Helping young moms engage in Bible study (personal and corporate) and a dynamic relationship with other women as well as with Christ can be a challenge. Many fell stuck at home in child-rearing, or they are trying to fit all the “to do” items into each day as they come home from working outside the home. What can we as leaders do to find a way to come along side them to help them grow as moms?
1. Offer practical “how to’s” that will equip them. My church offers i-Mom (or Intentional Mom). Each week our leaders create their own material and offer not only Bible study, but outside guests every other week such as a fireman, pediatrician, etc. They include older mentor moms as a part of the groups. It meets Wednesday morning and Wednesday evening so that moms can attend the time slot that works best for them and their families. Since there is child care, single moms are able to also take part.
2. Mom to Mom is an ongoing curriculum for mothers of all age children. Video teaching with
spiritual impact for your children is available. The curriculum gives ideas as well for special speakers to have in between the video sessions so that you can extend this plan for an entire year. Three different studies are available so that you can have a 3 year teaching plan for your moms.
3. MOPS (Mother of Preschoolers) is a great organization for mothers of preschoolers. You can check out the info on their web site.
4. Moms in Touch/Moms in Prayer International is an organization to help mothers pray for the specific schools their children attend. If you have more than one child and they attend a different school, then you would have to establish a prayer meeting (one hour a week, specifically for prayer, not talking about prayer!) that focuses on each school. The requests are only shared regarding the students, school campus, administration and faculty for that one school.
5. Provide times when the children can be a part of what you are doing. If it’s Bible study, have someone teach them a lesson that coincides with what their mom is studying. Plan some studies at a park so that the children can play and then have lunch together. In the summer, perhaps older children can play with the younger ones while moms are studying.
6. If you have homework, consider it being very short to help moms stay up with the lessons each week without having to spend hours in study or drop out because they cannot keep up. (Mom to Mom offers a short devotional type study for the week.)
7. Provide mission/ministry opportunities that children can be a part of. For instance, take children to handout back pack school supplies to children. Young moms will appreciate being able to teach valuable lessons to their children as they themselves are ministering to others.
What other ideas do you have for moms groups?
Women Reaching Women
Transformed Lives
Mom to Mom
