Church of God LifeBuilders

Another excellent video from LifeBuilders in the United Kingdom.

The laity are needed. The work of the church is too big a task for just a select few no matter how gifted or how trained they may be. The doctrine of the laity is so important, that if adequately understood and properly expressed in the life of God’s people, it can bring about a spiritual awakening that will revolutionize the life and ministry of the church.

Any lover of the universal church, and specifically the Church of God, must be concerned with its future, the only future which cannot and must not anticipate retirement. To be wedded to today is to be a widower tomorrow. We live in a new fast-paced, technological society that calls for dramatic change in thinking and action. Most of our present boards, agencies, commissions, associations and departments arose from our early history. The change that has come has been within the structures, not in new structures. Dramatic change is needed in the following areas:

Perception. The laity must be considered equal partners in ministry and recognized as priests in the marketplace. Teamwork with the pastor and his staff is emphasized and well-developed. It would be revolutionary to cultivate such a level of teamwork with lay leaders.

• Enablement. In order for lay ministry to flourish, the support of voting ministers is needed. Laity must be given the responsibility of making decisions in the church that affect their future. Lay leaders must be a vital contributor to ministry, not just “another pair of hands.”
• Education. The laity must be able to defend their beliefs and share them with others. They must become students of the Word. The laity deserve to have an opportunity to receive education that will motivate, educate and continuously train them to enhance teamwork, pride of workmanship, personal growth and productivity.
• Training. Training and discipling are needed in the ministry of elders and deacons. Training is needed in the area of outreach and evangelism so that lay people can be fruitful in ministry.
• Outreach. Ministry has to take place beyond the confines of the local church. We need to reach beyond our walls not only in public relations type ventures but in hard-hitting, soulwinning evangelism efforts. The laity must be released for ministry. This aggressive outreach goal must involve the laity in winning the lost to Christ and getting them into the local church, discovering their “giftedness,” affirming and motivating them, training and discipling them, and giving them meaningful opportunities for service.

The future awaits us, a future which will not tolerate yesterday’s church in today’s world, let alone the world of tomorrow. This is an hour of challenge! And of promise! The choice before the church as we face the future is to continue with our present pattern and style of ministry or to allow for a “second reformation” . . . a reformation of the released power of the laity (God’s people) in the world today. We truly need holy boldness.

This document should be read and adopted by the chapter.

The Church of God LifeBuilders Men’s Ministries accepts the challenge that is presented in ministering to men.

• We recognize that there are over 6 billion people in the world today, many of whom have never heard the gospel story.
• We know that every hour of every day thousands die and face God in judgment.
• We realize that the desire for a Christian outreach and witness to men is highlighted by the fact that every local church needs godly men to rise up as leaders in the community where they live, work and worship.
• We believe that God has given the church many laymen gifted for ministry and that these men need motivation to help them discover their ministry talents. Further, they need instruction to assist them in preparing for personal ministry and opportunities for active service.

Therefore be it resolved, that LifeBuilders Men’s Ministries hereby agree to:

• Encourage laymen to recognize and put into practice their ministry gifts as servants of Christ in the world
• Enlist participation and cooperation in denominational or regional ministry projects
• Intercede in prayer for the pastor, other workers and ministries of the church
• Endeavor to reach, win and disciple men for Christ.

Attendance

An effective program of the Men’s Ministry depends upon interest and attendance. Various methods of communication should be used in contacting the absentees and soliciting new members. Personal contacts and advertising encourages regular attendance at the meetings.

Publicity

All activities of the Men’s Ministry must be well–publicized. This includes posters, brochures, church announcements and direct mail. All correspondence and the utilization of other methods of publicizing the program, in keeping with the standards of the Men’s Ministry, shall be carried out by the appropriate team member.

Program

Each meeting should be well planned with a specific objective to be accomplished.

Spiritual Life

The goal of every believer is Christian maturity. LifeBuilders Men’s Ministries offers an effective way to help men become more like Christ. This is accomplished through the LifeBuilders discipleship program, especially LifeBuilders Essentials and Kingdom Calling. The result of these courses is to cultivate the following in men, which the Chapter should facilitate and encourage:

• Scripture reading and devotions
• Training in personal witnessing
• Developing an effective prayer life
• Spiritual outreach ministries
• Becoming responsible stewards

Every member of a LifeBuilders group should be given the opportunity to present the devotions.

Matthew 25 Men

Matthew 25 Men is available to those churches who select a Head Coach. The Head Coach is the “point man” for the organization and coordination of Matthew 25 Men trips. The Head Coach contacts one of the designated “Matthew 25 Men Centers” which have been selected by either the Department of Lay Ministries or the state/regional office. He makes the arrangements for housing, food and work schedule with the Matthew 25 Men Center. Normally the men will make an overnight trip to the center, perform their ministry work and return to the church in time for Sunday worship.

