"Men's Ministry--What's the Point?"

The work of ministry to and with men goes on...

Did you get the results of the recent poll? Half of the members of our churches in TX and LA are male. Two-thirds (2/3) of those men are over the age 45. Of all the men in our synod and all the congregations in our synod there were 22 responses to our poll...the results are in...

How well is our men's ministry doing?

a) not well @ all------------------------------ 6 (27 % )
b) as good as can be expected --------------2 (9 % )
c) better than I thought ---------------------2 (9 % )
d) better and better --------------------------8 (36 %)
e) send in the cavalry ------------------------4 (18 % )

Where does your congregation fit in the mix? What work is being done to change the landscape in your congregation so that everybody...men...women...and children...members and those who are seeking God's face have a clear picture of the breadth, depth and scope of ministry to and with men? Remember, God's Holy Spirit has already given you all the resources necessary to build and strengthen a positive men's ministry in your setting.

Now, as someone asked me lately, "what's the point?" It was a question brought forward by someone who is quick to compare his own life others and also quick to think better of others than of himself. His "what's the point?" question challenged me to some "points" of my own about how and where men of all walks, ages and experiences fit into this work we do...and as always, I value your "points" on the matter as well...

10 Points to Ponder for ministry to and with men...

Point # 1- Men think they know their strengths and weaknesses (for the most part) and yet can be all too quick to compare their life and work to another;
Point # 2- Men are better at comparing their lives to other men than seeing Jesus as the model of the Godly life and compare their lives to his;

Point # 3- Men look at other men and wonder about their strengths and weaknesses (and never really see the truth either way) and find ways to be thankful they are not like one guy and envious of another---usually on the same day, any day;
Point # 4- Men need to remember that ALL men have strengths and weakness as well as great joys and dark sorrows, battles won and battles lost, that are neither shared nor celebrated. We are more alike of each other than we think!

Point # 5- St. Augustine once said, "God loves each of us as if there were only one of us!"

Point # 6- Therefore ALL men need to quit worrying about other men and tend to their own lives understanding that ALL men have both light & darkness in and around them. This kind of thought really levels the playing field of life;
Point # 7- Then men can reach out to other men in love because in this kind of grid no one is better or worse off than anybody else...
Point # 8 - And by reaching out to each other we can hold each other up and also help protect each other from our greatest enemy--ourselves!

Point # 9 - And when we find ourselves being both accountable to one another and holding each other up and protecting each other from our own selves, then we have created a safe space and sacred space for other men to come and be part of this experience;

Point # 10 - And when other men who have been far from God (their admittance, not mine) discover this moment of grace and holy community, then ministry to and with men takes on a life of its own, ordained and blessed by God and benefiting all of God's people.

Simply said, the point is that each man must tend to his own life's spirit and purpose. It's called "self-definition." It took me some time to get this better now than before...in a sense learning the difference between two important prepositions, "to" and "for." As God's child, I'm responsible TO you but not FOR you and likewise you are responsible TO me but not FOR me. Luther stressed this when he said that "in our baptism we are free to be God's servant accountable to no one and responsble to everyone." ( my paraphrase). What a great outlook on life, its meaning, its value, its purpose flows from this thought...do you know some men who need to get this point? If so, there's your work...If so, there's your mission...if so, there's God waiting to work a good work in and through you!

Feel free to share these points with others and as I wrote above, I'm looking forward to your point of view as well...

One man at a time, no man left behind...

Brian

"No Man Left Behind"

THE IMPORTANCE OF MEN'S MINISTRY IS BEING ECHOED ALL OVER!

If someone came to your church and scribbled these letters on the whiteboard of your Fellowship Hall----Y C I P D T G T R I I G----what might you conclude?

1. You can predict a rainy day using the facets of trigonometry?
2. You sip Gatorade by the oil rig?
3. You see it's pretty darn tiring going to Randall's immediately in galoshes
4. All of the above
5. None of the above

Actually, it's 5 ---None of the above...but the phrase Y C I P D T G T R I I G can be used for yourself, your family, your business and in this case your church...as in...

...Your Church Is Designed Perfectly to Get the Results it is Getting...

Now adjust that phrase and attach it to the existing men's ministry in your congregation...

...Your Men's Ministry Is Designed Perfectly to Get the Results it is Getting...

