Recently I’ve had different men contact me to tell me they are promoting men’s team ministries in multiple churches in their communities. One individual in New Zealand wrote the following:
The last weekend in July we are having a breakfast for about 30 Christian guys from 5 churches in the community, with a focus on widows and solos. [Solos is their term for single moms.] We have been using your model for many years and are hoping to promote this work to others. We want to create new and long lasting friendships with men and care receivers, so we can meet their needs.
Holding a community event like this is a great way to spread the word about the importance of churches serving their widowed and single parents and to showcase how men’s team ministry does that.
I responded to his email with the following suggestions for maximizing their breakfast meeting:
- Ask some women in your church to cook the breakfast for you so that ALL of your own men can be out talking to your guests instead of back in the kitchen cooking. (And the breakfast will probably be better anyway.)
- Invest some money in the food so that it’s a really good breakfast and not just eggs and pancakes.
- Have a postcard sized handout at each seat for the men to read as they wait for the breakfast to start. On one side, briefly summarize what your ministry does. On the other side, you have two options. If you want your 30 guests to start their own men’s team ministry in their church (this is definitely the preferred option), then say something like, “Questions? Contact…” and then put the contact information of someone in your church. On the other hand, if you want the men to volunteer to help your own church’s men’s team ministry, then ask them to fill out their contact information on the back and hand it in.
- Invite the pastors and/or men’s ministry leaders of the churches the 30 men are from. They are the decision makers and will be vital to starting the ministry in their churches. (A cautionary note: Most pastors are not going to be thrilled with you recruiting their men to your church’s men’s ministry. Just saying. That’s why starting men’s team ministries in their churches is the preferred option.)
- Invite your 30 guests to check out my Meeting to Meet Needs online membership site located at NewCommandment.org. One man from each church can join the site and share his membership with everyone in his church. It has everything they need to know on how to start a men’s team ministry. You can list the website on the back of the 3×5 card you’ll be putting on their tables.
- After your men eat, start the meeting with a time of worship. This will prepare their hearts for your message of service to widows and solos.
- Finally, and most importantly, invite some of your widows and solos, along with their teams, to share their testimonies. This will give your visitors first hand exposure to the ministry.
Word of mouth is one of the most important ways men’s team ministry to their widowed and single parents has spread to churches around the world. Holding a simple breakfast and sharing with men from other churches your own church’s experience with men’s team ministry can be a very potent way to promote this ministry.
This post first appeared in NewCommandment.org.
A Simple Ministry Concept with Profound Implications
Teams of four men serving widows, single moms, fatherless children and others with long-term pressing needs in their churches and communities.
