Why should Men’s Ministry be important in every denomination and local church?

The “Men Problem” in America:

Startling Statistics

• The typical US Congregation draws an adult crowd that’s 61% Female, and 39% male.
• On any given Sunday there are 13 million more adult women than men in America’s churches.
• This Sunday almost 25 percent of married church-going women will worship without their husbands.
• Midweek activities draw 70-80% female participants.
• 75% of volunteers are women.
• The average ratio of men to women in Christian colleges is about 1 male to every 3 females.
• Women are:
• 100% more likely to be involved in discipleship
• 57% more likely to hold a leadership position in the church
• 54% more likely to participate in a small group
• 39% more likely to have a regular devotional time
• 29% more likely to attend church, read their Bible, and share their faith.
• Of the 72 million children in America under the age of 18, 33% will go to bed tonight in a home without a biological father.
• Children who live absent from their biological fathers, on average, are more likely to be poor, experience educational, health, emotional and psychological problems, be victims of child abuse, and engage in criminal behavior than their peers who live with their married, biological mother and father.
• Currently, 57.7% of all black children, 31.8% of all Hispanic children, and 20.9% of all white children are living in single-parent homes.

Tony Evans, in his book Kingdom Man, writes:

• Roughly 70% of all prisoners come from fatherless homes.
• Approximately 80% of all rapists with anger problems come from fatherless homes.
• 71% of all high school dropouts come from fatherless homes.
• 63% of all teen suicides occur in homes where the father was either abusive or absent.
• Virtually every adult social pathology has been linked to either fatherless homes or homes with a father and/or husband who was absent, abusive, or neglectful.

Evans goes on to write, 

“The inmates at the prison I visit came from different cultures, backgrounds, generations, and experiences. They had committed different crimes. But one thing that most shared was that they had either come from a fatherless home or a home where the father was absent, neglectful, or abusive.”

There is a “Men Problem” in America!

Regarding this issue, Dr. Patrick Morley wrote, 

“Based on the actual allocation of intellectual and financial resources, men’s discipleship is not a major priority in any denomination. The Christian church has failed to muster the will or strategy to address the men problem. A majority of churches are not making disciples in general, and have no intentional plan to disciple men in particular. Why is that? Many churches believe they have “tried men’s ministry,” and it doesn’t work for them. Other churches have a few men meeting for a weekly Bible study and a few other men meeting once a month on a Saturday morning for pancakes, so they think they have fulfilled the needs of men. The men problem is among the most pervasive social, economic, political, and spiritual problems of all time. As a result, men are prone to get caught up in the rat race, lead unexamined lives, and become cultural rather than biblical Christians…While there are numerous cultural, social, and political solutions offered, the Christian solution to the men problem is discipleship. The mission—the marching orders—of the Christian church is, “Go and make disciples.”

Several points stand out regarding men’s ministry at large:

• The men problem is among the most pervasive social, economic, political, and spiritual problems of all time.
• Based on the actual allocation of intellectual and financial resources, men’s discipleship is not a major priority in any denomination.
• A majority of churches are not making disciples in general, and have no intentional plan to disciple men in particular.
• The Christian solution to the men problem is discipleship.

The Christian solution to the “men problem” is discipleship.

• What is our intentional plan to disciple men?
• What is our strategy?
• What is our process for helping men grow spiritually and maximize their potential as a kingdom man, husband, father, provider, and mentor?

The M3 Initiative is our intentional plan to disciple men.

The M3 Initiative

M3 stands for: Mentoring Men for the Mission

What are we called to do? What is our mission?

Our Mission:

To help men grow spiritually and maximize their potential as a kingdom man and mentor.

Grow Spiritually

• We believe Scripture shows four stages of spiritual development:
  • Baby (1 Corinthians 3)
  • Child (1 John 2)
  • Young Man (1 John 2)
  • Father (1 John 2)
• Our discipleship process consists of four stages.
• We believe a mature disciple loves God with all the heart (worship), head (Word), hands (service), and feet (witness).
• For further discussion, see our Vision.