Someone has likened men's ministry to this kind of a scene...only 1 out of 18 men in America are mature men of faith...did you get that? Just one in eighteen men are disciple-making disciples of Jesus. For some that may be a surprise. For some, they won't care one way or the other. For others to consider this may be a staggering thought and yet for others it will be viewed as an opportunity to role up their sleeves and get to work. But, for our sake the importance is not that we know this; what is critical is that we can do something about this and the time is now. For if our ministry to and with men is for the long haul, the best place to start or continue is right where we are.

Another way of addressing this is to consider what many have learned in AA when it comes to the definition of "insanity." The definition? "Insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results." So, let's not go insane here...but rather start or continue where you are in your ministry with men and do something different to foster different results!

Consider 18 men going out on a baseball diamond. All the equipment is present. Bats, balls, gloves, helmets, bases, the field is lined and the game is on. But, only one man knows the rules of baseball. Can you see it? 17 guys running around willy nilly inside and outside the lines, hopping the fences, running the steps of the stadium, playing hide and seek in the dugouts and back hallways, wondering why three bases are square and one in the shape of a pentagon and what the heck that little rectangle of rubber on the mound of dirt is all about? Can you imagine 17 guys tossing balls at each other, chasing each other around with bats and setting up duals with goofy looking boxing gloves? And one guy---just one guy---running around trying to get the other 17 to listen and to learn the way of the game...does your church reflect that image sometimes? Does your men's ministry have an abundance of players who still need to get to know the game and witg just a few coaches or with just one or none? I understand why so many get frustrated so easily.

As the angel said to Joseph, "do not be afraid..." And so we won't but we'll need to trust the story and direction of God to find our way to a deeper, more meaningful and more focused ministry to and with men...and know this...there is a growing movement in our synod and around the ELCA to expand and strengthen the work of Lutheran Men in Mission. It's a ministry that is both urgent and necessary for the long haul to benefit our congregations and for the spiritual well-being each and every man we know...including ourselves. As author Pat Morely suggests...the gospel of Jesus Christ and the saving message that is ours to share is so important that we should desire to have "no man left behind."

Here's a short list to get your congregation jump-started or re-strengthened...

• talk about men's ministry at your church every Sunday;
• find a place to post news and information about the work of your congregation's men;
• look beyond the boundaries of your own congregation and reach out to ELCA neighbors;
• Consider ways to "encourage" each generation---

1. Give a Master Builder's Bible to each male HS graduate;
2. Offer a parenting class to young men and their spouse with children;
3. Promote father-son gatherings and "one-night" fishing trips or camp outs;
4. Sponsor a "Financial Peace" seminar (ala Dave Ramsey) to promote good stewardship;
5. Honor the young and older men in your congregation who are serving or served in the military;
6. Help men in your congregation view "men's ministry" as more than cutting grass and handing out bulletins;
7. Mix the generations and host a tailgate party for a Texans game, etc.

These ideas can be good grist for your idea bank and remember that each congregation has it's own unique way of reaching out to men. Ask your pastor to pray for the men of the church in the Sunday prayers of the church. Pray for your pastor and your congregation often as this is the gateway to growing men's ministry for all of us...

It's my hope that as the days, weeks, months and years go by...all of us will seek to be that one man in the midst of 17 others to help teach, lead, mentor and coach so that as our LMM vision statement will be lived out..."That every man has a growing relationship with Jesus Christ through an effective men's ministry in every congregation."

Please echo those words nearby and far away...each and every day...the need is urgent and our efforts and even our neglect will not go unnoticed... with "no man, I mean no man left behind..."

Brian

I-C-E = In Case of Emergency

I-C-E = In Case of Emergency

As our Gulf Coast Men in Mission promote...ministry is experienced in a myriad of ways. One of God's call to men is to tend to the family; to provide nurture and protection. This message was shared to me by a good friend of many years. It is self-explanatory.

The below message is provided for your consideration and implementation as a personal protection measure. ICE is a simple and practical idea that is easily accomplished.

Read on.......

The ICE Campaign - "In Case of Emergency"

We all carry our mobile phones with names & numbers stored in its memory but nobody, other than ourselves, knows which of these numbers belong to our closest family or friends. If we were to be involved in an accident or were taken ill, the people attending us would have our mobile phone but wouldn't know who to call. Yes, there are hundreds of numbers stored but which one is the contact person in case of an emergency? Hence the "ICE" (In Case of Emergency) Campaign.

The concept of "ICE" is catching on quickly. It is a method of contact during emergency situations. As cell phones are carried by the majority of the population, all you need to do is store the number of a contact person or persons who should be contacted during emergency under the name "ICE" (In Case Of Emergency).

