A Note from Lifeway Girls: When did the Lord make it clear for you to invest in teen girls? Whether you are called to serve as a girls minister, as a leader for your Sunday small group, or to disciple your teen daughters at home, there is a calling on each of our lives that we can’t keep to ourselves. Today on the blog Taylor shares her own calling of ministering to teen girls and how she wants to equip them to do the same.
I was sipping a hot caramel macchiato at the local Starbucks across from one of the newly graduated girls in our student ministry. She was headed to college in a few short months and we were talking about summer plans, dorm room decorations, and discerning the will of God.
“How did you know God was calling you to girls ministry?” she asked. It seemed like an easy question but the answer didn’t come immediately. I had to spend a few moments thinking about the right answer.
“God made it clear to me through time spent in His Word, the wisdom I received from other believers in my life, and the circumstances He ordained.” I finally answered as I began to articulate to her how it played out for me. I explained that first, I started to feel a prompting in my spirit as I spent time in His Word. Then as I spoke with friends, mentors, and pastors they began to share ways they believed God had gifted me in ministry. Finally, as I started seeking God’s will, He began opening doors for me to serve Him in girls ministry.
And as we began to talk about what a call to girls ministry looks like, I was reminded how valuable these conversations are with the girls we’re ministering to. As women in ministry, it’s our responsibility to show the next generation that there is a place for them in ministering to His church. Whether it looks like leading a small group, hosting a Bible study, or being a part-time or full-time church staff member, girls can and will be called by God to girls ministry. Let’s be quick to help them in that call! Maybe it looks like pointing out spiritual giftings or creating opportunities to exercise leadership skills. Maybe it looks like simply sharing the story of your calling over a cup of coffee at Starbucks. Whatever it is, be intentional about creating meaningful moments around ministry callings.
I drove away from Starbucks that day knowing that this was a moment that mattered —for her, for me, and for the Kingdom—and I realized then that I wanted to make sure girls knew how God had called me to ministry (and could call them too) long before they graduated high school. Talking to girls about what a calling to ministry could look like, as well as what yours looks like, could be one of the most meaningful moments of their lives.
If you want to be intentional about talking with students about a calling to ministry, here are a few practical ideas:
Have a ‘Called to Ministry’ night once a month where you invite students who are exploring a call to ministry to come and hear from a speaker or a panel. Give them the opportunity to ask questions and hear about what being called to ministry means. While it doesn’t have to be girl specific, it certainly could be!
Give students more ministry opportunities like leading a Bible study or sharing a quick word of encouragement before the worship set during a Wednesday night service. You could even create ministry teams for students to join (hospitality/welcome team, event planning team, worship team, missions team, etc.) By increasing opportunities, girls will be able to find out how God has created them to serve His church before they graduate your ministry!
Create a mentorship program where older girls can mentor younger girls within your ministry. This may stretch some girls out of their comfort zone, but that’s a good thing! Even if it takes a few years to cultivate this program, don’t give up. Girls mentoring girls is one of the most valuable things you can facilitate in your girls ministry.
Ultimately, as women of God, we are all called to girls ministry in some capacity and the same is true for the girls we minister to. The moments we spend cultivating their calling matter!
Taylor Cage is a Nashville native, currently living in Oklahoma City with her husband, Baron, who serves as a student pastor at Trinity Baptist Church. After college, she spent three years as a Girls Minister and she’s passionate about building gospel-centered community among women of all ages. Taylor is the Social Media Coordinator for Well-Watered Women and a regular contributor for the Lifeway Girls blog. Most days you can find her writing about God’s Word with a cup of coffee in hand or chasing around her new Goldendoodle, Posie.
Connect with Taylor: Instagram