Jesus used a small group to create momentum. Jesus launched His divine plan to redeem mankind by making disciples out of a small group. Impressive. The question, of course, is why would he do that? Why a small group? And how can we make the best one?
We’ve worked with thousands of churches, and many would agree it’s hard to stop long enough to reflect on how their mission to make disciples is going.
Here are nine ideas for you to use as discussion-starters at your next several leadership meetings.
In the No Man Left Behind Model, sustaining momentum is the third “gear” in the engine that runs the “conveyor belt.” The conveyor belt can’t stand still; it needs to keep men moving forward in their spiritual journey…
The purpose of the exercise is to determine if there are gaps between how you want the gospel to impact men as disciples of Christ and the opportunities for impact your church offers men.
Ultimately, a man is not a mature disciple until the truth of the gospel is understood, believed, and lived out in his life. We use three key words to help us remember this concept: Head, Heart, Hands.
A pastor who is prayed for, supported, informed, included, and loved tangibly by the men of the church is much more likely to be supportive of those ministry efforts and to feel connected to the men. Here are some practical ways to connect with your pastor…
Every day, Christian men fail morally—not because they don’t want to honor God, but because they have blind spots or weaknesses that they think they can manage on their own. They can’t. They need help, but they have no accountability from a trusted friend.
Possibly the most important aspect of sustaining momentum is to make sure your men really feel like somebody cares about them. Look for leaders who are eager to show men the love of Christ, not their own biblical knowledge.
It’s ironic. The more we try to influence behavior, the less real lasting change we see. Such an approach simply burdens men down and wears them out. We believe, instead, we are called to show men Christ.
From the big momentum building men’s event, to the next step, to…what, exactly? Once you get your men and your men’s ministry off the roller coaster, how do you sustain spiritual progress?
Often the ministries and programs of our churches are like skyscrapers in New York City. Each of them exists without clear connection to other church programs. So getting a man who attends worship to join a couple’s small group or a men’s bible study is like asking him to jump from one skyscraper to another.
Before you can get off the roller coaster, you have to know how you got on in the first place. If a roller coaster men’s ministry is the problem, what’s the cause? In our experience, there are two different “traps” that men’s ministries fall into.
Since 1986, Man in the Mirror has worked with more than 35,000 churches and millions of men with the goal of seeing every man reflect honestly, pursue God wholeheartedly, and live vibrantly. To this end, we equip Christian men around the world to engage in meaningful relationships that change lives and build the kingdom of God.
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