Church of God LifeBuilders

Introduction

Everyone needs a coach—whether to help you build a home, improve a golf swing, or lead a small group.  The question is: what does coaching look like?  How do we inspire, shepherd, and develop leaders of groups and teams so that they grow in wisdom, maturity, and skills?  Here’s why every LifeBuilders Men’s Ministry needs a head coach:

Men need relationships.  We always speak of people needing a personal relationship with Jesus Christ.  But it’s hard for many men to understand that when they have so few personal relationships on the earth.  The church needs to be the place where men find the personal relationships they need, both with God and with other Christians who can bring them to a new level in Jesus Christ.

Men need a Christian role model. We’re always modeling, whether we realize it or not.  Men’s leaders should pursue the Jesus way of life for their own benefit and growth and at the same time show the way and live a life worth emulating.  We inspire others when we pursue Christ.  This is one of the main tasks of a LifeBuilders head coach.

Men need a challenge. Many men go through a “humdrum” life with no challenges.  Most find this frustrating, although few will admit it. The church needs to be the place where they find the challenge for greatness that God places within men.

What is coaching?

Coaching is simply helping people take the next step on the journey.  In his great book titled Christian Coaching, Gary Collins explains that the word coaching means “to get people from where they were to where they wanted to be.”  It is a “togetherness journey” for the men of the local church.  A coaching plan in your church provides opportunities to guide a believer toward growth, service, and connection with Jesus.  Coaches help the men in the church to take their next step of spiritual growth.

Biblical Example

One of the best examples of a coach in the bible is that of Barnabas.  He is mentioned 29 times in the New Testament, mostly in the Book of Acts. In Acts 4:36 he is called the “son of consolation.”  In this verse “consolation” means “encouragement.”  The ministry of Barnabas was a coaching ministry.  Here are some of his attributes:

• He was a great encourager. He had the ability to hear and speak into the lives of others.  In Acts 9:27 we are told that Barnabas “took” Paul and “brought” him to the other apostles.
• He saw potential in others.  Acts 12:25 says that he fulfilled his own ministry and took others [John] with him.
• He was a resourceful person.  He often linked people with needed relationships and resources to promote the Kingdom.  Acts 13:1 says he was a “prophet and teacher.”

In essence, Barnabas offered four essential elements that makes one an effective coach: encouragement, support, affirmation and accountability. Barnabas was not a “front” leader.  He seemed to be content to coach and mentor other young and emerging leaders.

Concept

The BIG idea of this plan is to build Godly men for leadership and ministry.  The goal of LifeBuilders Head Coach Training is to produce a disciple making ministry to men and through men in the local church.  The LifeBuilders men’s coach shares wisdom and experiences with the men of the church, points them to the best teaching and training materials and helps them grow in effectiveness.

The Program

A Head Coach is a man in a local Church of God who both establishes those essential one-on-one relationships and, though personal interaction, challenges and assists men to reach a new level in their walk with Jesus Christ, both on a spiritual and on a practical level.

Each local church with a LifeBuilders men’s ministry and a plan to disciple men will be encouraged to appoint a Head Coach.  The Head Coach will, in turn, disciple men individually and/or in a small group environment.  [Special note: do NOT make the mistake of trying to disciple all the men in one class.  Put the men in small groups of three to five men and only begin with one or two groups at a time]. The goal is to take men from the “new convert” or “baby Christian” stage and disciple and train them to become laborers and leaders in the congregation with the ultimate goal in mind of reaching other men.

The Head Coach will work with the men of his local church on a one-on-one basis in the following areas:

• Bible knowledge
• Spiritual disciplines
• Character building
• Ministry and evangelism skills
• Life management

Requirements

The Head Coach for a local church is to be appointed by the pastor.  He must meet the following requirements:

• Be a man of good character, saved, sanctified, baptized in the Holy Spirit, a member of the local church and active in the life of the church.
• Read the following books (available from Lay Ministries) which were chosen to point men to the basic objectives of the program and of coaching:
  • Christian Coaching: Helping Others Turn Potential into Reality by Gary R. Collins
  • As Iron Sharpens Iron: Building Character in a Mentoring Relationship, by Howard Hendricks and William Hendricks.
• Attend a “Building a Sustainable Men’s Ministry” seminar at Man in the Mirror Ministries in Orlando, Florida (http://www.maninthemirror.org)
• Be able to teach the following courses (available from Lay Ministries):
  • LifeBuilders Essentials, the basic discipleship course (one-on-one or very small groups)
  • Kingdom Calling, the next discipleship course (video course for classroom presentation)

A Head Coach will also be expected to facilitate Matthew 25 Men activities, although training for this can be done after appointment as Head Coach.

Lay Ministries will provide verification and evaluation for all requirements except for the first.

Activities

The Head Coach will be engaged in the following activities:

• Be an ex officio member of the LifeBuilders Men’s Ministries Leadership Team (MMLT) in the local church.
• Organize the men in teachable small groups.  We strongly recommend that the model for the weekly discipleship teaching be centered around small groups.  Rather than try to teach all the men at the same time, plan to break the men into small groups of three to five men.  They can be empowered to meet when and where they wish.  When men are discipled in small groups they become more open and talkative and more accountable to each other.

