Launching an all-female ministry isn’t as simple as buying a clergy shirt and calling up your friends. In fact, you could think of starting a ministry the same way you think of political campaigns during the election cycle; It requires outreach, follow-up, and perseverance.
However, for women of faith, starting an all-female ministry might be one of the highest callings. It creates a safe space for other women to worship in peace and helps create a bond of sisterhood. Here are some tips to get you started.
Master outreach.
Outreach is sometimes as simple as text messages and phone calls. Other times, it requires a large-scale solution. That’s where P2P texting comes in. P2P (peer-to-peer) allows you to reach out to an entire contact list via text messages. This type of messaging is great for sending invites, providing updates, and event fundraising. If you have an affinity for P2P text, you should incorporate it into your ministry. You may want to set admin privileges for some other followers, too. Otherwise, you’ll have to hustle to get all of the work done yourself.
Again, these are not unlike political texts in many ways. However, peer texts typically won’t go out to an entire contact list multiple times in one day. Some political texts and campaigns can’t say that, regardless of a political party. P2P is a great way to keep multiple people informed without individual phone calls. When you’re setting up your ministry, find a P2P provider that rewards loyal customers. It could save you money in the long run.
Set your image.
Your clergy image is incredibly important. That’s why it’s critical that you establish a proper clergy image early on and have it stick. Instead of a traditional blouse, look for women’s clergy shirts. You’ll have plenty of options that your clergy can help choose. From a clergy blouse to garments with a tab collar, there are choices to be made. These even go beyond collar styles, though a tab collar clergy shirt is still one of the most popular. Whatever style you choose, try to keep it consistent. While you may not think it, part of starting a ministry involves branding. You want to be recognizable to members as well as those who are considering joining.
Depending on where you shop, you can even set next business day pickups. Some outlets will even offer free shipping if you provide your email address to a marketing campaign. Seems like a fair trade, right?
Consider fundraising.
Fundraising is critical to ministry success. Since ministries are exclusively non-profit, you have to find an alternate source of income. Often, this comes from donors. Remember those peer texts? They make it easy to keep members informed of finances and upcoming needs. You can even set up an online platform that allows donors to contribute more quickly. Plus, it saves you trips to the bank from handling cash and checks.
You also need to have a defined ministry plan when you’re fundraising. Tell donors where their money is going and how it will be used. Give regular progress updates. For example, if you said a portion of each donation would go to a specific project, show the steps you’re taking to complete it. It will build trust among the clergy and it will encourage donors to keep giving. It’s a smarter alternative to tithing and it helps donors see their charitable contributions at work.
Starting an all-female ministry takes careful time and consideration. However, with the right tools in your kit, it can be done. If you follow some helpful tips, you’ll be attracting followers to your space of worship in no time at all.