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From Worst to First: What Indiana Football Teaches Us About Ministry to Men

Written by: Nate Flynn

December 2025

 

Dear Leader,

From worst to first. As improbable as it seemed, the Indiana Hoosiers have won the Big Ten, gone undefeated in the regular season, and now sit atop NCAA football.
 
As Area Director for Southern Indiana—and a lifelong Hoosier—I know many of you are celebrating with me. But even if you’re not an IU fan, or sports isn’t your thing, stick with me. There’s a bigger story here.
 
As my Man in the Mirror profile relays, I’m a Hoosier through and through. Raised to love IU (and, yes, despise PU), I’m a proud Indiana grad. And let’s be honest—Indiana’s always been a basketball school. Football? For most of our 127-year history, there’s been little to cheer about. In fact, until this year, IU football was the losingest program in NCAA history (that title now belongs to Northwestern).
 
But everything changed with Coach Curt Cignetti. The year before he arrived, IU finished dead last in the Big Ten. What happened next is more than a sports story—it’s a lesson in transformation.
 
Cignetti didn’t just bring a new playbook; he brought a new mindset. He saw the university’s commitment to invest, but more importantly, he challenged a culture content with mediocrity. For too long, “just making a bowl game” was sufficient. Cignetti set his sights higher—championships, not consolation prizes.
 
He refused to accept that IU football was doomed to irrelevance. He cast a vision that inspired belief, required intentional investment, and insisted on a process proven to build winners.
 
Sound familiar? In my work with churches across Southern Indiana, I see these same challenges. Too often, men’s ministry is an afterthought—resources go to “winning” programs like women’s and children’s ministry, while men are left wondering if church is really for them.
 
The result? Men who show up but don’t thrive. Many settle for mediocrity in their faith, lacking authentic brotherhood, spiritual vitality, and a sense of purpose. They feel stuck—at work, at home, in life.
 
But why does it have to be this way? If IU football can turn things around with intentional investment, a compelling vision, and a commitment to a proven process, why can’t our churches do the same for men?
 
The stakes are so much higher. Sports are just games—trophies and accolades fade. But when men win at faith, families are transformed, communities are strengthened, and eternity is impacted.
 
Let’s break free from mediocrity. Let’s call men to pursue the greatest prize imaginable—vibrant life in Christ. We already have the victory in Him. Now it’s time to act like it.

In Christ,

Worst to First

Nate Flynn

Area Director
Philippians 314

 

 

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Insights from the Model

Model, Method, MINDSET

We often describe No Man Left Behind as a model—and it is. It’s a framework that provides a clear design for reaching every man and helping him grow as a disciple.
 
But it’s more than that. No Man Left Behind is also a method—a collection of proven, practical steps that help churches move beyond wishful thinking to actually build a sustainable ministry to men.
 
Most importantly, it’s a mindset. Over time, it becomes the ministry’s operating system—the culture, the lens, the way leaders naturally approach men’s discipleship.
 
In many churches, the prevailing mindset is still “build it and they will come.” A few events are scheduled, a handful of men show up, and that group becomes the so-called “men’s ministry.”
 
No Man Left Behind flips the script. Instead of focusing only on the men who are already in the room, we start thinking about ministry to every man in the church. Every man becomes part of the mission. Every church activity becomes an opportunity to help men take their next step with Jesus.
 
Discipleship stops being a class, a program, or just the pastor’s responsibility. It becomes a lifestyle of intentional relationships—where men have clear pathways and brothers walking alongside them every step of the way.
 
That’s the real power of the model: it reshapes how a church thinks. When the mindset changes, everything else changes—events gain purpose, leaders gain clarity, men find belonging, and discipleship becomes the heartbeat of the church’s culture.
 
The model provides the structure, the method offers the steps, but the mindset creates movement. That’s how you build a ministry where truly no man is left behind.
 

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Small Wins

 
Just because the aim is high doesn’t mean every win is a headline. More often, it’s a series of small victories that pave the way to the ultimate goal.
 
Greenwood Christian Church has been implementing No Man Left Behind for over a decade, building a strong culture of men’s discipleship and celebrating some big wins along the way.
 
In a recent conversation, men’s leader Matt McGovern shared a few “small wins” that speak volumes. Through their Discovery Bible Study group, two men were inspired by the Holy Spirit to take meaningful steps of faith:
  • One, a 23-year-old young man, felt convicted during a discussion on generosity and committed to being more intentional with his finances.

  • Another, having gone through a divorce, was moved to invite his ex-brother-in-law to their family Thanksgiving. It was a difficult call to make, but their reunion made it clear that God was at work.
Both men not only responded to God’s prompting, but also allowed others to walk alongside them in accountability. These may not be the dramatic life-change moments we often expect, but these small acts of faith are the heartbeat of a ministry that’s leading men into true transformation. Over time, these small wins add up—and set the stage for even greater things.
 

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Men from Greenwood Christian Church in Pikeville, KY partnering with IDES to help restore homes and hearts impacted by recent floods.

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Your Action Step:

Work the Plan

______________________________
In Curt Cignetti’s two years as head coach of the Indiana Hoosiers, one thing stands out: his unwavering commitment to “the process.”
 
Listen closely and you’ll hear him talk about it constantly. But it’s not just Coach Cig—the same language comes from his assistants and players. Everyone in the program has bought in, and their daily focus is on implementing that process.
They have a clear identity. They know exactly who they are, how they practice, and how they play.
 
Accountability is non-negotiable. As Cignetti says, “You can’t ever compromise your standards. How you do anything is how you do everything.”
 
He’s built a culture by finding the right people and putting them in the right places—leaders who set the tone and do things the right way, every day.
 
The relentlessness of Coach Cig and his team isn’t about chasing outcomes; it’s about trusting the process. Wins are simply the byproduct. What drives them is the vision of what’s possible if they remain faithful to the process, day in and day out.
 
The same is true for ministry. The No Man Left Behind model gives us a proven process for building a culture of men’s discipleship. When you “work the plan,” transformation follows.
 
Getting started on your plan:
  1. Clarify Your Identity: Define who you are and what you’re about. What’s your overarching purpose and vision for ministry to men?
  2. Commit to the Process: Leaders often give up too soon before they're able to see the results. Make sure you have a proven plan, then work the plan.
  3. Raise the Standard: Don’t settle for what’s easy or familiar. Hold yourself and your team to a higher standard, and make sure every effort moves you toward your vision.
  4. Invest in Your Culture: Identify and develop the kind of men you want to multiply. Become the example others want to follow.
  5. Celebrate the Process: Share stories of faithfulness, growth, and small wins—not just attendance numbers. Celebrate progress, not just results.
Remember: Lasting change comes when you trust the process and work the plan—because the plan works.
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Nate Flynn

Nate serves Southern Indiana as an Area Director with Man in the Mirror. He equips churches and leaders to build thriving, sustainable ministry to men. He is from Bedford, IN where he lives with his wife, Kristi, and their three children.