There is an ELIM affiliate church where the men comprise 70% of the intercessors group (and have their own intercessors group besides). They are 75% of the worship team; teach more than half of the children’s classes, and males make up 56% of the congregation. In the last 12 months these men (not the Pastor) planned and led 5 outreaches to the community. A snowmobile picnic which had 14 unchurched guests, a fishing derby where one man shared a detailed testimony and 6 men shared their personal faith with the friend they had brought, a community youth outreach that saw over 400 teens participate over the summer and 80 heard the gospel for the first time, a bi-monthly prayer and share for corrections officers and a janitor sought and received permission to lead an after hours Bible study at the factory where he worked. In addition weekly reports are made of praying by the side of the truck; calls come to the Pastor seeking counsel for other men and men bring covered dishes they prepared to the monthly fellowship dinner. What does this church have? Men’s Ministry!

If the above paragraph does not describe, at least in some part, the general actions and participation levels of men in your congregation, perhaps you need Men’s Ministry.

What is Men’s Ministry? Hard to say for certain but I will give it a try. When God created Adam and placed him in the Garden of Eden, man was given work and instruction which included, tend, care for, subdue and exercise dominion. Men’s Ministry is the effort of men working together to accept and restore the value and position that God placed on manhood. It is at opposition to a society that says men are stubborn, clueless, refuse to ask for directions, dumber than their teenagers and insensitive to the needs of women. A society that paints us as big boys seeking, in the words of Tom T. Hall, “Faster Horses, Younger Women, Older Whiskey and More Money.” It is the place and duty of the church to provide such an atmosphere that men realize their worth, calling and duty in the eyes of God.

Men’s Ministry appears to be the most labor intensive, slowest growing, least productive ministry that leaders can give themselves to. However consider these concepts. Godly men, do not as a rule, divorce their wives, leave their children, steal from their employer and any number of other things that create headaches for the pastor. And by the way, men tithe on the paycheck, not the weekly grocery allowance. The truth is that every hour invested in men will result in significantly more time not dedicated to counseling, comforting and consoling broken families. Why is that? Men are by nature mister fix-it. They truly desire excellence and will go to great lengths to achieve it even when they are the problem. Our challenge as leaders is to present them with a plan that will lead them to the right fix, Jesus.

There are as many good ways to do men’s ministry as there are men in the church, but some constants apply. First, the pastor must be sold out to effective men’s ministry (if you are a female pastor reading this, this constant applies double for you). That means it must be of a priority equal to sermon preparation. How am I going to engage my men this week? That is a question you need to ask yourself. Whether it is a joke, a film clip, a dare, a cup of coffee, something must take place in men that makes them feel the effort to put into church is worthwhile. It also means that the pastor must make as much effort as possible to connect with men on an appropriate personal level, coffee, conversation, sporting event, phone call, some personal contact on a routing basis. If you have three men it is easy, three hundred, not so much but contact is required nonetheless. In the military, men hate the cleaning and preparation for a General’s visit, but they relish the words “well-done” when the inspection is over.

Next, discern where the men are at spiritually and relationally. Do they hang around after church and talk and laugh or do they beat a path for the door. The relational nut is a tough one to crack. I recommend trying first to get them together for a part day event, major on food and fun, minor on ministry here. Food is a must at most men’s events. Remember a three hundred pound man can hide his insecurity behind a plate of chicken wings. Follow up by scheduling a short duration work project for another day. When that day arrives (remember the food) include a brief word of prayer and thanks. Listen for interest items like “when are we doing this again?” or “did you notice the parking lot needs restriping?” These questions are saying I want more.

Finding the right mix takes time and patience. After a few of the above sessions, look for a men’s group gathering to go to. A movie night, a guest speaker, a wild game dinner, something to build camaraderie and let the men see they are not alone on the journey. As soon as someone asks “hey, can we do that at our church?” you have a men’s ministry in place. Now the real work begins. The monthly pancake breakfast or work day, weekly Bible Study, or any other routine will not reach or hold men for long. Men, all men, crave challenge, adventure, and accomplishment. Be creative; keep Bible studies to 6 or 8 weeks. Engage men by asking for their help and advice. Challenge them in areas you now than can succeed. Boast about every victory. Small successes create a “we can do this” attitude. Remember that our men are all stretched for time. They will only invest their time if they feel it makes a difference.

Finally, take advantage of those who have “blazed the trail” ahead of you. Your ELIM Men’s Council, pastors with growing or successful groups, and any number of National Organizations that reach out to men. Oh, one last thing, the church mentioned in paragraph one, has eighteen men in the congregation. To quote Bob the Builder, can we fix it “Yes we can”!