Maximize Their Potential as a Kingdom Man and Mentor

• We want men to maximize their potential in five key areas of their life:
  • Man
  • Husband
  • Father
  • Provider
  • Mentor
    • 1 Timothy 2:1-2
      • Notice the mentorship/discipling process:
        • Paul to Timothy, Timothy to faithful men, faithful men to others.
        • This is the discipleship acceleration factor.
    • It is our goal to raise up godly men who will build authentic mentoring relationships with other men through one-to-one interaction and small groups, and for those who are mentored to mentor someone else. This strategy will cause the Kingdom of God to forcefully advance in our generation.

What does the Men’s Ministry of the PCG look like in the 21st Century?

Our Vision:

We see the Kingdom of God forcefully advancing through a vibrant, thriving brotherhood of believers who love God with all their heart (worship), head (Word), hands (work), and feet (witness), who are maximizing their potential as kingdom men, and mentoring others to carry on the mission of spiritual mentorship.

Forcefully Advancing

• On the offensive, going forward, advancing.
• We’re not going to Hunker in the Bunker!
• It’s called the Book of Acts not Reacts!

Vibrant, Thriving

• We see a ministry that is excellent, effective, and efficient.

Brotherhood

• No more isolation!
• We see a ministry where men are linking arms, building friendships, working together, and being accountable to one another.

Love God with all their Heart, Head, Hands, and Feet

• What does a mature disciple look like?
• Would we know one if we saw one?
• It is our understanding of Scripture that a mature disciple is one who loves God with all their heart, head, hands, and feet.
  • Heart (Worship)
    • They glorify God through meaningful worship
    • (Rom. 12:1 NLT; John 4:24; Gen. 22:1-14; Mt. 22:34-40)
  • Head (Word)
    • They live by God’s Word, understanding that it is the authority for all of life
    • (2 Tim. 3:15-17; Mt. 22:37)
  • Hands (Work)
  • They contribute to God’s work by using their gifts to serve the body, to give financially, and to connect relationally.
  • (1 Cor. 12; Romans 12; Eph. 2:10; 4:16; 2 Cor. 8-9)
• Feet (Witness)
  • They impact their world by reaching out to the unchurched and becoming personally involved in missions.
  • (Rom. 10:13-15; Mt. 28:19-20; Acts 1:8)

Maximizing their Potential as Kingdom Men

• We see men maximizing their potential in five key areas of their life:
  • Man
  • Husband
  • Father
  • Provider
  • Mentor
    • Mentoring Others to Carry On the Mission of Spiritual Mentorship
      • 1 Timothy 2:1-2
        • Notice the mentorship/discipling process:
        • Paul to Timothy, Timothy to faithful men, faithful men to others.
        • This is the discipleship acceleration factor.
      • It is our goal to raise up godly men who will build authentic mentoring relationships with other men through one-to-one interaction and small groups, and for those who are mentored to mentor someone else. This strategy will cause the Kingdom of God to forcefully advance in our generation.

By looking at the life of the perfect man, Jesus, and the character qualifications of godly men listed in 1 Timothy 3 and Titus 1, we believe the following are characteristics of a Kingdom Man.

It is our goal to build these attributes in men:

Qualities of the Perfect Man (Jesus)

Jesus, the God-Man, is portrayed in Scripture as the only perfect man (1 Peter 2:21-22). As a result, He is the perfect picture and example of what one should strive to be as a man (1 John 2:6). He is the pristine example of masculinity in every way. Surely no one would say any quality He possessed was unmanly. The following are characteristics of the Perfect Man, Jesus:

• Did the will and work of the Father
  • Not working toward his own success/desires
  • John 4:34; 5:30; John 8:28-29
• Was filled with the Spirit
  • Not the world or its ways
  • Luke 4:1,14
• Gave the gospel to others
  • Mark 1:14-15; John 3-4