Team Leader

The Team Leader’s duties and responsibilities include:

• Presiding over meetings
• Planning and presiding over Leadership Team meetings
• Assigning specific tasks to team members
• Directing the training of team members
• Presenting needs to the Pastor and/or Church and Pastor’s council
• Communicating information on denominational programs
• Providing for distribution of publications materials for Men’s Ministry members
• Being a contact person for the International Department of Lay Ministries

Team Members

Chapters can be flexible in how they allocate various duties to team members. Duties and responsibilities include:

• Overseeing all committees to keep them organized and active
• Assisting in distribution of church publications for men
• Developing procedures to increase attendance and enrollment
• Publicizing meetings
• Promoting fellowship
• Recording minutes of all official meetings
• Presenting records and minutes for approval at each regular meeting
• Recording attendance at each meeting
• Maintaining an accurate membership list
• Receiving and disbursing funds
• Participating in the planning committee meetings
• Ordering materials and supplies
• Completing and mailing the annual report in November to the International Department of Lay Ministries
• Notifying the International Department of Lay Ministries of any change in Team members.

Watch this exciting video about LifeBuilders Men’s Ministries in the United Kingdom.

Does your church, state or region have a video you want to share?  Let us know!

Do people like you? The ability to make people like you is one of the most valuable talents you can possibly possess. Lots of people don’t know that; they make statements like “I’m not running a popularity contest around here,” or “I’d rather be right than president.”

Being disliked has its downside. The great Egyptian theologian and teacher, Origen, prefaced a passage on a particularly difficult subject with the warning, “Now it is possible that some may dislike what we have said . . .”. They obviously did; he was soon after run out of town, with his own bishop leading the charge.

Without “likability,” your other talents — no matter how great — may be largely wasted. You may never get a chance to use them in a way that would do the greatest good, for yourself or for others.

Anyone in a leadership role in the church must realize the value of being well liked. “Likability” is one of the fundamental ingredients of good leadership. People are more willing to cooperate with someone they like than someone they don’t. The key to being a successful Lay Coordinator is not in doing all the work yourself; it’s in organizing and motivating others, and that requires cooperation and “likability.”

Here are a few pointers on being likable:

1. Smile! Greet people with a smile as you pass them and as you say good-bye.
2. Don’t be a grouch. Be concerned with the feelings and importance of others.
3. Have a sincere interest in people and their problems. Ask them questions and listen.
4. Forget about your own problems for a while. Concentrate on others.

The global outreach of the church depends on the contribution of dedicated men. To meet this  challenge the Church of God does hereby establish LifeBuilders Men’s Ministries, which shall be the official organization for men of the Church of God throughout the world.

This organization shall be designed to promote . . .

• Personal spiritual growth
• Men’s Ministries on a local, state, national, and international level
• A program for lay participation in the global outreach of the gospel of Jesus Christ through the ministry of lay evangelism.

ARTICLE I

Name

Section One: The name of the organization shall be LifeBuilders Men’s Ministry.

Section Two: LifeBuilders is the normally designated name for local church chapters of Church of God Men’s Ministries International. It is permissible to use an alternate name for the men’s ministry.

ARTICLE II
Membership

Section One: Membership in LifeBuilders Men’s Ministries shall be open to all Christian men. Membership is granted only through a local Men’s Ministry chapter.

Section Two: Applications for membership shall be submitted to the Men’s Ministry Leadership Team.

Section Three: All members of LifeBuilders Men’s Ministries shall be encouraged to wear and display the official LifeBuilders emblem.

ARTICLE III

Chapter Leadership Team

Section One: The leadership of the Chapter shall be invested in a Men’s Ministry Leadership Team, chosen by the Pastor. A Team Leader shall preside over Team meetings. The Pastor and Head Coach shall be ex officio members of the Leadership Team.

Section Two: All Team Members must be men who are Church of God members in good standing.

All Team Members shall be registered with the International Department of Lay Ministries and any changes shall be reported immediately to keep the files current.

Section Three: Each chapter may have any number of empowered small groups which should include, but not be limited to, the following: executive, program, lay evangelism, public relations, membership enlistment, projects, fellowship activities, discipleship programs, community service, and spiritual life.

The Leadership Team shall designate these teams, and also serve as the program committee.

Further, should the local chapter desire to network with other men’s organizations, the position of Head Coach shall be established and a person appointed to this office.

ARTICLE IV

Local Chapter Operation

Section One: The organization and program of the local chapter shall be designed to ensure the widest possible participation of men.

Section Two: The local chapter shall function to provide fellowship for Christian men and offer a tangible way for them to participate in the global outreach of the gospel.

Section Three: The method of financing local programs of LifeBuilders Men’s Ministry shall be recommended by the Leadership Team and approved by the chapter members.

Section Four: An annual report shall be completed and mailed in November to the International Department of Lay Ministries.

