The purpose of PCA’s Women Ministry is that every woman know Christ personally and be committed to extending His Kingdom in her life, home, church, community, and throughout the world.

What is Presbytery Women’s Ministry?

Presbytery Women’s Ministry provides leadership at the presbytery level, seeking to connect, encourage, and equip the women in the local churches in that presbytery. 

See also the Committee on Discipleship Ministries’ (CDM) pages on Presbytery Women’s Ministry and What is PWM? 

PWM is vital to PCA Women’s Ministry as it serves to…

Connect

• • PWM serves as a hinge between PCA Women’s Ministry and the local churches, keeping local churches connected, informed and engaged with PCA resources.
  • PWM connects local churches to one another within that presbytery. Each presbytery is defined by unique cultural and ministry dynamics. PWM serves to facilitate and contextualize PCA resources to effectively minister to the women in that presbytery.
  • PWM provides prayer connection and support. As relationships grow among the local women’s ministries within the presbytery, requests can be shared, and women are encouraged to pray for one another and upcoming events. PWM can encourage and unite women throughout the presbytery to pray for and support the specific PCA committee or agency assigned to their region each year at Leadership Training (LT).

Encourage

• • PWM serves as a reminder that we are a part of something bigger than ourselves. It’s easy to become “myopic” or isolated in local ministry. PWM reminds us that we are connected, share a common struggle, and that denominational support and resources are accessible and available.
  • PWM provides opportunities for local churches to learn from and encourage one another. As churches in that presbytery share ideas and resources, women are spurred on in ministry, and discover new ideas to utilize in their local women’s ministries.

Equip

• • PWM provides the opportunity for shared conferences with teaching and training that might not be accessible through an individual church.
  • PWM is a platform for local women to utilize their gifts of teaching and training women.
  • PWM mentors local ministries by modeling team-based servant leadership and caring for the covenant community.

What does PWM do?
(from CDM page on What Does PWM Do?)

Women are already busy, and often struggle to find time for involvement in the ministries of their own local church. Any PWM that exists should make it a priority to strengthen the local churches and their ministries rather than build a competing organization. With that in mind, there are several functions that can best be performed at the broader presbytery level. While this will vary from one presbytery to another, some possible functions of a PWM might be:

• To support leadership development: possibly bringing in a Women’s Ministry Trainer for a larger audience, making it affordable for women from smaller churches, or providing a platform for women who have attended LT to pass on some of what they learned there
• To offer assistance to churches in developing their structure and yearly schedule
• To provide opportunities to develop relationships with women in other churches who have similar situations and to facilitate sharing ideas among churches
• To connect women with the ministry resources available through CDM
• To introduce women to the scope of influence of the PCA by acquainting them with the denominational ministry structure
• To encourage work through sister churches in this country and around the world
• To be a communication bridge, sharing information about PCA Women’s Ministries at the local, presbytery, and denominational level
• To help women understand the benefits and opportunities available to them as members of the PCA
• To offer opportunities for the local women’s ministries to participate in national PCA Women’s Ministry activities

The presbytery CE Chairman (or other elder as designated by the presbytery) is responsible for oversight and protection for any PWM organization. Therefore, PWM leaders should humbly consult the CE Chairman and keep him informed of their activities. The CE Chairman can serve as a valuable resource for oversight and guidance as needed for PWM ministry concerns or questions that may arise.

The biblical foundation for each Presbytery Women’s Ministry is the same as it is for Women’s Ministries in local churches, but how that foundation is implemented may vary because of the emphasis or needs of different geographical regions. It is important that the Presbytery Women’s Ministry for each presbytery establish a purpose statement to guide ministry work and keep it on track. PWM coordinators also need to be able to communicate that purpose clearly, concisely, and often. The presbytery CE Committee should be involved and informed in the process.