• Lived a holy, obedient life
  • Not sinful
  • 1 Peter 2:22; Phil. 2:8
• Sought to meet needs of others
  • Not uncaring/self-focused
  • Matthew 4:23: Luke 4:18-21
• Sacrificed self and own desires
  • Not self-preserving/selfish
  • Luke 22:42; Phil. 2:6-8
• Was gentle whenever possible
  • Not harsh/demanding
  • Matthew 11:29; John 21:15-19
• Led the disciples and others
  • Not a follower when he shouldn’t be
  • Luke 9:1-6; John 6:2
• Showed initiative when He should have
  • Not waiting for someone else
  • Mark 6:34-44; Luke 6:12-16
• Confronted when necessary
  • Not a compromiser/man-pleaser
  • Matthew 23:1-36; Mark 11:15-18
• Was decisive according to God’s revealed will
  • Not wishy-washy or afraid
  • Matthew 4:1-11; Mark 8:31-38
• Fulfilled responsibilities
  • Not irresponsible
  • John 17:4; John 19:30
• Was diligent
  • Not lazy or a quitter
  • John 5:17; Heb. 12:2-3
• Served and listened to others in His leadership
  • Not proudly lording it over others
  • John 13:12-17; John 6:5-10
• Glorified another (the Father)
  • Not greedy for attention or recognition
  • John 8:50-54; John 17:1,4

(Source: Biblical Manhood by Stuart Scott)

God’s will for men is to put on Christlikeness (Romans 13:14). One cannot be a real man unless he is increasing in Christlike qualities. Men should pray about them regularly and seek to emulate them in daily living (2 Peter 3:18).

Qualities of godly male leadership  

• More insight can be gained into God’s expectations about masculinity by examining what God has said concerning male leadership in the church. The Scriptures gives two precise lists of positive and negative qualities by which leaders are to be measured: 1 Timothy 3:2-7; Titus 1:6-9.

Regarding these two lists, Stuart Scott in Biblical Manhood wrote:

Although Paul, in these passages, correlates this set of characteristics with church leadership, these qualities (except for able to teach and not a new believer) are addressed elsewhere in God’s Word for the non-elder Christian. The instructions were given to insure that male leaders were habitually the kind of men that God wants every man to be. Because a leader is always some sort of example (good or bad), it is very important to God that every male leader reflect Christ (1 Corinthians 11:1). Therefore, since these two passages were specifically given by God to men, the basic instructions found in them are profitable for understanding what is truly masculine and what is not. It could even be said, from God’s perspective, that these commands and prohibitions are prerequisites to genuine manliness (Biblical Manhood p. 16).

Also regarding these lists, Gene Getz in The Measure of a Man wrote,

When you first look at the list of spiritual qualifications in Paul’s two letters, you might conclude that Paul was exclusively outlining qualifications for men who serve in pastoral and teaching positions in the church. Not so! While Paul was outlining criteria for selecting leaders, he was in essence saying, “Timothy, if a man wants to become a spiritual leader, that’s great. Just make sure he’s a mature man, and here’s how you can determine if he measures up to God’s standards as a Christian.”… The qualities, however, are goals for every Christian man. Paul simply pulled together several qualities he and other authors mentioned elsewhere in the New Testament and then compiled a marvelous profile for measuring our maturity levels in Christ.

Getz goes on to write…

Two paragraphs in Paul’s letters to Timothy and Titus give us a powerful profile for testing our maturity levels in Christ (1 Tim. 3:1-7; Titus 1:5-10). The following list depicts spiritual qualifications from both letters:

• Overall spiritual maturity (a well-rounded man)
• Above Reproach (a man of good repute)
• The husband of one wife (morally pure)
• Temperate (balanced in words and actions)
• Prudent (wise and humble)
• Respectable (good role model)
• Hospitable (unselfish and generous)
• Able to teach (communicates sensitively in a non-threatening and non- defensive manner)
• Not addicted to wine (not addicted to substances)
• Not self-willed (not self-centered and controlling)
• Not quick-tempered (void of anger that becomes sinful)
• Not pugnacious (not abusive)
• Gentle (sensitive, loving and kind)
• Peaceable (non-argumentative and non-divisive)
• Free from the love of money (non-materialistic)
• Manages his own household well (a good husband and father)
• Loving what is good (pursues godly activities)
• Just (wise, discerning, non-prejudiced and fair)
• Devout (holy, devoted to God)
• Self-controlled (disciplined)

To maximize our potential as kingdom men, we need to develop these qualities in our lives. 

We will attempt to develop these qualities in the lives of men through our discipleship process

Goal: To lead a non-believer to Christ and be baptized in water.

The Church must move beyond just being attractional to being missional.

1. Build an authentic relationship with a non-believer.

• • How to Win Friends and Influence People by Dale Carnegie is a helpful resource for developing people skills.

