A great orientation meeting will not only thoroughly train your men in men’s team ministry to your widowed and single parents, it will set the tone for your entire ministry. Therefore, it’s critical that you prepare well. Here are some suggestions on how to execute an effective orientation.
- Make sure you have watched the orientation DVD with the workbook yourself. This will help you understand what to expect and what you need to have prepared beforehand.
- Set the day and time of your orientation to duplicate the day and time of your service days. For example, if your service days will be on the second Saturday of each month from 7 am to 10 am, then hold your orientation on the second Saturday of the month from 7 am to 10 am. (Orientations take about two and a half to three hours.) If someone can’t make the orientation, then chances are good they won’t be able to make the service days either.
- Understand the twofold purpose of your orientation. The purpose is first, to inform interested men about the ministry and second, to recruit men and form them into teams. Men need to understand that they are not making a commitment to the ministry just by attending the orientation. There will be a time during the orientation for them to decide whether they want to make that commitment.
- Don’t bribe your men to attend with a breakfast. We want producers, not consumers; workers, not customers. Your boss doesn’t promise you breakfast so you’ll come to work. Not holding a breakfast will communicate to your men that you are serious about work. (Note: If you do have a breakfast, allow an additional half hour for your orientation.)
- Start on time regardless of who is present. Saying what you’re going to do and then doing it is a good example to set for men’s team ministry.
- Have the necessary materials and equipment at hand and ready to go.
- Orientation DVD – You should already have received the DVD if you requested one.
- Workbooks – Workbooks will help your men visualize the scripture I cover in the DVD. They also include important information not covered in the DVD. Be sure to either download and duplicate enough workbooks for everyone, or have your men order their own Kindle versions.
- Name tags – Name tags will help your men feel more comfortable, especially if yours is a large church.
- Pens, pencils – Your men will need these to write down information during the orientation.
- Team cards – These are the cards that you will hand out when you form your teams during the orientation. I describe these in detail in another blog.
- DVD player – Required for the orientation DVD.
- Large display screen with adequate audio – Check to make sure these work with your DVD player prior to the meeting.
- Comfortable seating– Men are larger than women. Set seats at least two to three inches apart and put them in semi-circles instead of straight lines.
- Large, well lit, well ventilated room – This will ensure you men are free from distraction.
- Appoint an MC to oversee the meeting. The MC needs to have already watched the DVD and be well acquainted with all details of the ministry.
- Allow enough time to complete the DVD and organize teams. Orientation meetings normally last about two and a half hours, including a ten minute break.
- Know in advance when your first service day is scheduled so you can announce it at the end of your orientation meeting.
As with anything else, attention to these few details demonstrates to your men that you take the orientation seriously and they should too.
This post first appeared in NewCommandment.org.
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Learn how to form teams of men for every widow, single mom
and fatherless child in your church at NewCommandment.org.
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