A growing concern for Women’s Ministries leaders is reaching and involving young women. Here are three Bs to help engage them in ministries.

Befriend them. Engage them in conversations to learn about their needs, interests, and desires. Remember that conversation involves as much, perhaps even more, listening than talking. This often requires us to restate what we heard to ensure understanding. For example, I included a quote about Christianity being “cool” and a young adult responded negatively. Further discussion revealed that I understood “cool” to mean appealing while the young adult didn’t think it was an appropriate usage.

Share life with them. Tim Elmore in Generation iY states that some young adults have experienced abandonment or abundance. Some have been reared in homes where the parents provided everything for them; some have little experience with conflict because their parents solved all disagreements. These parents have been call “helicopter parents.” Extreme cases include parents calling businesses and colleges to determine why their children were not hired or accepted into college.

On the other hand are young adults whose parents abandoned them. For a variety of reasons, these parents were unable to provide the needed nurturing and caring. These young adults learned to fend for themselves and often lack positive role models.

Sharing life with young adults means inviting them into your life. They want to see how others live, to learn how to integrate Christianity into all aspects of life, and to watch as you deal with challenges, conflicts, and joys life brings. Remember it isn’t important to have all the answers. Actually, admitting that you don’t have an answer and working together to find a solution is often appealing to young adults.

Tell your story, including details about the lessons you’ve learned, the times God worked in your life and where He continues to work, how you met your spouse and the challenges you faced—and continue to face—as a couple. These stories are a source of encouragement as young adults learn to trust God.

Find places where young adults can Belong. Based on the information you gained from conversations with young women, identify programs and ministries that address specific needs. Start with one area; build that ministry and then launch a new one. For example, young women may be interested in learning how to apply biblical truths to their lives. A Bible study group with life applications fills this need.

Develop ways to communicate with the young women in your congregation. Facebook and text messages will be among the prime communication tools. Consider the possibility of forming a Facebook group for young women in your church. Many will read Facebook pages more readily than email messages or respond to a phone call.

Encourage leadership development and give leadership responsibilities to them. Remember how someone trusted you with leadership positions when you were a young adult. Relive that experience as you invest in a young woman. Remember to be a “guide on the side” for them. Be available to help as needed, offer encouragement and support, and allow them to develop the program and ministry.

Help young women discover what we Believe. As you lead Bible studies, help them to discover how the Bible applies to their lives today. Even if the young women know basic Christian beliefs, they will also want to know why we believe as we do. As you teach our doctrine and beliefs, guide them to discover the foundational supports.

Bible studies provide a greater opportunity for the intergenerational aspect of Women’s Ministries. Many are seeking to learn from the experiences and knowledge of those farther along life’s journey; they also want many of their friends to be present. Offering Bible studies at various times, day and evening groups, allows young women to select a time that fits into their schedules.

Our goal is to develop young women to become the women and leaders God created them to be. Some are waiting to be asked to lead. Start with your current council members and ask them to pray for a younger woman to invite to join the council. Meet a younger woman for coffee and listen as she shares her passion and vision. Work together to change the vision into reality. To borrow a book title, we’ll make new leaders “one conversation at a time.”