• Teach or facilitate the LifeBuilders Essentials and Kingdom Calling discipleship courses.  Visit our web store at to order these materials.
• Organize and/or facilitate the Matthew 25 Men activities in cooperation with the LifeBuilders local church team leadership.  This includes scheduling and coordinating Matthew 25 Men trips with the onsite coordinator of the Matthew 25 Men center and preparing a budget for these events.

Be eligible for appointment as a District or Regional Head Coach in those states which have this ministry opportunity available.

By Leonard C. Albert

God is moving in the hearts of men.  He is calling men to stand up for what they believe in—to be faithful in their personal walk with Christ, to their families and to their church.  In order to begin an effective ministry to men in your church or to revive your existing men’s ministry, you need to assemble a team of dedicated people to organize and lead the effort.  Sometimes it is possible to attract men to the local church through exciting events or conferences.  We call these “momentum creating events.”  Years of experience tell us that the only way to keep these men involved is to provide a well-planned, on-going local church men’s ministry with clear purposes and credible people involved.  This section shows how to find the men who will lead other men in the local church.

Campus Crusade for Christ founder, Bill Bright, has often said, “Everything boils down to leadership.”  Dr. Pat Morley, founder of Man in the Mirror Ministries says that, “The height of your men’s ministry will be determined by the depth of your leadership.”

The truth is that in order to begin and/or sustain an effective ministry to men and disciple new ones, you will need to put together a small group of dedicated leaders who truly want to see the church minister to men.  Someone has to organize and lead the effort.  It is essential to choose your leaders wisely.  You will need to choose not only a team leader, but a whole team if you want to reach and disciple men.  Reaching men through other men using groups and teams is God’s idea.  In the Old Testament, King David had his mighty men, Jesus recruited and trained twelve disciples, and the early church had deacons, elders and lay ministers.  The same is true today—you need an organized force to reach men—a band of brothers with an arrow through their heart for men’s ministry in the local church.  Let’s look at a strategy to find them.

Identify the Men Who Can Lead

There are basically three types of leaders: (1) those who are now involved, (2) those who are in training to become leaders, and (3) those who feel that God is calling them in this area.  This brings us to a present truth: your leaders don’t have to start out committed—that can come later.  Here are the steps involved:

• Prayerfully write out a list of the ten or twelve most spiritually respected men in your church.
  • At this point it doesn’t matter how busy their schedules are or even if they are interested or not.
  • Focus on men who have a heart for God and for reaching others.  Let them make up their own minds under God’s leadership.
  • The idea is to identify and equip a men’s ministry leadership team who will in turn produce cutting edge ministry opportunities for the men.  Pray for God to give you favor with these perspective candidates.
• Look for individual leadership team members who have one or more of these abilities:
  • Salespeople.  These men are the “persuaders” because they know how to get other people excited about an idea.  They are forever salespeople because it is just in them to try to persuade others to join in on a plan or idea.  They are great to have on your team because, by instinct, they help others feel the excitement of the challenge and they convey the spirit of “we can do this” when it comes to ministry.
  • Doers.  These are the men who can “cut to the chase” and get the job done.  They are front-line guys who, as we say, can “deliver the mail.”  They have the skills to deliver ministry so tasks are completed properly and on time.
  • Administrators.  These are the men that possess the natural talent to coordinate, plan and troubleshoot.  They have the ability to see “what’s coming down the pike” and be proactive in helping solve potential problems.  They not only do the work, but because they are leaders, they uphold others who also are working.

Schedule a Preliminary Meeting

Approach each of them and say something like this: “God has put it on my mind to explore the need and desirability of starting (or reorganizing) a LifeBuilders men’s ministry in our church.  I believe you are one of a handful of men that the other men in our church would follow. I want to have a meeting to discuss the possibilities.  Would you be willing to pray about coming to this one meeting and give your counsel?”  It is quite possible that not all will respond positively, but hopefully, five or six of the men will step forward for possible leadership positions.

Pointers for the first meeting:

1. Keep the first meeting to a maximum of one hour. If everyone knows it’s a one hour meeting, you can be very productive.  Besides, a long, tiring meeting may create second thoughts about going further.
2. In preparation for this initial meeting, you will want to share your vision for the men of the church.  It is important to understand that the ultimate purpose of any LifeBuilders men’s ministry is to reach and win men to Christ and to disciple them into an authentic Christ-centered relationship.  As you put together a vision statement for your men’s ministry, you want to be specific enough so that others capture a sense of where the ministry is going.  Yet you want to be loose enough with details, so that you can easily incorporate creative new ideas as new leaders join the team.
3. Try to answer these questions before the meeting:
   1. What is the main goal we’ll accomplish through this ministry?
   2. Why do we want a men’s ministry in the church?  (Hint: see #2 above.)
   3. What methods will we use—what is our philosophy of ministry?
   4. How will we create, capture and sustain momentum among our men?
   5. Do we have ideas about what activities and programs we might incorporate into our ministry?
   6. How can we demonstrate that a healthy men’s ministry will strengthen the whole church?

