Last month I wrote an article outlining how vital a woman’s involvement in Women’s Ministry is to her living out the biblical command to walk in a manner worthy of her calling (Ephesians 4:1-3). No effective Christ-follower can lead a private, secluded faith journey—we need fellowship with Christ, fellowship with others, accountability, encouragement, and an opportunity to serve one another. While the focus of last month’s article was the women, I want to take a moment to highlight how necessary it is for men to join in what Jesus is doing through the Men’s Ministry at SCBC.
For the past 3 years, Chris Derry has been leading the Men’s Ministry along with his dedicated team of men: Wilson Clark, Jon Ricker, and Pastor Trevor Collazo. Their mission is to model our church’s mission statement:
To connect with God
To connect with others
To connect others with God
There are many ways the leadership team seeks to encourage men to do just that: service, missions, and discipleship. There are opportunities to have deep, meaningful conversations; meet new men from the church; share meals together; and serve the church body and surrounding community. Here are some of the men’s events for the remainder of the year:
“Meat and Greet” Discipleship Kickoff with Dr. Chuck Lawless — August 24
Day of Service — November 17
Manger Build — December 8
So why, other than kicking back and having a blast with other guys, is it important for a man to get involved in your church’s men’s ministry?
Let’s take your men’s ministry coordinator Chris Derry’s own story. When he first surrendered his life to the Lordship of Jesus Christ, there were a few godly men who came alongside him. They helped Chris, as a new believer, see both the need and the incredible value of biblical brotherhood. Without other men pouring into his life and helping him work through sin and show him how to be spiritually disciplined, Chris would have struggled to mature in his relationship with Jesus.
There are so many things vying for our time, and so many messages culture sends about what being a man really looks like. It can be total confusion; however, we can look to Jesus for the perfect example. Jesus himself embodied the perfect picture of manhood. In Vince Miller’s article, Nine Attributes of a Real Man, we see some characteristics of Jesus that men in our church should—and do—display on a regular basis: “he follows a greater authority, discipleship is essential, he is joyful in obedience, he has spiritual discipline, he abides in the word of truth, he bears spiritual fruit, he carries out God’s mission, he loves others faithfully, and he commits to brotherhood.” Though no man can do this to Christ’s standard (Romans 3:23), we can be confident that he rewards those who seek to follow him (Hebrews 11:6) and he is faithful to forgive us and cleanse us from all unrighteousness when we do sin (1 John 1:9). When a man makes it a priority to take part in his Men’s Ministry, he squashes his pride and need for control, opens himself to the work of the Holy Spirit, and will produce fruit in his life.
The Men’s Ministry wants to see men of all ages deepen their passion for Jesus and the Church, and as a result, to become godly leaders in every aspect of their lives. For a man to join in with what Jesus is doing through the Men’s Ministry, he can expect genuine friendships, fun, edifying attitudes, a safe place to confide in other men as he wrestles with sin struggles, and countless opportunities to obey Christ and mature in his walk with the Lord.
If you are interested in getting plugged into events, teaching equipping classes or discipleship groups, helping to facilitate events, or serving on the Men’s Ministry team, you can talk with anyone on the Men’s Ministry team, email men@swiftcreekbaptist.org or visit the Men’s Ministry website.
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About the Author: Renee is the wife of Student Pastor, Mark Young. They have three children, Ezra (2.5), Piper (1.5), and Zoe (due in September). She enjoys reading and doing anything outside. She consumes too much coffee and is eager to talk to anyone. Renee can be reached by email at renee.markyoung@gmail.com.