The idea was promoted by a paramedic who found that when he went to the scenes of accidents, there were always mobile phones with patients, but they didn't know which number to call. He therefore thought that it would be a good idea if there was a nationally recognized name for this purpose. In an emergency situation, Emergency Service personnel and hospital Staff would be able to quickly contact the right person by simply dialing the number you have stored as "ICE".

For more than one contact name simply enter ICE1, ICE2 and ICE3, etc. Be sure it's in your kid's cell phones also.

So what are you waiting for? This is too easy. Program your cell phone with an ICE number today!

Regards, Charles D. Banfi Jr.

Antiterrorism, Law Enforcement and Physical Security HQ, RDECOM

Shared Ministry Travels North for Mission Effort in Kansas

Pastors Karl Johnson and Glenn Hohlt, pastors at the Shared Lutheran Ministry of Fayette County, have traveled to Greensburg, Kansas (where a tornado recently caused major damage) and are served as chaplains (from June 2 to June 8). You can read about their trip on Pastor Karl’s blog at www.myspace/sharedministry (click on the blog entries in the right hand column).

The following is from the Shared Lutheran Ministry web site:

If you would like to help, here are some options:
+ Donations of money and gift cards;

+ Donations for travel expenses for the pastors and others for future trips;
+ Pray, read your Bible, reflect on what you read, and talk with others about what God's

call to discipleship means for us.

Pastor Glenn has responded with Lutheran Disaster Response for several years, and the Coordinator assigned to Greensburg is a friend of his. Pastor Karl traveled for a week in El Salvador after they experienced two earthquakes in 2002. Pastor Glenn and Pastor Karl both feel a strong sense call to help in Kansas. We hope you will help as you are able. The journey will be challenging and difficult, but it will undoubtedly be filled with blessings as we reach out to our neighbors in Kansas.

For aerial images of Greensburg, visit Click here.

New Life Men in Pearland Cross the Border to Build

There's an awareness that is growing in congregations around the country..."church isn't something that we go to...church is what we are..." It's about vision and movement and an intentional tending to the delicate needs of the world outside the door of our churches. And when that discovery becomes personal, congregations and in particular the men in those congregations find themselves involved in amazing things...

In January 2007, Pastor Ricardo Sinisterra led two car loads of men from New Life LC in Pearland to a "sister" congregation, Christo Rey in Reynosa, Mexico. The community's existence has taken shape as people continue to live on the "edge of town," near the dump with a population that continues to grow week by week. This community lives in extreme poverty and the roads are made of mud and only a couple of vehicles ever find there way there. People walk a variety of paths to come together on Sunday for worship and Bible study and a community meal, often the only meal some get on that day.

There are many children there and this new ministry finds itself with unique opportunities and unique challenges. Two challenges in particular were to bring joy to the lives of the children at Christmastime and to expand the worship space that has existed now for a number of months there. The men's group at New Life were ready to respond.

As the weeks of Advent unfolded, the New Life men asked families from the congregation to bring clothing and toys for the children at Christo Rey. The response was amazing! As a result, an entire SUV was converted, with seats taken out, to a U-haul cargo wagon top to bottom, door to door and were delivered on Epiphany Day, January 6, the day we recall the "3 kings" came to visit the Christ child. What delight the parents and children experienced with this huge surprise.

The next day, the men poured concrete and placed beams and added 40 feet to the existing worship space at Christo Rey. The men stayed for worship, they sang, they prayed and they gathered to celebrate the Lord's Supper and rejoice in the "family of God" which God had put together that day. One man mentioned, "it was a Christmas miracle! It changed their live and mine!"

Another trip is being planned to Reynosa on the first weekend of December. And more trips are planned after that. There's an awareness that is growing in congregations around the country..."church isn't something that we go to...church is what we are..." It's about vision and movement and an intentional tending to the delicate needs of the world outside the door of our churches. And when that discovery becomes personal, congregations and in particular the men in those congregations find themselves involved in amazing things...

How does your men's ministry reach out? A trip to Mexico or Port Arthur or New Orleans is not the goal. Mission trips that are a "one-time" event or projects that are ongoing both qualify...

• Is there a woman in your congregation (or a friend of the congregation) who needs her porch steps rebuilt?
• Can the men of the church provide a "quick stop" auto check (tires, oil, belts, etc) for those who are widowed or single parent moms, just before the weather turns cold?
• Does your congregation have a group of men trained to visit other men when they are hospitalized or at home, on the mend and unable to drive? Who can help?
• Which man has a "sermon" in his wallet and is ready to preach just in case the pastor gets sick at 7:30 AM on Sunday morning?
• Which men attend the City Council meetings and School Board meetings in your community and report to the congregation their work and decisions?
• Are the men in your congregation equipped to pray and then serve others willingly?

