Building a Successful Men’s Ministry In Your Local Church
Edited By: Gregg Stone
First and foremost it is because the Divine Order of God demands that men have the major role in the workings of God. Every pastor must start with this premise and do everything possible to get his men involved.
Men’s Ministry is a starting point that will lead them into other areas of ministry in the local church that they were previously hesitant to become involved with. Men’s Ministry will evolve into something greater in their spiritual walk, and as pastors one of our goals is to help them reach maturity in Christ.
In our local church we have regularly scheduled meetings bi-monthly; in these, we of course serve food that the men have prepared, we discuss needs in the church , we also plan “mission projects” that will help a home missionary or a foreign missionary and we encourage one another in our relationship with God and our families.
Our men’s ministry is not focused on outreach, but our outreach for men is a by-product of a successful men’s ministry. We have found success in this area because some men will only make their initial start in a relationship with God when it involves a none-threatening environment. They feel safe in our men’s meetings and this enables them to get more comfortable in a real church setting.
Sims Pastor Foley, Alabama srpastorjb@gulftel.com
I believe that EVERY local church should have a men’s ministry. It builds camaraderie among the men that will keep the men connected in every aspect of ministry.
There are plenty of potential outreach endeavors for men already available in your community that can be tapped into. Local charitable organizations can always use volunteers and that is a great place to start if your church is not large enough to put on its own endeavors. However, if you have enough men, it is great to start with fun activities such as baseball, tag football, etc. Then, once the men have connected, move into ministry mode. This can be through your own church – doing repairs for the elderly or widowed; or through local charities such as Habitat for Humanity, food banks or homeless shelters.
I believe that great fundraisers for men are paintball tournaments, “wild game” dinners (cooking deer, elk, etc.), classic car shows, gun shows or any activity that will attract non-church members. There is never a problem asking an unsaved man to attend any of these events. Once unsaved men actually bond with your church members, the connection is made and the invitation to attend church services comes more naturally and they feel more comfortable in the company of men they now know.
Mike Labrie mglabrie@sbcglobal.net. Secretary, Texas District Men’s Ministry. 1-409-284-0753
One of the primary reasons I believe that it is essential to have a vital Men’s Ministry is the fact that so many men are disconnected in what we do as a church. I find that so often men are reluctant to lead, they would rather delegate responsibilities to other people, especially their wives, and let them do the things that so often are needed in the church. By having a Men’s Ministry you get the opportunity to connect men to the mission and purpose of the church and the ministry.
Prayer breakfasts, camping trips, fish frys, wild game suppers, and local renovation projects for the less fortunate in the community are some of the typical activities that Men’s Ministry are involved in. Also having special services that are exclusively for men, such as Men’s Conferences, is a great venue.
Our annual camping trip, in which we have both older and younger men coming together for a special weekend usually either in the mountains or even along the coast, is the high point for our Men’s ministry activity for the year. At the last day after an entire weekend of activities we have a time of worship and the word with a meal together. This is the most successful event that we conduct for our Men’s Ministry.
Balancing the need of this type of ministry with what men can relate to is the key to success in this endeavor.
Pastor Gavin J. Moon Covington, Georgia pastormoon@bellsouth.net 1-678-342-8485
Starting a Men’s Ministry in your local church will strengthen your church body. God is the head of the church, and then man is the leader of the home. Men’s Ministry will give your men wisdom in leading his home, which will strengthen the church.
In our local church we have had the best success. The second Saturday of the month we meet for breakfast. It is not promoted as a prayer breakfast, just a time of fellowship. At this breakfast we have a time of fellowship and at the closing we have a man speak for a few moments and close by praying with one another.
We have had success by each man adopting a young male child in the church who does not have a father in his life. We support them in school, on their birthday, Christmas and other special events.
Keep the meeting on a time limit. Men will come, they want to come. We know that time is of value to a working man, who works all week and wants to spend time with his family. We can accomplish more in a few minutes with men then we realize.
Pastor Damesworth Steele, Missouri jldamesworth@hotmail.com 1-573-695-1462
If we are to equip our men to be spiritually strong, and to be role models for their families as well as mentors to younger men, they will need examples to follow. A men’s ministry that interacts with each other on all levels is the perfect time to teach how a Christian man should act.