Meeting content:

1. Begin with prayer (about five minutes.)
2. Review the history of ministry to men in your church (about five minutes).
3. Be up front and honest about the blessing and the burdens of previous attempts at men’s ministry.
4. Share the potential of a new or renewed LifeBuilders men’s ministry.  Our new LifeBuilders plan with an emphasis on discipleship will renew your men’s ministry because many men will be won to Christ, discipled and by extension, bless the families in our church and community.
5. Talk a little about the environment for reaching men (about 15 minutes.)
   1. How are men doing?
   2. What are their problems?
   3. How should the church respond?
6. Review our LifeBuilders discipleship materials (about 15 minutes).  Talk about the potential of discipling and training the men of your church.
7. Closing comments:
   1. “It seems clear that God is calling us to reach the men of our church and help them grow.  I would like to suggest that, together, we go through a three week process of designing a men’s ministry for our church using the Church of God LifeBuilders Men’s Ministry material as a guide.  Who would like to give it a try?”

Activities for Leadership Team Members

Later on we explain in detail some of the specific duties of the men’s ministry team members.  At this point it is important to consider the “big picture” of your ministry to men and look at some general areas that will need leadership from the team.  Keep in mind that these individual men can recruit other men to work with them, thus forming a small group or team.  Here’s a list:

1. Strategy and Coordination.  This man is responsible for focusing on strategic (overall, long-term) issues of the ministry.  He helps define identity, themes, and priorities at the ministry level.  He offers advice about the overall direction of the LifeBuilders ministry to men.  This person works with the LifeBuilders team leader to plan the conferences, seminars and ministry events for the men of the church.
2. Community.  This member helps develop a sense of “male friendliness” in the church.  He finds ways to make male visitors feel at home when they visit the church services.  This person will provide various entry points where both newcomers and seasoned attendees feel comfortable, connected, inspired, and transformed.  He actively welcomes and greets individuals at men’s functions.  He also provides follow-up and coordination for people interested in getting involved in other areas of ministry.  This man is responsible for the publishing of a men’s monthly e-mail or printed newsletter.
3. Prayer and Intercession.  This man leads the prayer effort with intercession for people, plans, and activities for the men.  He provides a prayer covering and is available to pray with other teams or men’s groups.  He will be the point man for the “Pastor’s Prayer Partner” program (see LifeBuilders Resource Action Manual for details).
4. Head Coach.  LifeBuilders men’s ministry has developed a plan to train a key leader in each local church to help coach and mentor other men.  This man helps men deepen their spiritual maturity and build genuine friendships.  They coordinate the discipleship training process, put together mentoring relationships and explore approaches for discipleship and spiritual formation.
5. Ministry Projects and Resources.  This man leads the effort to find meaningful ministry for the men of the church.  This will include the LifeBuilders Matthew 25 Men effort.  This man plans and coordinates community outreach and other short-term service-oriented projects.  He is constantly looking for the best materials to win and disciple men such as our LifeBuilders Essentials discipleship course.  He maintains a list of speakers, books, and other resources for the men, and makes these available at monthly meetings and other conferences.

Schedule a LifeBuilders Men’s Ministry Leadership Team Kickoff Meeting

Now that you’ve got the men’s leaders recruited and in place it’s time to release them to lead.  The ways in which these men are released become a model for the way they release others who will work under them.  Always remember that the senior pastor or his appointee is always invited to be a part of this and any other gathering.  Here are some pointers on the content of this meeting:

1. Cast the vision.  Tell the leadership team exactly what should be accomplished through the LifeBuilders men’s ministry chapter.
2. State the purpose. Why do we want a disciple making ministry to the men of our church?
3. Connect LifeBuilders to the church vision. Show how this men’s ministry is vital to the health and growth of the local church.
4. Show the positive benefits of this effort. Explain that the LifeBuilders men’s ministry will not segregate the men, but instead motivate and empower them for leadership and service church-wide.
5. Explain the commitment. Tell the men what you expect from them.  Clarify the amount of time and money necessary to get the job done right.

Summary

The Chinese have many beautiful sayings.  One goes like this: Do not fear going forward slowly.  Fear only to stand still. We do not have the luxury of waiting.  We are now in a life and death battle for the souls of men.  We live in a fallen world, but God is more powerful than that fallen world.  With an effective LifeBuilders Men’s Ministry leadership team we can help protect men from Satan’s proven ability to make them come in second.  We can help keep men safe from the pain and grief that sin brings.  We can help men do excellent ministry in the church.

We believe that it is a winnable battle if we move forward now to reach, train and equip men for ministry.  This is an exciting and fruit producing mission!  Oh yes, here is another ancient Chinese proverb:  The best time to plant a tree was 20 years ago…the next best time is now.

Let’s get started!

Watch this recent CBN video for an answer to this.

My heart, soul and mind are just bursting with ideas on how we can reach and disciple 10,000 new men through Church of God LifeBuilders Men’s Ministries.  It is possible and it is happening right before our eyes as we see churches everywhere forming powerful local chapters of men’ groups.