2. Share your testimony of what God has done for you.

• • Note: Get the Fire Bible (formerly the Full-Life Study Bible and most recently The Life in the Spirit Study Bible). and familiarize yourself with “God’s Plan of Salvation,” the “Prayer for Salvation,” and “What now” at the beginning of the Bible.

3. Invite, Invite, Invite!

• • Invite them to:
    • A men’s fellowship activity
      • My father, J.L. Patillo, a former National KMF Director, was saved because of the impact of a Men’s Chili Supper. Because the men made him feel valued, it opened his heart to the Gospel.
    • A men’s monthly large group meeting
    • See How to Disciple Men (45 Proven Strategies from Experts on Ministry to Men) from the National Coalition of Ministries to Men. We are using this resource for training men’s ministry leaders.
    • A Great Questions of Life Small Group (seeker group)
      • This book can be purchased through globalreach.org for approximately $2.50, or it can be downloaded for free from the same site.
    • A Church Service
      • Ideally, this service will be geared to reach the lost (salvation message, etc…).
        • At our church, we have a Super Sunday on the last Sunday of each month to which we ask people to bring their lost friends and loved ones. This worship service is geared toward salvation. We also provide a meal following the service so that they can connect with other members of the church.

4. Listen to the M3 Podcasts: 

• Our Motto: Turning Trucks into Training Centers!
• We are creating these podcasts now.
• They will be 20 minutes long so that men can listen to them while they are driving to and from work, church, the grocery store, etc…
• We are going to Turn Trucks into Training Centers!
• In this phase, we will focus on apologetics issues and various excuses men may use to not accept Christ.

Note: Water Baptism

• In Myer Pearlman’s book entitled, Knowing the Doctrines of the Bible, in Chapter 10: The Church, under The Ordinances of the Church, there is great information regarding water baptism for the baptismal candidate. We will be creating a handout from this information.

After a man is born again, they will begin the Post-Conversion Process 

Phase One

Goal: For new believers to begin growing in Christ, developing as a man, and serving in the local church in some entry-level capacity.

1. Purchase a Fire Bible 

• This Bible was formerly called The Full Life Study Bible, then most recently The Life in the Spirit Study Bible. The Bible has been revised and updated. This is a Pentecostal study bible consisting of notes and articles from great teachers connected with the Assemblies of God.
• In this phase, we want men to read the New Testament in a year (260 chapters, one chapter a day with notes and articles).
  • This Bible comes in different translations and a hardback can be purchased for approximately $29.99 through Christianbook.com
  • This will start the process of giving the disciple a biblical orientation.

2. Connect with a Discipleship Small Group

• Book: The Purple Book (over one million in print)
  • Twelve chapters—four to five lessons per chapter
  • This book can be purchased for approximately $6.00 through christianbook.com
  • Length of group: Six to eight weeks, then take two to three weeks off, then resume with the next chapter.
  • The groups should last no longer than 1:15 minutes. If they don’t, they will run the risk of running too long and cause people to lose interest.
  • We will provide Small Group Leadership Training through the Men’s Ministry of the PCG.

3. Read Maximized Manhoodby Edwin Louis Cole.

• $11.99 Paperback Christianbook.com
• In addition to the men reading this book, we suggest the monthly men’s larger group meeting use each chapter as a 15-20 minute devotion for the meeting and open it up for discussion.

4. Listen to the M3 Podcastsfor Phase One:

• M3 Podcasts will center around various subjects related to men and their growth (Biblical manhood and practical men’s issues, leadership, business/finance, etc…). These podcasts will be placed on our website (www.pcgmen.org) and our mobile app.
• It is our goal for men to Turn Their Trucks into Training Centers!
• Instead of listening to music to and from work, they could listen to an M3 Podcast and grow spiritually and as a man.
• In this phase, we will focus on Disciplines of a Godly Man by R. Kent Hughes, Spiritual Leadership by J. Oswald Sanders, and Financial Peace Revisited by Dave Ramsey.
• It is not mandatory for the men to purchase and read the books listed in any M3 Podcast to complete a phase, however, we highly recommend they add these to their library. 

After the completion of this phase, they would enter into phase two.

