The sole purpose of ministry to men is to produce spiritually healthy men, men who step up to the plate. Granted, it will not happen overnight. The challenge in small churches is gaining traction with small numbers. Do not be overwhelmed by trying to do all the activities the “experts” say you “must” do.

Start by joining two other men to work with you in your men’s ministry.

• Pray. Men’s ministry starts with and runs on prayer. It is God’s work, not the work of men. Pray until the Lord indicates that it is time for action.
• Catch/Cast the Vision. Understand the impact that spiritually healthy men have on a church. Be aware that the male-only environment allows men’s issues to be addressed openly and honestly.

Then, establish a plan. Blueprint provides excellent insight into the fundamentals and framework for establishing a men’s ministry.

• Enlist a Leadership Team. Identify a man with potential for leading your men’s ministry. Mentor him to lay a solid spiritual foundation. Coach him as he grasps the reins of leadership. Bring other men onto the team.
• Hold Entry Point Events. Hold events that build relationships among your men, such as workdays, breakfasts, and ballgames. Recognize that men enjoy participating in activities with a clear objective and produce a sense of accomplishment. Work projects create camaraderie and a team spirit.
• Discipling Men. From relationship-oriented activities, move onto discipling. Consider holding regular men’s group meetings for a Bible study or a masculine video series such as Preparing to Win or Men’s Fraternity. A second, more effective alternative is small groups with men willing to move forward. A third, and the most effective alternative, is one-to-one discipling.

Keep it Simple. Plan events around what you and your men are able to support. Events do not have to be elaborate to be successful.

Spread Out Events. Set up a multiyear calendar and schedule events for future years. Key questions in this situation are: What men do we need to bring into our ministry and which types of events will work best in doing that?

Partner with Other Churches. Join with other churches in the community and work together to put on events, i.e., doing together what cannot be done alone.

Work with District and Regional Men’s Ministries. Work with these organizations to identify needs and events that may be challenging for individual churches. Again, doing together what cannot be done alone.

Finally, Be Patient. It takes time to build an effective men’s ministry. It may take five to seven years or more to establish an effective men’s ministry. The key is being persistent and intentional!

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