What do you think of when you hear “men’s ministry”? Chainsaws? Hunting? Wild game suppers? If you’re like me when I hear someone mention “men’s ministry” one of the first things that comes to mind is the kitchen and fellowship hall at New Bethel Baptist in my hometown, Jasper, AL. This is where we had brotherhood breakfast once a month and heard someone give a short devotion. Good times! Now I can taste brother Sherron’s biscuits, which rivaled Hardee’s! (Not sure how he got his hands on that recipe, but I’m sure grateful that he did.) Whatever your view of men’s ministry is I’d like to throw a couple of questions at you –
- What’s your ministry’s plan for making disciples?
- How is your men’s ministry organized to make disciples who make disciples?
- Is your plan working?
Our office at the State Board of Missions wants to help churches reach the biggest influencers in our state – men. For years we’ve heard the statistics that reveal when men/husbands/dads give their lives to Christ and start plugging into the church their families follow them over 90% of the time! Many of our churches have events such as we did at my home church. It’s our goal to partner with churches to ensure that there’s purpose behind those biscuits and bacon to help bring men into the Kingdom of God, teach them, train them and help them be disciple-makers in their homes and communities.
Jesus plainly tells His disciples in Matt 28:19-20 to live their lives in a way that reveals His job for themDISCIPLE (verb) as they “go” about their lives, “baptizing” and “teaching” everything that He taught them; all with His assistance and presence. Jesus wasn’t sending the disciples out on a mission trip. You can return home from those. No, He was releasing them to live missional lives for the sake of growing the Kingdom and spreading the Glory of God. “Missional” basically means having a mindset and posture of being on mission. If we are always conscious of the fact we represent Christ, we are the light of the world, city on a hill, His ambassadors 24/7 then we never “go home” from that mission. We carry it with us everywhere. That’s what Jesus released His disciples to do and be. The same is true today.
This is what we want for the men of Alabama.
We want men to be missional in their thinking and intentional with their actions all for the sake of making disciples and glorifying God. So please let us know how we can link arms with you in reaching the men of your area. We would love to meet you and explore new ways to make healthy disciples of men in your church and reach guys in your community.
Who knows, maybe soon people will think of “making disciples” when they hear the words “men’s ministry.”
