Here’s an interesting stat: a survey of 100 churches with men’s team ministries to their widows, single moms, and fatherless children reveals that after two years, a typical men’s team ministry to their widowed and single parents grows 37%. This growth rate is exceptional for men’s ministry. At a time when so many local church men’s ministries struggle just to survive, how do we account for this kind of overall growth?
There are at least 10 factors we can point to.
1. Men’s team ministry to their widowed and single parents is biblical. There are over 100 passages in the Bible that address the needs of the widowed, single parents, the fatherless and the “weak.” Men’s team ministry is one way to respond to the clear biblical teaching on the church’s responsibility toward these people.
2. Men’s team ministry is needed. The vast majority of churches do little ministry dedicated specifically to the widowed and single parents. Men’s team ministry helps fill this void.
3. Men’s team ministry is effective. Widows, widowers and single parents have significant needs that can last for decades. Men’s team ministry provides consistent and effective long term ministry to these people.
4. Men’s team ministry is simple to administer. Because teams serve their care receiver on a regular, predictable basis, eventually the ministry basically runs itself.
5. Men’s team ministry is easy to do. Men serve on teams with three other men for just two hours a month, making their service relatively easy.
6. Men’s team ministry is enjoyable. Men serve in a relational environment, building friendships with other men and with their care receiver.
7. Men’s team ministry naturally promotes itself within the local church. Care receivers talk about their team with other widows and single moms, who then hope to eventually receive their own team. This puts positive pressure on the church to recruit additional men for the ministry.
8. Men’s team ministry fills the congregation with the love of Christ. Men serving their care receivers set the standard for the rest of the church, transforming the church from a consumer church into a sacrificing church.
9 Men’s team ministry lightens a pastor’s load. Instead of expecting the pastor to do all the pastoral care in the church, men take partial responsibility and allow the pastor to focus on his main responsibility – preaching the Word of God.
10. Men’s team ministry glorifies God. Teams of men serving consistently over the years make the steadfast love of God (hesed love) real to their care receivers and visible to the external world.
This post first appeared in NewCommandment.org.