Post-Conversion Process

Phase Two

Goal: For those who have completed phase one to continue to grow in their faith and the knowledge of the Word and biblical manhood, to begin an understanding of leadership, and to continue serving in the local church.

1. Read the Old and New Testaments with The Fire Bible, reading all notes and articles.

• A Read the Bible in a Year chart is located at the beginning of each book of the Fire Bible to help keep men on track for completion.

2. Continue in a Discipleship Group

• The Biblical Foundation Series by Larry Kreider
  • This is a set of 12 small books that can be purchased for $35.99 for the set through christianbook.com.
  • To purchase these individually, they range from $3.00 to $6.00 through Christianbook.com
• We will concentrate on books #1-6 in this phase.

3. Read Kingdom Manby Tony Evans

• As well as the men reading this book, we suggest that the men’s monthly larger group meeting use a chapter of this book as a 15-20 minute devotion for the evening, then open it up for discussion.
• Paperback costs $12.99 and hardback costs $17.99 through Christianbook.com

4. Listen to Phase Two M3 Podcasts:

• In this phase, we will concentrate on The True Measure of a Man by Gene Getz, Leading with Confidence by Bobb Biehl, and Family Finance Handbook by Frank Damazio and Rich Brott.

Post-Conversion Process

Phase Three 

Goal: To complete the biblical foundation training, and continue growing in their understanding of biblical manhood, spiritual leadership and mentorship

1. Read the Old and New Testaments again, but this time in the Maxwell Leadership Bible.

• • $31.49 Hardcover Christianbook.com

2. Continue in a Discipleship Group:

• • The Biblical Foundation Series—Larry Kreider
  • Books #7-12

3. Read No More Excusesby Tony Evans

• • Continue with monthly larger group meeting strategy of taking one chapter and giving a 15-20 minute devotion then open discussion.
  • This book can be purchased through christianbook.com for $15.99 (paperback).

4. Read Husbands and Fathersby Derek Prince

• This book can be purchased through christianbook.com for $12.99.

5. Listen to the Phase Three M3 Podcasts:

• In these podcasts we will focus on Understanding the Power and Purpose of Men by Myles Munroe, The 21 Laws of Leadership by John Maxwell, and Biblical Principles for Becoming Debt Free by Frank Damazio and Rich Brott.

Post-Conversion Process

Phase Four 

(Mentor Phase)

Goal: To prepare men to be a leader and mentor of a small group by having a strong biblical foundation and supportive ministry mindset

Note: Prerequisites:

• To lead a small group and enter into our mentorship program, the individual has to have at least gone through the first three phases of the M3 Process. The exception to this is if the Lead Pastor deems a person qualified based on past experience or training.
• Every small group leader must be approved by the Lead Pastor.

1. Read Knowing the Doctrines of the Bibleby Myer Pearlman

• This book costs $9.99 through christianbook.com
• Eleven chapters. Study one chapter a month. Pentecostal perspective.
• This will provide the individual with a deeper understanding of what the Bible teaches. This is important to be a spiritual mentor.

2. Read In Search of Timothyby Tony Cooke

• $10.99 paperback through Christianbook.com
• This will help the individual see important characteristics of those called to serve in a supportive role under the pastoral leadership.

3. Complete the Small Group Leader Training Seminarthrough the PCG Men’s Ministry.

• We will create this and have this training on our website

4. ReadThe 21 Indispensable Qualities of a Leader by John Maxwell.

• $11.49 christianbook.com

5. Listen to the Phase Four M3 Podcasts:

• Spiritual Authority by Watchman Nee. $8.49 paperback christianbook.com, Mentoring: How to Find a Mentor and How to Become One by Bobb Biehl (costs range from $15-20), and Biblical Principles for Releasing Financial Provision by Frank Damazio and Rich Brott (christianbook.com $24.99).

In addition to providing training in these four phases, the following is our intentional plan to train Men’s Ministry Directors (local church and/or state directors).

1. General Men’s Ministry Training

• Read How to Disciple Men (45 Proven Strategies from Experts on Ministry to Men) $10.99 paperback through christianbook.com)
• Read Quick Scripture Reference for Counseling Men by Keith R. Miller. $9.49 through christianbook.com.

