Dear Leader,

In any given church, we find at best only 20% of men are actively involved in the men's ministry. That is if there is a men's ministry to speak of at all.

The idea of "men's ministry" has long been woven into the fabric of church life. However, it often falls short of its intended purpose. After decades and repeated attempts to make it work, pouring countless time, resources, and energy into it, some pastors have given up entirely, concluding that "men's ministry" simply doesn't work.

That's why we need to kill the idea of men's ministry.

To be clear, I'm not advocating that we abandon our efforts to reach men. Rather, we need a paradigm shift from "men's ministry" to "ministry to men." It's a subtle yet profound distinction that holds the key to unlocking the full potential of engaging every man within our churches.

In Christ,

Nate Flynn

Area Director

Ministry to men is about more than a pancake breakfast and events we try to convince men to attend.

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Do Not Lose Heart

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A proven set of concepts and strategies to help you provide a discipleship pathway for every man in your church.

Diagnostic

Does your church have an effective, all-inclusive process for discipling men? With our diagnostic tool, you can rate your ministry in the areas below on a scale of 1 (poor) to 10 (excellent). Check your total score against the scale.

If your score is low, don't be dismayed. It's good to take an honest look and understand where there may be areas for growth. There is help and hope!

If you score high on the scale, know that there are often ways to continue to improve. That may even mean learning how you can help other churches succeed!

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HIGHLIGHT

Recently a men's leader shared with me how he had come alongside a man to disciple him. They worked through a book together and the leader said "I mostly just listened to him." As the man began to be impacted along this journey, he decided to walk through the book with yet another man.

A different men's leader told the story of reading a Man in the Mirror book while flying on an airplane. The gentleman next to him asked about it, and a conversation ensued where that man stated "I tried church, but it didn't work for me." By the end of the conversation, this fellow sojourner was hopping on Amazon to order his own copy.

I love hearing stories of how God is working in and through the lives of men!

Action Steps4

YOUR ACTION STEP:

Shift Your Mindset

How many times have we witnessed the faithful few attending men's events while the majority of men remain on the sidelines, disengaged and disconnected? It's time to dismantle the barriers that hinder the full participation of every man in the life of the church.

Instead of compartmentalizing men's ministry - essentially attempting to create a separate church for men - let us strive to include, equip, and empower men within the context of the broader church body. It's about recognizing that ministry to men is more than a program - it's a purpose - a divine calling to disciple and mobilize men for God's kingdom.

When we understand that every interaction we have with men is a disciple-making opportunity, we begin to grasp the all-inclusive mindset of ministry to men.

For example, is the job of an usher simply to help people find their seats? Or is there a much bigger, grander role that a man can play here to make disciples? Week in and week out he has the opportunity to build relationships not just with the people he's seating, but with fellow ushers as well. Imagine the impact if God moved a man from serving out of a sense of obligation to serving out of the overflow of his relationship with Christ and others.

Take a moment and think about all the areas where men are involved in church - the sound booth, the praise team, youth programs, greeters, Sunday school classes. How can we help all the men in our church feel like they are part of something bigger than themselves? Wherever men are involved, we can "claim" them in a way that honors and supports other ministries.

While the monthly pancake breakfast, the men's bible study, or the annual retreat can be good opportunities, it's important that men realize they are part of your ministry to men whether or not they engage in these ways. The goal is to help a man grow in his faith and take a step forward in his spiritual journey. It is our job to meet them where they are at.

Everything your church does that touches a man is men's ministry. Everything.

With this mindset, the size of your men's ministry immediately grows from the less than 20% to ALL of the men in your church, plus every man you'd like to have in your church.

Work the Plan

Ministry to men isn't about organizing events; it's about engaging hearts. It's about building relationships, fostering discipleship, and empowering men to live out their faith in every area of their lives.

GO DEEPER WITH THIS POST FROM THE MAN IN THE MIRROR BLOG

No Man Left Behind: Model, Method, and Mindset

When a man comes to church for help, we need to be ready for him, because it’s a tragedy if he shows up and we aren’t. For 20 years, we've been training leaders to be ready for men through No Man Left Behind: a model, method, and mindset.

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We would love to invite you and your men to be a part of this congregation-changing initiative. Through our campaign, we aim to empower and equip the mature Christian men in your church to become spiritual guides to the next generation of men.

We want to see 10,000 mature Christian men across the country disciple the younger men in their local churches - including your church! Let us help you restore the ancient art of one-to-one, intergenerational men's discipleship.

Together, we can invest in a new generation of strong, compassionate, and godly men who will lead the church for generations to come.

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