"Men Like Us"

Groucho Marx was once quoted as saying, "I wouldn't want to join a club that would have people like me as a member." It's not the kind of horn-blowing the Marx brothers were known for but we all get the point. But, what does it mean for us if we were to say of ourselves...

"I wouldn't want to belong to a church that would have people like me as a member!"

But, what kind of men are part of your church? Only the kind you like to hang out with or are there many and various kinds of guys? Hopefully, the latter. In fact, I like hanging out with all kinds of guys at New Life...not just jocks or wanna-be jocks or geeks (a therapist told me once...I'm more both that I think!) or rocket scientists or accountants or Starbuck's guys or guys that can work on old cars...or even guys with last names that don't sound German or Swedish...or guys who have a midwestern accent in the midst of Texas and Lousiana twang...

That's a reality that makes our churches strong...especially when we are "tending" to the men like our grandfathers tended to the garden or the back 40...an intentional, daily effort!

Here are some simple intentions from Dave Murrow from his web-site and a link where the men and pastors of this synod can begin working on developing a great "Father's Day" worship celebration with a focus on the men in your community of all ages...Murrow refers to the guy who is thinking about attending your congregation as "Nick" and most likely...he's no saint!

1. Stop sending Nick signals that church is for women. Take a look around the facilities. Is your church a place where guys like to "hang out?" What Would Jesus Do with your church plant?

2. Pay attention to Nick's life and become students of men. Have you read a good book about males? Life development? What men need at different age levels? Bring a behavioral psychologist to your "men's night" and have him walk the men through the "stages of a man's life." Also, a student of men is paying attention to discern what men need when they hurt; when they are afraid; when they have children to raise; when they retire. Pastors and leaders of men...study the men...

3. Men need great leadership. One thing I know about guys...they know a phony when they see one... Great leaders challenge, instruct, cajole, cheer and direct others through their own self-defined efforts. Leadership bears fruit which makes more leaders. See Jesus' life in the Gospels.

4. Helping men learn. Guys don't want to be dumb; they don't want to be left out. If there's any one thing I've learned in 25+ years of pastoral ministry it is this one thing...men in our churches will bend over backwards and go the distance when they understand what is going on. The key is found in the old proverb..."tell me something and I'll forget it; show me something and I might remember it; involve me in it and I'll claim it as my own." Isn't it interesting that Jesus' disciples finally got it...when they went out and did it...

5. Helping men worship. This is not rocket science. It's harder (so says Peter Moreley)! Help men learn that "going to church" is not equal to worship. Use the term "worship" rather than asking "where do you go to church?" It gives guys the idea that "church" is somewhere else where they are not rather than the reality that they ARE the church right now and where they are! Worship that involves men and plays to their senses engages men. Be visual. Sing "guy songs," and every once in a weekly sermon it's OK for the pastor to say something like..."and men...pay attention to this part...this is the part you won't want to forget." And please don't ask them to hold hands with the stranger standing next to him but do tell them that Jesus is in their lives as they come to eat and drink with other sinners. They like eating and drinking with other sinners.

6. Helping men serve. This may be one of the most critical aspects of men's ministry. Check out your church roster. Who are the most active, most committed, best contributing men in the church? You already know the answer to the question. The guys who are the most active and who "get 'er done" one day at a time and one week at a time all year long. Guys can be challenged to serve God IN and OUT of the church doors. It's a BOTH/AND kind of thing...not and either/or...

Do we want our churches filled with just guys life us? Or do we want to hear our Lord's call to "go, make disciples," giving way to our own wants and desires and rather doing the work that leads to churches full of men. Even though guys don't like to sing...we must all admit when God's house is filled with men...the singing is always better...

Blessings to you as you keep your collective noses to the grindstone of faith and work...

Here's the link to help you plan a wonderful "men's day" later this year...download it...it's FREE!

http://www.churchformen.com/GoForTheGuysSunday.pdf

Brian

Men in Mission "Training Day" and Gathering Encourages All

"Shout to the north and the south...sing to the east and west..." Men from all four corners of the synod...Texas AND Louisiana... and men from 3 separate generations gathered at Covenant Lutheran Church on Friday and Saturday, February 15-16. Here are some highlights...

• Over 30 men gathered for an all-day training session with Dave Murrow to respond to the topic, "Why Men Hate Going to Church." 11 of them were pastors!
• Peter Mayer gave a 2 hour concert to a small but intimate crowd on Friday night. Our hearts were on fire as we listened to songs of the grace, mercy and peace of God which comes to us even as surpise in our daily lives & struggles;
• We were reminded..."Men love God;" but the environment of our churches need adjusted to welcome more men;
• On Saturday, 85 men gathered! This is three times (3x) the amount of our 2006 gathering and almost twice as many that gathered in Temple, TX in 2007. One man from Advent, Houston, reported that this was the most attended annual synod gathering in his 20 plus years!
• Bishop Mike Rinehart preached and challenged us to be "border crossers" entering the lives of those different than ourselves and to be mindful of the opportunities we have to share God's love with others;
• Dave Murrow took us on a tour of what a man encounters on a typical Sunday morning! In the contest of Tim vs. Tina, Tim was the loser 10-0 in ten critical "church behaviors". More on that in another note!
• Velon Burnet was elected the new synod LMM President. John DuFrene from LA was elected 2nd Vice-President and plans for men attending the National LMM Gathering in Omaha, NE AUG 1-2-3 were shared with all;
• News of the establishment of an "Endowment for LMM" was shared also asking each congregation in our synod to "throw a party" with the intent of raising at least $1000 to help match a gift of $500,000 by one man from Wisconsin! We can do this! Let's do it!
• In 2009, our annual gathering will be held in a Tri-synod setting will all TX and LA men meeting in Austin, TX
• As we gathered to leave, pastors were recognized and all the men and clergy gathered around our bishop and to lay hands on him and pray that God will continue to bless his work and leadership.

So, thanks to all the men at Covenant for hosting us and for our synod's Men in Mission Leadership Team for their planning and tending to the details of this life-shaping weekend!

Men...write in your comments so others will know what this event meant to you...

Brian

St. Paul, Columbus, TX Men Aiming to End Hunger

Pastor Jeff Marsh is encouraged when he hears the words, "make the world a better place!" As men's groups all around the country are picking their battles to do so, here's one way the men of St. Paul are making the world a better place. He reports...

"Out here in Colorado County, we're infested with deer. So many deer, that landowners who go through the proper application process can get doe permits from TPW. Many of these doe permits go unused each deer season. In a sermon before deer season opened, I asked my congregation--which has several landowners who get doe permits--to use them all and to give away their unwanted venison to the hungry in our community.

That sermon prompted a member to pony up the money for a freezer to store the venison. This same man also promised to pay for processing! And this same man gave away every deer he killed this past season (seven). Even his son gave away most of the meat from the deer he killed. Another man did the same with his deer.

We also are willing to take other wild game--feral hog, duck, geese; as well as fish. So far, we've given away several grocery bags of venison to folks in the community.

And I personally gave away four processed deer to church members who don't have it so well."

And as God always seems to have his way with us...he says this, too...

"Now, we're planting a garden on church property so the hungry get vegetables as well as meat."

Do you have a good news story to share? Your ideas bless and energize the ideas of other men as we seek to be good and faithful servants of the gospel...

Brian