1. Caring For Ministry Spouses Ministering to a ministry spouse is crucial! This workshop will share some tips and hopefuly inspire you to explore God’s invitation to you when it comes to meeting the needs of ministry spouses.

2. Five Key Areas of Importance for Spouses of those in Ministry 1.The importance of a spouse for emotional support 2.The importance of a spouse to accept the career demands 3.The importance of a spouse to provide practical help 4.The importance of a spouse to offer advice and be a sounding board 5.The importance of a spouse to be willing to relocate Are there other areas we could add to these five?

3. What are the unique needs and challenges of a ministry spouse? #1 felt need of ministry wives is for friendship and community – due to an acute sense of loneliness. Ministry husband’s have fewer expectations on them to be involved in their spouse’s ministry and are seen more independently of their spouse’s role. They are less often defined by their spouse’s ministry. What other unique needs and challenges could we identify?

4. What are some practical ways we can come alongside and care for ministry spouses? Be a friend who can sharpen them and they in turn can sharpen you. How does one become a friend like this? Release spouses to pursue ministry based on strengths, giftings and passions rather than to fit a traditional role. See them vertically as God created them, and not horizontally as we “need” them. Free them to be who they were created to be. What are other practical ways we can serve ministry spouses?

5. The Ministry of Prayer “Intercessory prayer is not primarily about thinking that I know what someone else needs and trying to wrestle it from God. Rather, it is being present to God on another’s behalf, listening for the prayer of the Holy Spirit that is already being prayed for that person before the throne of grace, and being willing to join God in that prayer.” Ruth Haley Barton in “Strengthening the Soul of your Leadership” page 146.

6. Spiritually Healthy in order to Help Others Spiritually Seeking to stay spiritually healthy and spending time hearing and following God’s call in our own lives is the best preparation for supporting others as they seek to follow God’s invitations in their lives. What does your personal time with the Lord look like? Do you meet Him in the “lonely” places as Jesus did? What spiritual disciplines do you practice?

7. How might it change the dynamic between us and those we are serving if they knew we were regularly and routinely entering God’s presence on their behalf? We are going to spend the next 10 minutes doing that together.

8. Self Care Mutual Care Network Care Mission Care Church Care Specialist Care Master Care Flow of Care Model