So how do we disciple them?  So many methods come to mind.  Here are a few:

Preaching and Teaching

The age-old starting point for making disciples is the preaching and teaching of God’s Word.  Don’t overlook or underestimate the power to make disciples from the pulpit.  Encourage your pastor to preach sermons with “men in mind.”

Private Study

Men cannot become disciples apart without Bible study.  Pat Morley goes so far as to say that he has never known a single man whose life has changed in any significant way apart from the regular study of God’s Word.  Encourage your men to read God’s Word and become involved . For the last 25 years I have read the entire Bible through in one year beginning in January with Genesis and ending up in December with Revelation.  It has changed my life.

Small Groups

We talked in the last QuickWord® about the effectiveness of breaking the men up into small groups.  This is a dynamic way to build disciples.  Some examples of small groups are:

• Bible studies
• Accountability groups
• Prayer groups
• Share groups
• Men only
• Couples
• Home groups
• Office groups

Most meaningful change takes place in the context of small group relationships.  As men tell their “stories,” the truth of the gospel gets personal as men see the life of Christ lived out in other men.

With this thought in mind let me share the words from Jason Althoff, one of our newest men’s leaders from the Terre Haute (Indiana) Church of God.  He is doing a great job of teaching our exciting discipling book for men, titled LifeBuilders Essentials.  He e-mailed us recently to share about how he is setting up his weekly men’s discipleship teaching sessions.  He says,

“I’m giving an introduction to the Ten for 10,000 program and the three-step model on this Sunday morning, followed by the 12 week course each Sunday for the following 12 Sundays from July 12 – Sept 27.  I have set it up as an interactive class, utilizing all materials, multimedia available to me through the program…lessons, PowerPoint’s, videos, appendices….in addition to this, the Lord has commissioned me to draw on some experience I have and some advice the material presents about it being best taught one on one.  Well, with 14 in the class, it will hardly be one on one, however, I have set up that there will be seven groups of two (He sent them out by two’s!) for accountability partnerships or journey relationships, for the duration of the course.  This will work to get the men engaging at least one other brother during the week to go over the lesson, encourage one another, and most importantly to pray for each other, the lesson, the class, and men’s discipleship in general at our local assembly.  Lastly, I have set up that each week, one man will be assigned to present his own topic related to the week’s lesson that the Lord gives him while studying.  It can be whatever they want, but related to the topic in the lesson, and it will be five minutes or so for them to talk…  This makes the class a lot more personal in a classroom setting and keeps the men accountable on a weekly basis while we are not in the classroom.  I have obviously also included that I will be available during the week for anyone needing one on one support.”

We think Jason has the right idea.  Remember that “relationship is the task” and that men grow when they are in relationship with and accountable to other Godly men.  Are you teaching LifeBuilders Essentials to your men?  Would you consider doing it soon?

Also, we are adding more great study materials to our men’s curriculum.  Soon we have two new (new to us that is!) discipleship study courses for stages one and two (that is Walking With Christ and Living for Christ.)  Also, we are adding a study course in apologetics to help men be better witnesses for Jesus.

Thank you for all you are doing to help reach, win and disciple men.  It is some of the most exciting and gratifying work I have ever done.  I am honored to labor with other servants like you.  We call ourselves B.U.M.S. which stands for: Brothers, United together, Ministers and Servants.  Thank God for BUMS!

Blessings on you!

Leonard C. Albert

by William A. Lee, Jr.

In Acts 3:1-9 we have the story of the lame man at the Beautiful Gate, where Peter and John, through the power of God, commanded the lame man to rise up and walk. It’s interesting to note that, when Peter commanded him to walk, “…he took him by the right hand, and lifted him up: and immediately his feet and ankle bones received strength.” (Acts 3:7, KJV) Peter actually helped the man up, even though it was God himself who healed him.

Today, however, the enemy has convinced many men that this isn’t the way to do it. This is best seen in the “real man” syndrome. As men we are supposed to be invincible and never in need of anyone. Real men are never overwhelmed by their problems. Real men are perfect fathers and husbands; they don’t need to ask anyone for help or take any suggestion on how to be better. This idea is causing us to hide behind a “macho mask” we have created. The simple fact is that we need one another. You could be a senator or a janitor; you could have gotten your degree from Brown or just hung out downtown. Whether you have a GED or a Ph.D.; no matter where you started from or where you are at now, there will come a time when your resources will run out and you will need someone in your life to lift you up.

Our Problem

Many of the problems we have in our lives today were in place long before we came into being. Some theologians call these “generational strongholds.” These are demonic bondage buildups that are contributed to by human participation. Take a look at your family history. Do you find alcoholism or divorce there? Or abuse of any kind, be it sexual, verbal, or physical? How about poverty, violence, or homosexuality? Chances are that the devil has been using these sins from past generations to fight against you today. You are so important that the devil has been planning your destruction before you even got here! But 2 Corinthians 10:4 tells us that “…the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds.” We do not need to be defeated by the attack of the enemy, irrespective of our backgrounds.

