Men’s Ministry Strategies.
What’s Working Right Now
Men’s Ministry Strategies are something that many churches are willing to talk about … but few churches are willing to do.
Many years ago I discovered a simple truth: passionate people do not need to be motivated.
If you can help someone discover their purpose, and then learn how to use that purpose to further the gospel and God’s Kingdom, then you’ll start a tidal wave that is hard to stop.
I noticed early on in my formative ministry years that every man had a true passion. Something he lived and breathed. Something tangible that was part of how he saw the world.
I began to notice that there are men who play golf … and then there are golfers. Men who play golf don’t care if they shoot 85 or 95. Golfers take lessons. Golfers evaluate their game. Their mood goes up or down based on how iron game is fairing in the past few days. It’s an identity.
The same can be said for fishing. There are tons of people who go fishing. And then there are anglers. One is a hobby, the other is a way of life.
Some men have a job, a few men around you their job as a calling in life.
So how does that matter to reaching men for Christ?
Men’s Ministry Strategies Built Around Identity
In 2020 we executed a massive paradigm shift at our church. We started a movement called Men Of Franklin.
We gave it that moniker and chose not to use the church’s name so that it could avoid any barrier with non-Christians as we attempted to reach them.
Here’s the real X-factor: we leveraged (2) real strengths within our fellowship to make this move.
Every church has areas of strength. Just like a football team. Some teams have a great ground game, solid special teams, and super fast linebackers.
So if that’s the case, built upon those strengths because those are your best tools on that specific team.
Our church had a few key areas that are part of our DNA. One was the fact that we really are multi-generational church. Many churches say they are but they are lopsided in age brackets. They are heavy on Senior Adults, or they are heavy on young professionals.
When it comes to the men who attend ClearView, we noticed that weren’t heavy in any one demographic … and that’s a strength because young men need to be mentored in manhood by veteran men.
Older men need younger generations to help them continue to dream and push themselves to move to higher ground.
That was one X factor.
The other foundational X factor we built upon was this very idea of ministry built around passion. Golfers know golfers. Tennis players know tennis players. Entrepreneurs know entrepreneurs.
Where Do You Start With Men’s Ministry?
Men’s ministry strategies that work start by taking an honest assessment of what tools they have to build upon.
At ClearView we put (2) key ingredients together: multi-generational approaches + passion.
Golfers who are 40 play golf with men who are 70. Cyclists who are 55 often bike right beside cyclists who are 25.
Whatever You Do …
No men’s ministry was meant to live on its own. The future of your ministry rests on reaching men for Christ.
Work hard to keep spiritual lostness in front of your men. Work hard to make sure the bass fisherman in that group of men are constantly focused on reaching the buddies in their local bass fishing culture.
Of all the men’s ministry strategies out there, few things can be as effective as getting a man to use what he loves to do in order to reach other men in his sphere of influence.
When you give a man permission to use golf as a mission endeavor, you no longer have a golfer. You have a missionary who plays golf.
And that has been the basis of why Men Of Franklin is working. We’ve created a small movement that is shaping the future of our church.
We have a long way to go, but we are further down the road than we were even a year ago.
God has called men to lead the way.
My hope and prayer is that you lead the way in gathering your men to reach men around them and further God’s Kingdom.