The yearning to send and support missionaries had for decades been the glue that held together the women's ministry at Galilee Baptist Church in Denver. But by the time I came to the church, only a faithful few attended meetings and the weekly Bible study.

As I analyzed my new ministry, I remembered something I once read: "The greatest obstacle to growth and evangelization is a ministry preoccupied with its own existence. What is needed is a fresh approach and a little sanctified ingenuity." I concluded it was time for a fresh approach.

Getting the picture

A fresh approach, however, demanded a fresh perspective on what exactly was going on with our women.

We began by surveying the congregation. We discovered that of those who attended our church, 58 percent were women, 56 percent of whom worked outside the home, and many of these were divorced, widowed, or single parents. Young mothers, we learned, felt isolated, and singles felt ignored.

Next we studied the social currents that influence today's ...