Our Position

Once we understand the depth of our problem, we need to find a solution. To do this we must understand our position and, when we reach out and help others, their position as well. They’ve been exposed to things they shouldn’t have been at the wrong age, especially with sexual experiences, or with verbal or physical abuse. The basic foundation of their life—just like the lame man’s foundations of dysfunctional ankles and feet—is not right. And people are like buildings; without a firm foundation, the building, no matter how beautiful on the outside, will inevitably experience distress and damage. Until the foundation is fixed—until the feet are healed—the building, or the life you are building, will not stand properly.

So many people with so many problems find it difficult to get free from them, so they carry around the “American Excuse” card. When you talk with them, you go so far and then, when it seems the victory is in sight, they come up with some kind of excuse. They say “I was abused as a child,” or “Daddy left home when I was a little boy.” We must understand that when we get into the presence of God there are no excuses. There is only conviction and redemption; there are no excuses, because they were nailed to the Cross.

Our Progression

As men of God we must move forward. To do this means much more than to just say some things and walk away; it means that we, like Peter and John, must follow up our words with action. But Peter took the lame man by the hand and lifted him up; then and only then did “immediately his feet and ankle bones received strength.” It’s time to take ministry to the next level. Do you know the son of a single mother? This boy needs a man in his life; will you be that man for him? What other men that you know need support? The whole point of men’s ministries is “men helping men,” not just easing into some kind of spiritual retirement. Will you take your ministry to the next level? Will you be one of the “men helping men”?

by Leonard Albert

In Matthew 25, Jesus spoke prophetically of the time when He will say to the blessed of His Father, “I was sick, and ye visited me” (v. 36). They will ask, “When saw we thee sick . . . and came unto thee?” (v. 39). Jesus’ answer suggests perhaps the most profound reason why we should visit people in hospitals. Jesus will say: “Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me” (v. 40).

Think of it! When we visit even the most unlovable people, in the hospital or nursing home, our ministry to them is equal to ministering to Christ himself. What an opportunity we have to win the people who are in these institutions to Jesus! It is a crisis time in their lives. It is a time when they are most receptive to spiritual things. When illness strikes, it makes one realize his dependency on God and his own helplessness.

If properly carried out, hospital visitation can be one of the most fruitful ministries that anyone can do.

When to Visit

Hospital visitation should be carried on daily. Normally, people are in a hospital only for a brief time, and a weekly visit is simply not enough. A good idea may be to divide the hospital into sections and let selected people be responsible for a certain floor, wing, etc. Once the initial contact is made, repeat visits should be made daily.

Whom to Visit

Visit everyone! First, visit the members and friends of the congregation. Then, visit all others who need to receive a friendly visit. An attempt should be made to visit each person as the Lord directs.

How to Visit

Many times people who do hospital visitation become fearful when they enter a room and find members of the family present with the patient. Do not let this be a hindrance. A warm smile and a friendly greeting can be given. It is really surprising how the family enjoys such a visit. It seems to break the monotony for them. A greeting could go like this: “Please excuse me for intruding; my name is [give your name] and I just stopped by to greet [patients name].” The point is don’t pass up visiting people who have others in the room with them; you could win the whole family to Christ! Use an appropriate greeting such as”

“Hello, I’m [give your name] visiting you today from the [name of your church]. How are you feeling today? We hope you will be able to go home soon. We are going to be praying for your health.”

The Gospel Presentation

You may or may not feel that you should make a presentation of the gospel on the first visit. Always try to follow the leading of the Holy Spirit. This is one of the blessings that Spirit-filled people enjoy. God can help you to have boldness, power, and authority to witness for Christ (Acts 1:8). Let the Holy Spirit lead you!

The Closing Prayer

Don’t pray loud prayers! Watch the tone of your voice; be very careful not to be boisterous, because you should not bother others who are in the room. Only one person should pray! Although we love to pray in concert, it is wisdom for only the leader of the conversation to pray. It is not really necessary always to ask permission to pray. It is easily discerned if the people are interested in spiritual things; and when it comes time to pray, the leader should just begin to pray the prayer of faith for the needs of the patient.

What you say in your prayer on behalf of the ill is very important. Many times we talk a great deal about prayer but when we get right down to the actual prayer, we simply do not bring the real petitions of the ill to the Lord. Here are two prayers that we have found to be very effective as closing prayers in a patient’s room:

A Prayer for Healing

“Lord, I have no power, but You have all power and we’re obeying your Word. You said if we lay hands on the sick, they shall recover. You didn’t always say it would be miraculous or instantaneous, but You said `they shall recover.’ Thank you, Lord Jesus, for touching Your child today. Amen.”

A Prayer for Spiritual Needs

“Lord, I take this person and lift him up above the camp of the enemy. I lay him on Your altar, Lord, and pray that You will come against the enemy of his body and his soul with Your power, Your Spirit, and Your precious blood. Break down the enemy’s stronghold, Lord, and bring complete recovery both physically and spiritually. Amen.”

