Is Ministry to Men Foundational in the Church?

George Barna found that:
3½% of families follow, when a child is the first to attend church.
17% of families follow, when a mom/wife is the first to attend church.
But
93% of families follow, when a dad/husband is the first to attend church!

He also uncovered a startling trend:
42% of men in America attended church on a regular basis in 1992,
But only
28% attended church on a regular basis in 1997!

In spite of the Christian men’s movement of the 90s, churches have struggled to reach the men of America, resulting in a leadership vacuum and a decline of churches across America.

WHAT’S THE DISCONNECT?
Men today are hurting. Most men are struggling to balance career, marriage, family, church and community responsibilities. They live with confusing messages that do not support authentic biblical manhood. Many are living a life of conventional manhood that settles for less.

WHAT ARE SOME KEYS TO EFFECTIVE MEN’S MINISTRY?
- Strategic follow up – plan follow up strategies and have them in place.
- Encouragement – create an atmosphere of encouragement and trust.
- Relational accountability – build around relationships and loving accountability.
- Disciplemaking – make sure that every man is in the lifetime disciple making process.

MEN’S MINISTRIES IS FOUNDATIONAL TO YOUR CHURCH
Effective ministry to men develops leaders. All churches need leaders. A healthy men’s ministry:
* Creates a leadership resource for the church by winning men to trust in Jesus Christ alone.
* Develops a spiritual readiness for potential leaders by building them up in the faith.
* Leads men to spiritual maturity by equipping them for service.
* Strengthens the mission of the church by multiplying its leaders.

Excerpted from:
MEN WITH A PURPOSE
EFCA/MUSA Men’s Ministries
Volume 2, Number 8
August 2002