Each one of our men has different interests outside of the church and they tend to gravitate toward their different cultural preferences. However, I spend a lot of time and attention with the different activities. We even have one of our older men who works with new converts and he encourages them in the financial and schooling areas. On Wednesday evenings we have a class called Maximized Manhood and that class is open to a lot of interaction.
We have many unsaved men coming to our services and many of them are attending our fellowship times. We have a growing men’s group because our men are connecting more with others outside as well as inside the church. This is so necessary and important for men to bond with each other.
We get involved with our people and spend time with them. We have a high visibility with them. Men need to know that their Pastor is human and he walks the same roads they walk. They need to know he genuinely cares for them.
Pastor David Bradt Bridgeport, CT pdbradt@sbcglobal.net 1-203-723-9938
Men’s Ministry is a great way to equip men to be better fathers, husbands, and men of God. Men’s Ministry provides that platform to instruct and encourage men to be what God has called them to be.
Our Men’s Ministry consists of a monthly meeting where one of our own men speaks; this allows each of us to hear the challenges and victories in our church. Some of the programs in our church where our men get involved are community outreach ministries. The greatest reward of involvement is seeing lives changed by our Men’s ministry commitment.
Getting men involved in community outreach has worked best for our church. Our men train their sons and new converts in the field of labor God is using them in. Allow men to get involved.
We use Men’s socials as an opportunity to invite the unsaved men of our community. This environment is successful and we all meet new friends. This is also a great platform to invite them to future family events in our church.
Every church seems to face unique challenges in Men’s Ministry, but we must continue to pursue ministries that involve the men of our church. If you try something and it doesn’t work just try something different.
Tim Sullivan Fort Smith, Arkansas timsullivan@northsideupc.com 1-479-782-2481
Men’s Ministry is vital to the strength and stability of the local church. The Apostle Paul wrote to the men at Corinth; “Watch ye, stand fast in the faith, quit you like men, be strong.” (1 Cor. 16:13) This was a command for the men to stand guard over the church in Corinth. In this hour, when individuals, families, and congregations are casting aside the precepts that have guided us, we need men to stand together as sentinels to hold fast our convictions.
Men’s ministry has the potential to go beyond uniting men in the church. On numerous occasions, we have had visitors be a part of our men’s functions. We have a monthly men’s breakfast, as well as scheduled trips such as four-wheeler rides, fishing trips, or overnight campouts. As unity is built, the men will begin to enjoy spending more time together. Traveling to and from men’s retreats or conferences will be as enjoyable as the event itself because of the quality time that is spent in laughter and conversation.
The two biggest obstacles that I have seen in men’s ministry are conflicting work schedules and finding the right director. However, when someone with a burden assumes this leadership role, it will not be long before excitement will build and men will begin trying to arrange their schedules to attend the events.
I strongly encourage every local church to begin a men’s ministry program. Your church will be stronger and more resilient in this end time hour. This ministry will become a vital component in the protection of faith and family.
Pastor Steve Carrington Farmington, New Mexico stevedcarrington@yahoo.com 1-505-325-3347
Strong men build strong families. Strong families build strong churches. Strong churches build strong communities. God knows we need strong churches and communities, and it starts with strong men. Men’s ministry is vital to passing the baton to the next generation successfully.
Typical activities include food, fellowship, and fun as well as instruction and education. Our men enjoy monthly meetings called Manna for Men. We pray, teach, and enjoy some good food. Our future plans include starting the “Men’s Fraternity” program. This is a three-year educational program geared at equipping men with the tools they need to be what God has designed them to be. We often have the un-churched attend our Manna for Men meetings, and we fully expect to see them at our Men’s Fraternity as well.
In many churches today, praise teams made up of mostly (if not all) ladies, lead the worship and much of it is a “mushy-gushy” type of “love-song” that men don’t relate well with. If men perceive men’s ministry to be more of the same, they won’t come. However, if they are taught principles of leadership and headship, and if there are jobs men can do in the church, then they can be fulfilled in their purpose.
Ultimately, I believe that trust is the key component to successful men’s ministry.
Pastor Myron Powell Omaha, Nebraska 1-402-572-8904 pastormyron@gmail.com
This article “Building a Successful Men’s Ministry in Your Local Church” edited by Gregg Stone was excerpted from: IBC Perspectives Magazine. February 2011. It may be used for study & research purposes only.
