Any layman can start a men’s team ministry
It’s easy to start and maintain a men’s team ministry to their widowed and single parents in your church. Here is a “quick start guide” to help you get started.
I’ve designed my material so that any layman can start this ministry. Over the years hundreds of men have done just that. You don’t have to have any special training. And while you may want to take it at a slower pace, you can start this ministry in as little as two months. Here’s how simple it is.
Week 1: Watch the video, “Developing a Men’s Team Ministry to Widows, Widowers and Single Parents,” and go through the workbook by the same title.
It’s critical that you watch the DVD in the download section of the training site as soon as possible so your church leadership will have maximum time to view it themselves. Don’t wait until the last minute. Learn the material well so you can explain it clearly to your church staff and men. Pay special attention to the appendix in the workbook.
Get permission from your pastoral staff
Weeks 2-4: Share the video and workbook with your pastoral staff. Invite your pastoral staff to look over the material and ask them if they think their widowed and single parents in your church would benefit from it. Day 30: Make a final decision on starting a men’s team ministry.
Get permission from your pastoral staff to begin the ministry and work with them on the details of how the ministry will be implemented. (Please do not be disappointed if your pastoral staff does not feel the ministry is appropriate for your church at this time.)
Set a date for your orientation one month later, if you wish.
If you receive permission to start the ministry and if you want to stick to a 60 day schedule, you will have one month to hold your orientation.
Weeks 5-8: Promote the orientation in your church.
Give the orientation meeting wide and sustained exposure in your church. Consult the appendix in the workbook for additional information on preparing for your orientation.
Week 6: Download the workbook and make copies or have your men buy it on Amazon.
Having a workbook in front of them while they watch the DVD will further ground your men in the Word of God on the subject of the needs of the widowed and single parents.
Hold an orientation training session
Day 60 (or thereabouts): Hold your orientation and play the DVD. Men’s team ministry to their widowed and single parents is not rocket science. Once your men watch the DVD with the workbook and form their teams at the orientation, they will have a clear idea of how the ministry and their team will function. That’s it. Easy peasy.
Two months too fast? Try this six month plan
For a more thorough discussion on starting a men’s team ministry over a six month time frame, see How to Start a Men’s Team Ministry.
This post originally 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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5 thoughts on “How Any Layman Can Start a Men’s Team Ministry to the Widowed and Single Parents in His Church in 60 Days”
How much is the sample packet and is there a printed brochure that introduces this ministry?
I met you briefly when you were at First United Methodist Church here in Springfield, IL
I am retired executive minister of American Baptist Churches in Il and MO and am currently serving part time as Congregational Care Pastor fir First United Methodist. While with American Baptists Ihelped start your ministry with a number of Men’s group. Hope to do it now with Methodists.
Appreciate your leadership
Hi, Malcolm. The Sample Pak is $79.95 if you decide to purchase the DVD after you look at the material for 30 days. If not, you just mail the DVD back and keep the two books as a free gift from New Commandment. I hope your effort with UMC goes well. Sorry for the delay on getting back to you on this post!
You have done the best in your daily activities may God bless you , request is how can you make me to reach where you are? thanks may GOD bless you all
Hi Herb,
I began the process of launching our Men’s Ministry in our Church in May of 2012. Our Pastor and I spent at least a month identifying potential Care Receivers. I followed the steps and time line you describe pretty closely and ended up holding our first service day in August 2012. We initially began with 22 men including our senior pastor and one of our Elders. We formed 4 teams of 5 men with 2 floaters. Since then we’ve lost about 10 of the original men (4 of them were team leaders), but picked up 4 new members. We currently don’the have dedicated teams due to the lack of volunteers as leaders, but we continue to serve a group of 18 Care Receivers. Only 5 of the CR’s acrept our help every month. The others allow us to serve them on an as needed basis. We now have 12 men who serve consistently every month, and 4 who serve when it fits their schedule (usually about 4 or 5 months out of the year. We recently put on a very big promotion for our Ministry in our Church, in hopes of attracting more men to join, and new care receivers to contact us. We picked up 3 new men and 4 CR’s. We have received about $5500.00 in donations since we launched in 2012. We’vet used the money to purchase brand new riding lawn mower, push mower, grass trimmer, trailer and pressure washer and shirts and hats. We’ve also used the money to buy a washing machine, 3 storm doors, paint and building materials for our Care Receivers. Our church is very grateful for our ministry and we are now beginning to receive requests for our help from outside our church.
Wow! I love the way you took the model and modified it according to your needs! Thanks for sharing your experience with us. God’s blessing on you and your men’s ministry, my friend.