New Commandment Men’s Ministries BlogHow I’ve Tinkered with the Men’s Team Ministry Model Over the Years
A ministry model should serve the needs of its church. Herb Reese traces men’s team ministry from its Nebraska beginnings through his adaptations in Illinois and Colorado. Changes in team size, meeting frequency, and leadership contact illustrate how churches can preserve lasting relationships while adjusting practical arrangements to local circumstances.
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7 thoughts on “How I’ve Tinkered with the Men’s Team Ministry Model Over the Years”
Hi Pastor Herb! I successfully, at two different Churches, was able to rotate a couple of teams between care receivers that typically ended up with not a lot of work that needed done. I was very nervous about this tweak as I understand the importance of the bonding (trust) that takes place between the care receiver and the team. But only after developing that bond and with mutual agreement did we move to a second care receiver with the understanding of the care receiver not being visited between a month that they could call the team lead anytime and set up a visit if something more urgent came up. This has worked, but only do this with one or two teams (typically usually have a care receiver that has enough to keep us busy for years!) (I was with a prior care receiver, at a different Church almost 10 years!).
Anyway, there is one tweak to your beautifully, God-inspired, proven, can’t ever-not do-this-in-future, blessing, mission!! In Christ, Jim
Yes, Jim, using assigning a second care receiver to a team is definitely a needed tweak if a team is just standing around doing almost nothing.
Herb-Thanks for your commitment and service to this ministry. I love that you will tinker with something but the main mission and vision never changes. The later start with a 2 hour serve on the one Saturday is a nice perk. But I wonder what you think about the group meeting after two weeks from the Saturday serve? That hour (or more) can be flexible during any day or time of the week. The team can get together for a devotional, early coffee/breakfast, lunch, dinner (or dinner before a mid-week service), or a fun night (mini-golf, bowling, rock climbing, hosting a BBQ to include the families of the teams, etc)? Sometimes guys focus on the serving portion and miss out on the connecting and growing part which is also needed.
I think it’s an interesting possible adaptation, Dean. The group meeting at another time of the week would probably become a regular men’s meeting, which is fine. But you would miss out on being able to make last minute adjustments to your teams if they aren’t meeting before their service time. If you try this idea, let me know what happens.
I love that you will tinker with something but the main mission and vision never changes. The later start with a 2 hour serve on the one Saturday is a nice perk. But I wonder what you think about the group meeting sometime after two weeks from the Saturday serve? That hour (or more) can be flexible during any day of the week. The team can get together for a devotional, early coffee/breakfast, lunch, dinner (or dinner before a mid-week service), or a fun night (mini-golf, bowling, rock climbing, hosting a BBQ to include the families of the teams, etc)? Sometimes guys look too much at the serving portion and are missing the connecting and growing part which is also needed.
When we started Helping Hands at Calvary EFC in 2009, we only modified the timing to 8-9 AM for group, and 9-11 AM at care receiver’s home. That adaption has worked well. The group also has pot-luck continental breakfast snacks during that first hour.
Great comment, Bill. I’ll be interested in seeing if other churches have tried this and if men with young children are involved.