|
Men's Ministry
Why Men's
Ministry?
One might
wonder how men's ministry is any different from a woman's ministry or for
that matter, any kind of ministry. After all, it would seem that ministry,
if done in service for the Lord, is all the same regardless of the gender,
age, or race of the individual serving.
We know one thing for sure -- God will use the heart and life of anyone who
chooses to make himself available to Him. The Bible says, "Go and
make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and
the Son and the Holy Spirit." This is the great commission spoken
by Jesus Himself. In other words, Jesus Christ is commissioning His
followers to go into the entire world and reproduce believers. This is a big
calling.
At Spring Road, we believe that Men's Ministry is the ongoing activity of
men that connects them to God, His Word, and other men for the purpose
of winning, growing, and training God's man in Christ.
As
Christians, w must ask ourselves these questions. How do we reproduce
believers? Can a men's ministry enable a man to better understand his
calling in life and how to achieve it? Can a men's ministry challenge a man
to grow deeper in intellect, emotion, and spirit? Can a men's ministry teach
men how to remain faithful? The answer to this question is a
resounding yes!
Where to
Begin
Our first
step in continuing a vital men's ministry at SRCC is to define the
collective vision and spiritual direction of our lives. As a church,
we will raise up leaders who will catch the vision and lead us into a deep
relationship with the Lord.
Creating
Standards
In order
to have a strong and balanced Christian men's ministry, you will have to
build a framework of non-negotiables. Here are eight biblically-balanced
benchmarks for a healthy ministry to men.
- FILLING
- God's man is a self-feeder. Consistently studying and applying God's
Word independent of the church or small group is essential. To do this,
a man must be taught how to study the Bible. We suggest building your
frame work to support a weekly meeting with the pastor or small-group
leader to teach Bible interpretation skills (1 Peter 2:1-3; Psalm
1:1-3).
- TRAINING
- God's man receives regular/weekly biblical instruction (1
Thessalonians 2:13). This can be achieved through a weekly small-group
Bible study or large-group study with small-group discussion.
- PRACTICING
- God's man learns how to apply God's Word to all areas of life. It is
essential to allowing room for accountability within the men's ministry
for the purpose of consistency and obedience to God's Word (James
1:22-25; Ezekiel 33:30-32).
- UNITING
- God's man makes it a priority to connect with other men at least two
times a month for the purpose of community, accountability, confession,
and prayer (Galatians 6:1-3; James 5:16; Hebrews 10:23-24).
- SURVIVING
- God's man learns to address major life temptations and/or crises
according to his need and life-stage. Support and encouragement from the
ministry leader and small group is essential (Ecclesiastes 4:9-12).
- REACHING
- God's man gets involved in some form of men's ministry based on his
gifts and talents. God has called each of us to pour out to others what
He has poured into us (1 Peter 4:10-11; Ephesians 4:11-13)
- IMPACTING
- God's man invests time and resources into the lives of other men. We
suggest one-on-one connection through shared activities, spiritual
mentoring, and modeling (2 Tim. 2:22; Proverbs 27:17; Mark 3:13-14).
- SHARING
- God's man learns to actively share his faith in order to lead others
into a personal relationship with Jesus Christ (Acts 1:8; 1 Peter 3:15;
Matthew 28:18-20).
Setting
the Focus
As a
ministry, the men of Spring Road set an example to our fellow members in our
faith, our activities, and our relationships with others. As spiritual
leaders, we focus on personal growth.
Many men in our church and society really need and
want a few true friends: men who will go with you through life's gauntlet -
celebrating victory, sharing grief and standing with you in good times and bad.
Godly men are shaped and tempered by other Godly men. Every man deserves a few bonded brothers.
Fruit can only follow farming. When Godly men
are bonded in biblical friendship, building themselves spiritually together,
they become fit and equipped for Kingdom work and service. Followers of
Christ are always involved in meaningful work - first in their families and
local congregations, workplace witness, service work, missions, and outreach.
When a man becomes a follower of Christ, Jesus has
become his Savior and Lord. Discipleship is where the rubber meets the
road or the rut. Spiritual growth of our men is the top priority. Men will flourish as every man becomes committed
personally to daily prayer and bible study, accountable relationships, and
actively seeking God's will for his life.
Walking
by Faith
As the song tells us,
"I walk by faith, each step by faith, to live by faith, I put my trust in
you." Walking in faith is our ability to live God's Word in our daily
lives.
|
