Girls' Ministry 101

Photo by Mikael Frivold on Unsplash

GIRLS’ MINISTRY ­- It’s not a new concept. Throughout the years, many student minister's wives or adult ladies fulfilled the role of a girls’ minister without the title.  But as the culture has changed, there has become a real need for a designated woman to lead this generation of young ladies within the student ministry. 

There is so much I could talk about with girls’ ministry, but today I want to answer two questions.  What is girls’ ministry? Why you need a girls’ ministry within student ministry?

What is girls’ ministry?

Let me first begin with what it isn’t…

·      A separate ministry – Girls’ ministry should fit into the fabric of your student ministry
·      More events that require your time
·      The only solution to meeting girls needs in your ministry

Girls’ ministry is an intentional relationship-based plan for teenage girls that helps meet their unique needs.  Although the spiritual need of every teenager is the same their intellectual, emotional, physical, and relational needs are different.  Girls’ ministry looks at all a girl's needs and builds a plan that first meets their spiritual need so that you can help meet all the other needs through a biblical lens.

Girls’ ministry is an intentional relationship-based plan
for teenage girls that helps meet their unique needs.

Why have a girls’ ministry?

There is a great need for it.  Girls today have so many more rights, freedoms, and opportunities. But there are still struggles that come with simply being a female. Many girls face issues that they don’t have the maturity to handle. It is vital that they have women who will be willing to walk with them during their teenage years and teach them.

It’s the wise thing.  In the last part of Ephesians chapter 4 into chapter 5, Paul is instructing the people to live in the light and not the darkness anymore.  He encourages them instead to find out what pleases the Lord because what is done in darkness will be exposed.  Then he says this…

 Be very careful, then, how you live – as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity because the days are evil.  Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord’s will is. - Ephesians 5:15-17

 Be very careful, then, how you live – as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity because the days are evil. Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord’s will is.
- Ephesians 5:15-17

We need to be wise like Paul says and make the most of the opportunities we have to lead teenage girls today.  They face many things today on a different level than the generations before them that the church must be a safe place for them to turn. In my 9 years of girls ministry, I’ve lost count of the number of conversations I have had with girls about depression, anxiety, identity, cutting, suicide, and a variety of other topics that I never thought I would have had in ministry.  Girls need us to take every opportunity we can to help them grow in their relationship with God and equip them with His truth so they can navigate the things they face on daily basis.

Girls’ ministry is also wise because creates opportunities to protect the student pastor.  When there is a woman on the team, then there is someone that helps the student pastor when girls come to them and step in when needed. There are just some conversations and situations that call for a woman to lead a teenage girl. Other times where it’s a team effort because the girl does need to hear from her student pastor but she also needs to hear from a woman too.

It’s God’s plan. This is the final and most important reason. Scripture says in Titus 2 that older women are to teach younger women.  There are just some things that men cannot address with teenage girls.  God knew this and that’s why He leads Paul to instruct Titus that there are some things that older women must teach younger women.

Final Thought…

Having a girls’ ministry isn’t dependent on a paid staff position but on a godly woman who has the heart for leading young girls. 

This is just a small look at girls ministry, if you would like help with starting or growing your girls’ ministry please contact me.  I would love to help!