to bring an item they bought off an infomercial or because of a friend’s recommendation. Give them time to share a bit about the product and why they bought it. Have them answer, “Does it work? Was it what you expected? Would you recommend it?”
You might even have a white elephant gift exchange for the craziest gadget!
