One of my FAVORITE things is to teach God’s Word to women. Every opportunity is a joy, and I take it seriously. Booking the speaker itself should be taken equally as seriously, and if you’re in those stages of planning, I encourage you to check out my previous post, “Help! I Need a Speaker for My Women’s Ministry Event: Things to Consider”.

But what about AFTER you’ve booked your speaker? Here are some tips to help your speaker as she’s coming into your event:

Give her insight into your women’s seasons of life. Will your event be mostly young married women? Older ladies? Or a mix? Personally, I try to tailor the application to the women in the room. Of course, the meaning of Scripture is the same! But the illustrations and/or applications I give may vary if I’m talking to teen girls versus if I’m sharing with older women.

Share (in general) the spiritual needs of your women. Your speaker doesn’t need every detail, but if several of your women are going through trials, that’s helpful to know. As the women’s ministry leader, you see areas of struggle your speaker won’t know about. It may be that you know many women are struggling in their marriages, or that several are having a difficult time with Bible study. Whatever it is, sharing that with your speaker may help her as she chooses the passage to teach, illustrations to give, or even, things to shy away from.

Provide a time frame for her to speak. It doesn’t have to be exact, but a general idea is helpful! I’ve spoken for anywhere from 20-35ish minutes, depending on the event, but it’s always great to hear the expectations from the event’s host.

Tell her the general flow of events. Will there be music? Food? When will she speak? This will help her know what to expect.

Invite her to bring someone with her. I understand this isn’t always possible for many reasons, including the potential added cost of another guest. However, a friend can encourage her. It may also be a way she disciples another woman as she does the ministry God has called her to.

Ask her if she needs anything. Podiums are always helpful!

Pray for her! It’s become a joke in our family, but if I have a speaking engagement coming up, something in our life will go haywire. Our chaos has ranged from the stomach bug (thankfully not me!) to the oven going out. More seriously, I even had a miscarriage the week before a speaking event. Spiritual warfare is real, yall. Pray for your speaker to have time and energy to prepare and for her family.

I’ve had the joy of sharing God’s Word with so many churches, and I’m always blown away by how precious each church and women’s ministry group is! It’s a blessing to get to teach God’s Word and connect with so many women. I know hosting a women’s ministry event is no small task, and the Lord sees you as you faithfully prepare in every detail, from finalizing the food to praying about and for your speaker!

p.s. If you’re looking for a women’s ministry speaker, I’d love to chat! You can find more info on my speaking page!