Five reasons why an intentional plan for discipling men is vital to churches, families, and communities
Over the last 35 years, I have seen first-hand the positive impact of churches utilizing intentional discipleship. When men are equipped, encouraged and empowered to live their lives for Jesus, everyone benefits. While many churches say they have a plan to disciple their men, when you ask them what that plan is, their response is, “it’s organic” – which is often code for “we don’t have one”.
I’d like to share five reasons why having an intentional plan for discipling men is vital to churches, families, and communities.
1.) Church growth:
Several years ago, before a Sunday service, I spoke with Stuart Briscoe – Elmbrook Church’s Senior Pastor at the time. He said, “Steve, look out there, what do you see?”
I answered, “I see a few thousand people, just like every other Sunday morning,” He said, “No, really. What do you see?” Again, I said, “ I see a sanctuary full of people.” He explained, “I see a congregation full of men and for that I want to thank you. Your work over the past 25 years has changed the complexion of this church.”
While the average American congregation is roughly 61% female and 39% male, we were able to see a 50/50 balance of men and women at the time. It often takes a man to lead another man to Christ. When men are equipped to share their story and God’s story, you will have an army of men walking out of your church each Sunday to carry the gospel into their homes, workplaces, and communities. If you add to that an event intended to supplement their personal evangelistic efforts, the result is hundreds of men impacting their world for Christ.
2.) Results are spiritually mature servant leaders:
Often men grow up in a church, but don’t find spiritual maturity on their own; just the opposite. I’ve seen many men in their 50s, 60s, and 70s acting like children and spreading spiritual immaturity through the Church. When those men go through an intentional process of discipleship they will find themselves, lives will be transformed, relationships healed, marriages reconciled, addictions broken, and they are set free to follow hard after Jesus.
Men will be mobilized to serve Christ. After a recent Monday staff meeting our new children’s pastor stopped me. “Steve, thanks a ton,” she said. “Well, you’re welcome,” I answered. “But, what for?” I had to ask. She replied, “I spent yesterday morning going around and introducing myself to all of the Sunday School teachers and I was absolutely amazed at what I experienced. We have as many men serving in the children’s ministry as women! In all the churches where I have worked or spoken, I have never seen so many men involved in teaching the young kids. Thank you.”
3.) Move men from the bench and into the game:
When men are equipped, trained and encouraged to use their gifts and abilities for Kingdom impact, you will see countless men move from the pews and into the game. Using their God-given talents, gifts and passions, they can work alongside the urban poor, tutor students, preach in nursing homes, minister to the unemployed, disciple college students, start a ministry to executives, travel with mission trips, serve all over the church and community. Men want to be involved in a cause greater than themselves, we just need to give them the opportunity to do it.
4.) Men will be connected in community:
“As iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another”. The optimal place for a man to grow is a small group of like-minded men. In a small group, the masks come off, the conversations go deep, accountability is invited, dreams and fears are shared, and men can walk with each other through the ups and downs of life.
5.) Families will be strengthened:
When you reach the man you reach his family as well. Many studies prove there is a direct relationship between a man coming to Christ and his family following Christ. Men will be able to love and serve their wives, be engaged with their children and leave an eternal legacy. With the rise of and consequences of fatherless children, men who seek to model their lives after their heavenly Father will turn the tide.
Church leaders, if you want men who are spiritually growing, emotionally mature, relationally committed and Kingdom mobilized then begin to make an investment in the men of your church and community – invest in the men of your church and community – because when men get it right, everyone wins.