2. Doctrinal Training

• Knowing the Doctrines of the Bible Myer Pearlman
  • This is also required for the Small Group Leader Phase (Phase 4)
• If you have read this book under Phase Four, read Bible Doctrines: A Pentecostal Perspective by William Menzies. $15.99 paperback Christianbook.com

3. Supportive Ministry Training

• In Search of Timothy Tony Cooke
  • This is also required in Phase 4: The Small Group Leader Phase.
    • If you have read this book under Phase 4, read Promotion: Ten Guidelines to Help You Achieve Your Long-Awaited Promotion by Rick Renner. $16.99 paperback Christianbook.com

4. Leadership Training

• Read The Making of a Leader by Frank Damazio. 16.99 Paperback christianbook.com
• Read Qualified by Tony Cooke. $10.99 Paperback Christianbook.com

5. Listen to the M3 Podcasts:

• We will focus on Aubrey Malphurs book entitled, Strategic Disciple Making, as well as practical life issues for men.

For the Men’s Ministry to succeed, we must get into the Districts, Sections, and local churches. We will not succeed without connecting to the grassroots.

The following is how we plan to build the men’s ministry from the grassroots up.

M3 Ministry Tours

Target: Local Church and Churches within their Section

We would like a local church to sponsor an M3 Men’s Ministry Weekend and invite the churches from their section to attend.

• It’s easier to connect and communicate with a smaller group than a larger one. Ample time can be given to each leader for training, building relationships, and answering questions.
• When a local church sponsors an M3 event, and invites other churches to attend, we can connect with the men of our movement and help mobilize them as well as the pastors.

The following could serve as a format for an M3 weekend:

Friday BBQ (or fish fry) and Men’s Rally

• Eat and Fellowship 6:30—7:30
• Cornhole, horseshoes, etc…
• Worship and Fiery Inspirational Message to men—7:30
• Ask each church to bring a $20 gift card to a restaurant for giveaways.
• Goal: Get men having fun and fellowshipping with one another, and to inspire and revive the men of our movement. We will preach with the intent of waking up the giant.

Saturday AM Breakfast

• Breakfast for Pastors and Men’s Ministry Leaders
• Have giveaways for those present.
• Goal: To provide direction and training by communicating the M3 Initiative in great detail.

Sunday AM and PM Services

• Preach in a couple of churches within the section to promote the men’s ministry and edify the local church.
• Sermons do not necessarily have to be geared toward men. However, we will be able to communicate the ministry to the local church and be a visible representation of the ministry.

National Men’s Conference

• Each year, we want to have a National Men’s Conference so that men throughout our movement can come together for inspiration, fellowship, mentorship, and training.

This year’s event will be held

October 17—19, 2019

(Thursday—Saturday)

Christpoint Church

Galena, KS (suburb of Joplin)

Pastor: Dr. Joshua Pennington

We will be sending details soon.

Regional Men’s Conferences

• To connect the ministry to every geographical location, we need to get into each region.
• We are starting with a National Conference first then we will add Regional Conferences as we build the movement.

Website and Mobile App

• Through our website and mobile app, we can minister to all the men of our movement simultaneously.
• There will be an abundant supply of training provided through our M3 Podcasts.

International Plan

• The Men’s Ministry of the Pentecostal Church of God is a global ministry.
• It is our intention to reach men across the globe, but we want to get the ministry thriving on a national level first.
• Reaching the nation will help us reach the nations.

For this ministry to succeed, it must have finances. 

The following is our financial plan to fund the men’s ministry:

Ten for Men Campaign

• We want to reach beyond just the leaders of the PCG for financial support.
• We will target the laymen of our movement to financially support our vision by pledging to support the ministry with $10 a month.
• This pledge can be paid through the online giving link on our pcgmen.org website or by sending a check to the General Office.

Quarterly Provision for the Vision Offerings

• We will communicate an opportunity for people to give a quarterly offering to the men’s ministry.
• This is an option for people not willing to make a monthly pledge.

Kingdom Financiers

• These are people and churches that will be willing to partner with us and be substantial givers to the ministry.

Note:

Good quality product will be a little more expensive to purchase. It will be difficult to make much profit without overpricing the product for the consumer. Obviously, we will have to charge enough to cover our expenses, and shipping and handling, but it is our goal to get as many men wearing the product as possible.