Making new friends as an adult can be so hard! But sometimes it seems like it’s even more challenging as a mom, because you don’t have many adult social activities on your plate. And then being a Christian adds to the challenge because you want to make friends with other moms who have the same Christ-centered mindset as you.
But you want to know something? Engaging in fellowship with other Christians is actually an essential spiritual discipline, even for moms (Hebrews 10:25).
So what’s a Christian mom to do?
Well, I’m not making any promises of finding lifelong Christian mom friends by tomorrow! But I would like to share with you a few different places that you might be able to have opportunities to make friends with other Christian moms. You will still have to step out and make an effort to engage with others in order to make new friends, but at least you’ll have an idea of where to look!
Meet Christian mom friends at church
Okay this one might be obvious, but what better place to meet other Christians than at church! But I’d like to remind you that it doesn’t even have to be your own church. I know a lot of people are pretty gung-ho about sticking with one church. And I’m not arguing with having a good solid Bible-teaching home church.
However, it’s important to remember that we are all the body of Christ, whether you attend the same fellowship as someone else or if they go to another fellowship down the street. So take into consideration seeking out events and programs that might interest you and help you to meet other Christian moms at other local churches too.
Now let’s talk about a few different places within church that you can find new potential Christian mom friends.
Sunday or Sabbath School
I know not all churches have Sunday/Sabbath School anymore in lieu of doing small groups instead (which we’ll get to in a minute). But if your church does still offer this before or after the service, then it can be a great place to get more connected and meet other Christian moms more one-on-one.
Small Groups
A lot of times these are called by different names, but the most common name I’ve heard for them is small groups. And basically it’s an assigned small group of people (like 5-20 people) who get together outside of church, typically in people’s homes, to fellowship and study the Bible together. As churches get bigger, these seem to become more and more necessary in order to make more personal connections. Seek out a small group within your own church to join or, if your church doesn’t have them, consider finding another local church where you can join up in one there.
Children’s Ministry/Nursery
It doesn’t get much more specific than this because you’re for sure bound to meet other Christian moms if they have children in the nursery or other children’s ministry programs. How to meet them is a good question. But one way is to try to get into conversations or at least introduce yourself while dropping off your kiddos. Or if your church has functions and events for the kids and their families, that’s a great place to meet other Christian moms too. You could even consider getting involved in volunteering to serve in the nursery or children’s ministry programs, and you might just meet a few fellow Christian moms while volunteering too.
MOPS
Not every church has a MOPS program, but there is more than likely a MOPS group somewhere near you that you can join. MOPS stands for “Mother’s of Preschoolers”. And it’s basically a group of moms that have children who get together to fellowship, eat, do crafts, have Bible studies and host fun events together. There is a yearly membership fee (as of now it’s about $30) but it goes towards supporting the organization so it’s for a good cause. You can learn more about the program and find a group near you on their website MOPS.org.
Women’s Conferences, Events, and Retreats
Another great place to meet other Christian women (and possibly mom) friends is at special women’s events, conferences, and retreats. Again, maybe your church doesn’t offer too many of these, but that doesn’t mean that they’re not going on near you! Search online to see if you can find some coming up at other churches near you and sign up! Not only will you be edified by the Word, but you will have another great opportunity to meet Christian mom friends along the way.
Online Christian communities can be good for making mom friends who are Christians
Facebook groups, blogs (like this one, Ministry Minded Mom), online forums, prayer groups, Bible study groups, etc. There are a lot of great online Christian communities, and even some catering to Christian moms, like you, specifically.
However, I want to stress that when searching for Christian mom friends via online communities you need to be careful with your personal information. Don’t hand out your confidential information (like your phone number and mailing address) to just anyone you meet. And also pray for discernment. Because there is a lot of information within Christian communities out there that IS NOT Biblical. I’m apart of several Christian mom Facebook groups and I’m shocked to see all kinds of bad non-Biblical advice given on those all the time. So pray for discernment, but in the midst of the mess, you will find a few gems.
And I hope you’ll also [thrive_2step id=’864′]join the Ministry Minded Mom community via email[/thrive_2step] or over at our Facebook page. I don’t have a Facebook group for Ministry Minded Mom as of yet, but I’m considering it!
Finding mom friends at Christian playgroups
If you have younger children, then a great place to find other Christian moms is by joining Christian playgroups near you. Sometimes it can be hard to find Christian ones specifically, but if you can, then definitely take advantage of them!
If you can’t then you can always join a regular playgroup and you might just find a few other Christian moms in there too. As I’ve said before though, just be discerning. Because if you can only find a regular playgroup, then keep in mind that your children might be exposed to values that aren’t Biblical. And you want to be intentional about their socialization in order to raise kids who love and serve God. So if things seem off then don’t be afraid to drop a playgroup and look for a different one.
Meet Christian mom friends at Christian homeschool co-ops
If you homeschool your children then finding other Christian moms at Christian Homeschool Co-ops is a great option too. Again, it might be challenging to find a Christian-specific Homeschool Co-op (depending on your location).
However, in this case (and unlike the playgroups) I would recommend only joining Christian ones. The reason being that not only is it a time of socialization for you and your children, but they will also be learning from within their co-op. And you don’t want them being taught things that don’t line up with God’s Word.
So if there is a Christian Homeschool Co-op near you, then join up! And if there isn’t, then maybe look into starting one of your own, either independently or through your church. It would be a great ministry to other Christian homeschoolers in the area!
Finding godly mom friends at your children’s sporting events and other activities
If your children are active in sports or other activities, then these could be great opportunities to meet other Christian moms. Although these are more than likely not Christian specific, so remember, as I’ve said before in the Playgroup and Homeschool Co-op section, always be discerning about who your children are interacting with and who you (and they) are making friends with.
While witnessing to the lost is vital as a Christian, it’s also good to remember that the Bible also says that “bad company ruins good morals” (1 Corinthians 15:33). So learn to recognize when you and your family are no longer being witnesses, but rather being negatively influenced by non-Christians. And find the strength to remove those bad influences from your life, if needed.
Now you know how to find godly friends who are Christian moms too!
I’m not going to say that finding and making Christian mom friends is easy. Because it isn’t easy for everyone. For some people it might be, but not for everyone. But I will tell you that it’s not impossible. It just take some planning and effort on your part to put yourself in situations where you have the potential to meet new friends, and then taking those opportunities to reach out to others.
But making mom friends who are also Christians sets a good example to your children as they learn discernment when choosing their own friends as well. It’s one more thing that you can do to be a good mom to them and an indirect way that you can teach them how to be more godly.
Will you reach out to make new friends today? God doesn’t want you to go at this alone. And while husbands are great for support and friendship, there’s a different type of need that’s met when you have a support network of other Christian moms who are right there in the trenches with you. So don’t wait for tomorrow, make plans to make friends with other Christian moms today.
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