Take control of what I say, O Lord, and guard my lips.
– Psalm 141:3
Every month we serve and love many guests at Women’s Connections.
Our words transfer facts, ideas, attitudes, emotions. Each time you step up to the microphone at your local group, you have an opportunity to reach the women with your words. Let the women in your group sense your love. Here are a few tips:
- When we welcome first time guests, we say, “Do we have any first timers with us today?” Do you hear that we just put our guests in a box, we just labeled them with a cliché, making them feel pointed out and different? We intend to make our first-time guests feel special, so let’s call them just that, first-time guests, not first timers.
- We intend to plan a party with a purpose, a fun event that is inviting to a person who might be allergic to church or been frustrated with religion. Are we intentionally starting our events very secular in nature, fun and engaging, leaving the Christianese words at home? Keep in mind that the first half of our event could be a lady’s chamber event or a civic club event. Are we slipping in a lot of “holy words” that they don’t understand (grace, anointed, salvation, etc.)? Are we playing Christian music with lyrics? These words and lyrics may put up a barrier for the women we want to connect with, the ladies who do not yet know Jesus. We love Christian fellowship and we want our guests to see the love of Jesus in our hearts, but we need to listen to our words from their point of view. Let our words and our actions be inviting to our guests.
- Leave the napkins on the table. Sometimes in an effort to save a place for a friend, we might tip the chair or throw a napkin over the back. For our guests, this communicates that you don’t belong here. Our first-time guests are so important. We want to communicate value and a desire to know them better. Rather than save seats, create an open environment where women can belong no matter where the table is located.
- Your hospitality matters. Whether you are the women who greet at the door, to those who received registrations, to every table host, your sincere and welcoming presence matters. If you serve in one of these positions, ask God to help you relate to each woman as He would. Ask Him to give you insight how to bless her and be ready to listen to her needs and desires. Every woman matters.
Dorea Potter
Stonecroft Regional Administrator, Oklahoma
Women’s Connection