Whether you are planning a one-time event or an on-going Bible study, below are a few guiding principles that will smooth out the planning wrinkles and help your program be more effective:
Set a Goal
How you plan your event depends upon your goal for having it. And that is where you must start — every time. You must answer this very important question for yourself, your committee, and for the women who will attend: Why are you having this event?
Form a Prayer Team
I cannot stress how important it is to have a group of people praying with you and for you, your committee, and potential guests! Your event can mean the difference between spiritual life and spiritual death for some of your guests. It can plant seeds that will bloom in eternity. It needs to be covered in prayer.
Elicit the Support of Your Church Leaders
Let your pastoral staff and women’s ministry leadership know your plans and goal for your event. Once the people in leadership are behind you, doors will spring open and unexpected resources will be made available to you.
Target Your Audience & Plan Accordingly
If you are targeting younger women, you should think seriously about providing childcare. If you are targeting senior women, watch out for steps and hazards.
Likewise, advertise in the places frequented by your target audience. If your event is just for your women’s ministry ladies, use the ministry mailing list to send out invitations. If it is an outreach for younger women, put posters up at day care centers, Laundromats, groceries, etc.
Follow Checklists
Make a list for yourself and your committee. And while you’re at it, get in touch with your committee chairwomen to be sure they are following theirs. You don’t have to be a Nazi about it: Ask for their help in checking off items on your to-do list — and theirs.
Create and Keep a Budget
Creative types are yawning at this point, but budgets are a necessary tool that will help you sell a women’s ministry event to a reluctant church board and help you plan future activities. It will also help you nail down what you need as donations versus actual money in the bank. It will also help you determine whether you should charge a fee for the event or whether you will just have a donation basket on the sign-in desk.
Evaluate Your Event
Take time to evaluate immediately after your event — while the details are fresh. You may want to consider having a questionnaire for your committee members to fill out. Some general evaluative criteria include:
* Did the event fulfill its goal? Why or why not?
* What worked and what needed fine-tuning?
* What items were missing on the checklist?
* Was the event well attended?
* Was informal and formal feedback about the event positive?
* Given all that went into staging, was it worth doing?
Celebrate!
Finally, remember to celebrate your successes and to thank all those who contributed from prayer team, to nursery workers, to chairwomen, to the janitor. (And don’t forget to thank the Lord!)
© Rebekah Montgomery 2005
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