Practical Pointers

• Visit during the regular hospital visitation hours. Two good times to visit are the late afternoon and the evening. Avoid visiting at mealtime or during medical treatments. Always obey all rules regarding visitation.
• Keep your visit brief. Don’t homestead! On average, the visit in each room should last from five to ten minutes. Of course, there will be exceptions. You may wish to spend more time in some rooms. Sometimes it takes a long time to really explain the gospel, and very often there are many questions asked which must be dealt with. Be very considerate of patients’ time—don’t tire them with incessant, idle talk. Enter, share, pray, and leave. In this manner, you will not “wear out your welcome” for the next visit.
• Use tracts. The people have time to read, and reading material is always valued. Remember to select tracts appropriate for this type of visitation.
• Witness to those in other beds. Your acquaintance with one patient can be a bridge to getting to know the other(s). Try to witness to every person in the room.
• Let the patients talk. Let them tell you about their condition, their experiences, etc.; this will open the door for you to talk to them about their spiritual condition.
• Always pray. Whether you win the patient or not, always have a prayer of faith for him before you leave.
• Never forget that you are a guest of the hospital and that you are planting seed for future opportunities. Do not be obnoxious or intrusive.

Do’s and Don’ts

1. Have a cheerful greeting and countenance.
2. Know the person or patient’s name.
3. Be sure to sit or stand so you can be seen and heard.
4. Be sure to sit or stand so the one you are visiting doesn’t face the light.
5. Discuss illness briefly, then speak of those things that edify.
6. Plan to tell the patient or person you are visiting something interesting, positive, and cheerful.
7. Don’t overwhelm the patient with more than one visitor, or at most two, at a time. (See #12)
8. Pray about your visit and the one you are visiting. Ask the Holy Spirit to be in control, to guide the conversation and bring to your knowledge the needs of the one you are visiting. (Spoken or unspoken).
9. Be genuinely interested in the one you visit.
10. Take your cues from the patient or person you are visiting as to the length of the visit or the time to visit.
11. Offer to read, write letters, pray.
12. Observe hospital rules for visitors.
13. Don’t discuss church affairs, except exciting future events.
14. Give: a bookmark, a Sunday school paper, church periodical, a card with God’s Word—give something tangible that will remind the one you visit of that visit and that you care for them. Let the Holy Spirit guide you in this.

Ray H. Hughes, Jr.

According to a recent study by George Barna, noted church pollster, most unchurched men believe that church has nothing of value to add to their lives. There simply is not enough return on their investment of time and energy to warrant affiliation with a church.

What are these unchurched men looking for from churches? Barna’s survey of 2,000 unchurched men revealed five things:

1. Men are looking for understanding. Those surveyed said they would like a church that helped them understand the Bible in a systematic way rather than from sermons and Sunday school. This bodes well for them to be introduced to a small group Bible study sponsored by the local LifeBuilders Men’s Ministry.
2. Men are seeking relationships. Though men find it hard to admit, many of them are lonely. According to Sonderman, author of How to Build a Life-Changing Men’s Ministry, “men like to hang out with men just like them.” They want to feel connected in a non-threatening setting.
3. Men want instruction for their children. Strangely enough many unchurched men would like for their kids to have a positive Christian learning experience. In the survey men cited a poor or mediocre church experience growing up as the reason for not sending their children to church. Most fathers are in a constant struggle raising their children and want help from the church; however, if they feel the church experience is not positive or does not seem to work for their children they will not keep them in church.
4. Men are seeking solutions. In the struggle to be successful in life, millions of men are suffering from stress. They want to find a church that will help them solve the difficult problems they face on a daily basis. They are more interested in what makes life work than spiritual principles.
5. Men want to know God. Although millions of men have given up on organized religion, they still express that they want to know God. They simply do not know how to go about finding Him. Since most of their peers share the same dilemma, they have no one to turn to for answers.

Sharing the Christian faith with skeptical men who reject the Bible as the Word of God, contend that there are no moral absolutes, deny the Resurrection, and do not embrace the basic tenets of the faith, is the enormous challenge we face. What can the church do to reach these millions of unchurched men? They are frustrated with life’s problems, turned off to organized religion, seeking understanding, relationships, and solutions; yet, they refuse to turn to the church for help. We must attempt to recognize the special needs of men in the ’90s and meet them at their point of need. Then and only then can we begin to address those needs and reach them for the Kingdom.

George Barna in a recent article titled “The Battle for the Hearts of Men” offers several suggestions how this might be accomplished:

• Make the atmosphere friendly. Learn to respond properly to male visitors. Guide them into male oriented programs. Men will gravitate to churches where they feel safe and the programs are sensitive to the needs of men.
• Put your beliefs into an understandable context. Often we assume people understand church talk such as “washed in the blood,” “born again,” etc. We should take the extra time to make sure that those who have not grown up in the church are presented the Christian theology in meaningful terms.
• Pray that God will replace our weaknesses with His power. In order to combat the spiritual void among men it will take the zeal and wisdom that only Christ can supply. As believers we must bond together in prayer and face the forces of spiritual darkness.

If your church does not have a LifeBuilders Men’s Ministry this would be a good place to start developing programs to meet the specific needs of men. For those who already have a men’s ministry start the Pastors Prayer Partners program. The time is now to become serious about reaping this vast harvest of millions unchurched men.