Intentional, perisistent and consistent efforts by the men in our congregations makes men's minstry both worthwhile and desirous for others to take part! Think BIG. God thinks BiGGER!

St. Paul's, Baytown Men Assist Rita Recovery

Here's a link to the St. Paul's, Baytown, TX Men in Mission story on their web-site...if you have a similar story to tell or another story to share from your men's group...please send it to me and I'll add it to our list...

So, thanks to Rip and all the guys at St. Paul's, Baytown...your efforts make our vision statement make sense...

Lutheran Men in Mission..."that every man grow in his relationship with Jesus Christ through and effective men's ministry in every congregation..."

Here's a story you'll want to share...

http://www.stpaulsbaytown.org/new_L_M_M.html

Brian

Men's Ministry---Needed Now More than Ever

If you are reading this blog for the first time, then let me tell you that this is the first time I've shared my thoughts on this blog but not the first time I've shared my thoughts on this matter. And the matter is the necessity of each congregation in our synod accepting a posture of claiming the urgency of the development, re-development and strengthening of the quality and shape of the ministry to and with men. Someone simply said, "if the church is like a car, then it won't go far on three wheels (worship, education & outreach). The fourth wheel is men's ministry!"

I have been serving as the Coordinator for Men's Ministry in our synod for just about a year. I guess that's what I get when the men from my congregation placed a resolution on the synod assembly floor in 2006 requesting a position such as this be created and then was subsequently asked by our out-going (you can take that 2 ways!) Bishop, Paul Blom to serve the synod this way. I said, "yes, I will," and I must tell you that I have been blessed beyond all belief by the great work that is being done by so many men in our synod and encouraged by even greater things to come! In fact, our new bishop Mike Rinehart has already become one of our synod's best advocates for men's minsitry.

I have visited in many congregations; it'snot enough, but it's a start. I have spoken to hundreds of men; but I'm just experiencing the tip of the iceberg, I'm sure; and in so doing I have learned much...such as...

• many of our congregations do not have an identifiable men's ministry;
• most of our congregations can point to two to three men or a group of men who qualify "loosely" as the men's group there;
• some congregations have a remnant of men's ministry, mostly made up of WW 2 veterans. Their work and devotion to Christ's Church must be celebrated & affirmed;
• some congregations are doing unique things with men that old established former ALC congregations would be understood as "different" or "strange;"
• some congregations have a men's ministry but do not have any connection to Lutheran Men in Mission, existing as "isolated" men's group, not relating to other congregations;
• some congregations are hopeful to build and establish a kind of men's ministry that many are talking about.

But, the bottom line is that men's ministry is most often misunderstood or described in a way that minimizes the amazing work and call that Godly men respond to day after day. The confusion is summed up in the old saying... "we put on our God face on Sunday and the rest of the week we do as we want." And even as how untrue this really is, it's a posture that leads to minimizing the impact Lutheran men actually have. But, there is hope as one man after the next discovers that faith and daily work are intertwined, that faith and family are indivisible, that faith and self-direction are essential and the quality of life in a man increases when these elements are tended to daily and in an intentioanl way. We all desire a stable world; we all want a strong nation; we all wish for peaceful communities; and we all want our homes and congregations to be filled with love and generosity and harvest for God's kingdom. I beleive this can all be true...at all levels and it will take one many at a time to make the difference and our goal is to leave no man behind...

It is my hope that this blog will open doors to men around our synod. Men of all ages and especially the young men in our church ages 19-30. As I said, it's my hope and prayer that we do not leave one man behind and I hope you will prayerfully join me in that same posture. It is already happening...God is doing a great thing ...again...as a ground-swell of ministry to and and with men and those most important to them, empowered by the Holy Spirit continues to surface and grow stronger each day. So, let us trust God's faithfulness, as we open our hearts and minds to the teaching of his Son, Jesus. We have nothing else to do but commit our lives to the work we have been given in this time and place as we await the fullness of the coming Kingdom of God.

So, your thoughts, quips, comments and questions are welcome here....just "blog on," and join in the conversation or write me directly--- brian@newlifelutheran.com.

Brian Gigee, Lead Pastor

New Life, Pearland, TX