Men's ministry: Seven ideas for Men's Ministry

Men’s ministry, as with any ministry, is about providing the environment in which Christians will grow. Central to this is understanding the Bible and applying its truth by the Holy Spirit to our everyday choices and thinking. The catalyst for change is the gospel taught and applied and there are no short cuts in this process.

However, this discipling process is not just about imparting knowledge. It is about providing a foundation and framework for the process of change and growth in Christ through teaching and modelling and encouraging one another in the gospel. At the same time, mere encouragement and exhortation will not suffice. Knowledge of God through the Scriptures is the springboard from which change and growth comes about. True knowledge of God, His grace and purposes, His character and person, will grow love and passion for Him that will spill out into a ready desire to serve and follow Him.

So at the heart of any ministry among men is the teaching and application, the telling and living, of the Bible. The first place for this is of course Sunday-by-Sunday in the preaching and teaching ministry of the gathered church. This is vital to the growth of the church as a whole. In addition there are other opportunities that can be programmed or created to reinforce this public proclamation and teaching and bring about growth. Here are some obvious ways:

1. Small Group Bible Studies

Getting men together to read the Bible and encourage practical application into daily lives is a tremendously exciting ministry and will reap huge dividends in the life of the church. Aim to meet on a regular basis – once a week maximum, once a month minimum! Depending on the size of your church or situation there may be one or more such groups but best not exceed 10 in a group. Such study groups can be a very effective way of getting men into the Bible and grappling with issues of Christian living as well as stimulating and encouraging prayer, sharing and accountability.

2. One to One Bible Studies

Reading the Bible is hard work and there is great help and stimulus to be had in reading one to one with another person. This might be a more experienced Christian with a younger one with a view to discipling, or two men at similar stages of Christian experience who simply want to help each other grow in the faith.

Ideally meet weekly for an hour but if that is not possible then fortnightly. Begin the study as soon as possible and catch up with any news before praying together at the end. One suggestion is 45 minutes Bible Study, 15 minutes news and prayer. Agree for how many sessions you are going to meet so that if things are not working out there can be a closure without too much embarrassment. Or of course you might meet for say a year with a view to both finding another partner to meet with the next year and thus multiply the ministry and its effectiveness in the church. Great resources to help with this here.

3. Talks/Men’s Forum

Another way of gathering men from the church to both develop their Christian thinking and, where appropriate, introduce non Christian men into the church is by way of a regular ‘Men’s Forum’ at which specific topics or issues can be addressed and discussed.

So for instance a monthly or bi-monthly meeting could be started in a home, pub or church at which a speaker could address a given topic perhaps followed by discussion. Another option would be to run a regular men’s breakfast where these needs are met.

Including food in the evening is always helpful to making things go with a swing. Eating relaxes people, and helps them to talk and relate together before the real ‘meat’ of the evening. This type of men’s meeting is also a lot less threatening to fringe people and non-Christians. The format can be adapted to include specifically evangelistic evenings, and social evenings. Finding speakers for such evenings can be tricky, but church ministers often have good networks. Christian Vision for Men (CVM) has a list of speakers able to do topical and evangelistic talks and testimonies.

4. Days or Weekends Away

In addition to regular Bible studies etc. it can also be useful to do occasional Day conferences which have a specific training or teaching focus. Or it may be that a day of evangelism training, or looking at specific issues for men may be appropriate. Similarly, a men’s weekend away can provide a very positive focus over a short period of time, as well as building rapport and identity among men in the congregation.

5. Training Courses

For those who are moving towards leadership, and need further theological training, or who are interested in taking up the challenge of extending their Christian knowledge and skills, a number of external resources and training courses are available, including those from the Open Bible Institute.

6. Prayer partners

Prayer is an essential element of a one-to-one Bible study. But many men who have their study needs met through housegroups etc prefer to be part of a partnerships or triplet where prayer and personal support is the main item on the agenda. Men meet simply to share their needs and to pray together for 30, 45 or 60 minutes on a regular basis. Men tend to find it easier to commit to such shorter time slots at the beginning or end of the day. There needs to be discipline to pray as much as you talk and share, otherwise the prayer gets buried to a short time at the end.

Anything that helps men to pray has to be a good thing. By our very nature, men are more prone to "active" answers to problems rather than turning to and relying on God. We need to learn that moving heaven by prayer is more important than moving the furniture with our muscles!

A co-ordinator for the scheme is sometimes helpful. So one church regularly announces the scheme to the whole congregation and asks those interested in finding a partner to ask the co-ordinator, who then links people together. Having a partnership that you then invite a younger third member into helps to ‘initiate’ new people into the practice of praying in small groups.

This is a relatively easy thing to get going, and the benefits are enormous, both for the individuals involved, and for the church as a whole.

7. Discipling and Mentoring

To teach, train and disciple a younger Christian is one of the most rewarding activities in the Christian life. It is one of the most powerful ways in which men are trained and equipped to grow as Christians. To have someone who has trodden the pathway of life and demonstrates wise godliness in the context of a supportive friendship is not only a Biblical model given us by Jesus with His disciples but a great seed bed for developing tomorrow’s leaders. It will have a lasting impact not only upon those we disciple but upon our own lives.

Which of these have you tried and found useful?

Adapted from a chapter in Men of God by Tim Thornborough and Trevor Archer.