Click here for more information on organizing a LifeBuilders Men’s Ministry

John Campbell

It was a warm, sunny, mid-July day in Minnesota, and as I opened the door to let my guest leave, he commented on how warm it was and that he had seen me play football on days just like this and on some days that would slide down to the other end of the weather scale. This gentleman had brought over several footballs along with other memorabilia he wanted me to autograph. His agenda also included some reminiscing about the “good old days” when the University of Minnesota was a football power (which put us into the Old Testament time period.)

He went on for two hours telling me that even though my first two years had many upperclassmen who were superstars, and all-conference players, the best team was my last year because there were no superstars. I made two observations that day. #1-”reminiscing” was him talking and me listening. #2-He knew his subject and he was right!

Because of the many star players in the two classes ahead of us, we had learned to fill-in the gap and do what needed to be done. This preparation weaned us off the reliance that comes with always expecting the star to pull us out of the tough situations. Instead, we relied on each man doing his part as he had been trained to do, and the results were very gratifying. It’s a worn-out phrase, but true none the less, the “team concept” is the most rewarding way to achieve your goals.

Little did I think I would come across the “superstar concept” when I became active in ministry, but it’s as prevalent in the church as it ever was on the field. It seems many are waiting for the superstar to get the ministry done. Most churches have several people who are very active and do most of the outreach-type ministry. So the attitude develops that there’s no real need for me to get involved. That reliance on somebody else to do it is the reason many churches have such difficulty with a pastoral change or the exit of a leader. We have not prepared ourselves to get in the game. Therefore when the opportunity presents itself, we’re not ready. We have developed a spectator mindset and are content to watch and not participate. I have been both on the field of play and I’ve been in the stands as a spectator
. . . on the field is better.

This is the reason I’m so excited about the new “LifeBuilders” format for the men in the Church of God. This tract or game-plan is designed to first, let each man know where he fits into the “team” approach to ministry and secondly to equip that man to be active in ministry. God never intended for us to watch the race marked out for us but to run that race, and do it with perseverance. If your church does not have an active “LifeBuilders” program for your men, contact the Department of Lay Ministries. Start the process of stepping on the field. Let us know what we can do to assist you in this exciting venture. Remember . . . in the stands or on the field . . . on the field is better. I know! Welcome to the team.

By Doug Small

It’s so easy when we study the Bible to miss things that are really intended to teach us something, especially when they’re part of Bible history. We read through a lot of funny names and funny sounding places and think, “How does that apply to me?” But God put it there for a purpose. So let’s look at one passage and discover the meaning we never expected to be there.

“Then Nahash the Ammonite came up, and encamped against Jabesh-gilead: and all the men of Jabesh said unto Nahash, Make a covenant with us, and we will serve thee. And Nahash the Ammonite answered them, On this condition will I make a covenant with you, that I may thrust out all your right eyes, and lay it for a reproach upon all Israel. And the elders of Jabesh said unto him, Give us seven days’ respite, that we may send messengers unto all the coasts of Israel: and then, if there be no man to save us, we will come out to thee. Then came the messengers to Gibeah of Saul, and told the tidings in the ears of the people: and all the people lifted up their voices, and wept.”

(1 Samuel 11:1-4, KJV)

On the Edge

Jabesh Gilead was on the east side of the Jordan; it was on the “edge” of the Promised Land. It was a tough place, the kind of rough, dry place that we find ourselves in more often than we need to. Nahash and his men had been next to Jabesh Gilead for years, oppressing them. Jabesh Gilead had gotten tired of living with this evil presence next to them for so long that they proposed a compromise with them.

You may think that it’s amazing that they put up with this, but think about it: How long have you put up with certain sins in your life without really doing anything about them? Nahash is in reality the devil—his name means “serpent.” He will encamp in your life as long as he can. We have so many excuses to protect our “favorite” sins. We can drag our ancestors into it: “I come from fighting people, so I’ve got to fight,” or “My people drank a lot, so I have to drink a lot.” We can also try to minimize the problem: “A little pornography off the Internet never hurt anybody, so it won’t hurt me,” or “I can smoke and still be a Christian, so I’ll keep puffing to the pearly gates.”

We need to be absolutely clear however of one thing: if we give the devil place in one part of our life, sooner or later he’s going to want to take it all. If you give the devil an inch, he’ll take a mile. If you think you can get away with drinking, wait till you get drunk and wake up to realize you’ve done something you didn’t think you’d do.

A Deal With the Devil

That’s the place where the men of Jabesh Gilead found themselves when they decided that they would never be rid of Nahash and that it was time to compromise. When they approached Nahash to make a covenant with him—and by this we mean a covenant with the devil himself—Nahash makes a very serious demand; namely, that the right eye of all the men of Jabesh-Gilead be put out. This is a major demand on two levels. On the physical level the right eye was the eye which was used for war; it was, for instance, the eye which the archers used to aim their arrows. Moreover the loss of one eye means the loss of depth perspective. A nation of one-eyed people was a nation essentially defenseless, inviting Nahash to come in at a later time and finish the job of destruction he started with his “covenant.”

On the spiritual level, though, the loss of the right eye means the loss of spiritual perspective. When you lose your spiritual perspective you lose your sense of right and wrong. You can no longer see clearly and thus become open to evil. You allow yourself to be manipulated and ultimately trashed by Nahash and his allies because you cut yourself off from God’s plan and will for your life. You cannot make a deal with the devil, and you’re kidding yourself if you think you can because sooner or later he will exact a price much higher than the original “agreement.”

The Anointed to the Rescue

Even though they had been around Nahash for a long time, the men of Jebesh Gilead were jolted enough by Nahash’s proposal to at least make them stall Nahash for seven days. They finally showed some sense; they recognized the price of sin they were about to pay, that Nahash was about to humiliate and destroy them as the devil wants to do to us now. So they sent messengers to Saul who, as the anointed king of Israel, responded swiftly:

“And the Spirit of God came upon Saul when he heard those tidings, and his anger was kindled greatly. And he took a yoke of oxen, and hewed them in pieces, and sent them throughout all the coasts of Israel by the hands of messengers, saying, Whosoever cometh not forth after Saul and after Samuel, so shall it be done unto his oxen. And the fear of the LORD fell on the people, and they came out with one consent . . . And it was so on the morrow, that Saul put the people in three companies; and they came into the midst of the host in the morning watch, and slew the Ammonites until the heat of the day: and it came to pass, that they which remained were scattered, so that two of them were not left together.” (1 Samuel 11:6-8,10-11, KJV)

Saul took an ox—the basic animal of farm work and transportation in those days—and cut it up, sending it around the entire nation. What he did was the equivalent of cutting up their Mercedes and sending it around. It jolted Israel out of its comfort zone! Saul told his people he meant business; they responded by gathering together and destroying Nahash and the Ammonites and relieving Jabesh-gilead from their oppression.

As men of God, we must not make deals with the devil. It may look ok and things may not change much up front, but in the end it will destroy you when your family life is in ruins, your ministry wrecked and your relationship with God evaporated. We must also be Christians who do not define ourselves by what we do not do but by what we actually do. Finally we must leave our comfort zone and help our brothers to rid their lives of the devil and to do what God wants them to do and to be all that God wants them to be.

By John Campbell

If I were to ask you to comment or react to that statement, you would probably want to know more about why the statement was made, in order to determine if it was a positive or negative statement. For example, if you were on the Titanic and were told to get off the ship, it would be a positive command. If, however, you were in the lifeboat and were told to get out of that boat, it would not be viewed as a welcome directive.

One could assume there is something wrong with the boat, and we are being warned of the possibility of danger ahead. For most of us, however, that type of order would indicate to us that we are either in the wrong place, or we are not wanted by those in the boat. Either scenario is viewed as negative or rejection and are difficult for us to deal with much less understand.

This misreading has been experienced by many of us and is showcased in Mark’s account of the meeting between Jesus, his disciples, and the demoniac of Gadara. (You may know him as the first manager of a Legion club.) Mark 5: 1-18 is a fast-moving account of a half day in the life of Jesus, starting out with the landing on shore and the meeting and greeting of the welcoming committee straight from the graveyard. We’re not told the man’s name, but some of my closer friends suggested I call him “crazy John.”

We are told chains and jails could not hold him and no one was strong enough to control his actions. He was to be ignored as much as possible, and a good safe distance away from him was the reasonable, obvious choice. After a less than cordial exchange of names, Jesus provided new dwelling places for all the demons, and a pork sale was initiated but you had to bring your fishing rod to take advantage of it. Word spread and the townspeople came to “check it out.” Apparently seeing 2,000 pigs acting like salmon did not demand their attention, but “crazy John” dressed, sitting at the feet of Jesus, in his right mind, was more than they could handle, so, they told Jesus and his friends to leave, which they did.

Now who would feel more like “one of the group” than that man who had just experienced a touch of Jesus. It made sense that he should join the “official party” and he rightly concluded that with my reputation, and Jesus’ power, this will be ministry at its provable finest. This will work, and I’m ready and available. I’m certainly “one of the group” he thought and then he heard, “Get out of the boat.”

He must have thought, Jesus must be talking to someone else and not me, after all this is such a natural. The disappointment he felt must have been devastating. Along with many Church of God laity, I wanted to get in the boat with the official party, only to discover that God’s place for us was not in the boat, traveling to the uttermost parts of the earth, but back home with our family, friends, and neighbors, telling what great things God has done for us. It is called witnessing, ministry in its purest form, and in my estimation, one of the highest callings God could offer.

The most natural reaction to God’s working in our lives is to desire to do the will of God. We need to realize that this desire and fulfillment can be obtained without man’s credentials. We say we believe in the priesthood of all believers, but our actions do not bear that out. Many of us have lost our enthusiasm because we did not wind up as card carrying ministers, but if you will be quiet, I know you will hear, “Now that you are out of the boat, go home to your family and friends and tell them what great things I will do for them.” Godspeed my fellow ministers!