ARTICLE V

Chapter Bylaws

Section One: Each chapter shall establish bylaws to meet local needs (time, place, frequency of meetings, finance, etc.).

Section Two: All bylaws are recommended by the local executive board and approved by a majority vote of the chapter members.

ARTICLE VI

Amendments

Section One: Any suggested changes to the constitution shall be recommended to the International Lay Ministries Board in regular session. Constitutional amendments shall be adopted or rejected by a majority vote of the International Lay Ministries Board.

1. Q. Are Leadership Team members elected or appointed? A. The Pastor appoints the Leadership Team. He or she may call for an election at the Pastor’s sole discretion.
2. Q. How long may the Team leaders be in place. A. The Leadership Team serves for an indefinite term, at the Pastor’s discretion.
3. Q. What is the LifeBuilders discipleship process? A. The LifeBuilders discipleship process is the three-step process described in the “LifeBuilders Discipleship Process” page.
4. Q. Does the Men’s Ministry set church policy? A. The Men’s Ministry is an outreach ministry of the church and does not set church policy.
5. Q. Is Men and Women of Action part of the Men’s Ministries International? A. No. Men and Women of Action is an independent ministry working in cooperation with the Church of God World Missions. Matthew 25 Men are a ministry of the local church reaching out to the world in need through the LifeBuilders Men’s Ministry. Matthew 25 Men network with Men of Action in many ways to help hurting people. It is recommended that a Head Coach be selected from the group to head Matthew 25 Men teams.
6. Q. How often should our men’s chapter meet? A. Preferably once a month if possible; if not, a minimum of eight times per year.
7. Q. Should we have other regular meetings? A. Definitely! You may organize spiritual life studies, weekly Bible studies, early morning prayer, or prayer seminars held at the church or local restaurant, etc. There are no limits on how often you meet.
8. Q. Are the wives ever invited? A. The regular monthly meetings are for men only; however, occasionally the wives should be invited to special meetings.
9. Q. Is there an age limit for Men’s Ministry membership? A. Sixteen is the recommended minimum age for membership.
10. Q. Can sons under the age of 16 attend meetings? A. Yes, your children are a vital part of the Men’s Ministry and should be encouraged to attend
    when appropriate.
11. Q. Can non–Christians be members of Men’s Ministry? A. Encourage non–Christians to attend meetings but they are not eligable for membership.
12. Q. Is there a fee for chartering? A. Yes, a nominal fee is charged and the Resource Action Manual is included with the fee.
13. Q. How can existing chartered Men’s Ministry chapters get the latest Resource Action Manual?A. Every chapter is encouraged to purchase the Resource Action Manual as it contains a wealth of “how to” information.
14. Q. Does the local Men’s Ministry chapter exist to support the local church or the International Department of Lay Ministries? A. The Men’s Ministry is designed to support the local church and pastor. The International Department of Lay Ministries is the resource center for the local church LifeBuilders Men’s Ministry and, therefore, every chapter is encouraged to cooperate with recommended programs and ministries that are developed for the good of all churches.
15. Q. We’re trying to prepare great looking publications to promote our chapter. How to we obtain the LifeBuilders logos? A. You can download these from here.

Organizing a Men’s Ministry chapter is a relatively simple matter that can be accomplished with a minimum of effort and men. Before it can reach the stage where it can carry on as a successful program, a number of steps must be accomplished. These are as follows:

STEP 1. Initiation by Senior Pastor. The Senior Pastor forms a men’s ministry leadership team and, optionally, selects a Team Leader. The Pastor also reviews the benefits for the men and the pastor.

STEP 2. First Meeting by Men’s Ministry Leadership Team. At the initial meeting, the team:

• Has a session of prayer for the chapter organization.
• Selects the Team Leader if the Senior Pastor has not already done so.
• Thoroughly reviews the goals and objectives for a LifeBuilders Men’s Ministry.
• Sets the date for the first organizational meeting of the men of the church.
• Discusses publicity for the meeting (bulletin boards, church newsletter or bulletin, telephone, personal letters, email, announcements, etc..)
• Commits itself to carrying out the meeting plan and to vigorously promote the meeting.

STEP 3. Leading up to the Organizational Meeting. The Team executes its planning
and promotion leading up to the Organizational Meeting.

STEP 4. The Organizational Meeting. Here’s what the men do at this meeting:

• Have a session of prayer for the chapter organization.
• Thoroughly review the goals and objectives for a LifeBuilders Men’s Ministry.
• Have presented to them the Men’s Ministry Team Leader and the Leadership Team.
• Review and adopt the constitution for the chapter.
• Discuss and adopt the initial program of the Chapter, including the discipleship programs and any other activities to promote the LifeBuilders chapter.
• Commit themselves to carry out the program of the chapter.
• Set a date for the next meeting, at which the Pastor will present the charter.

STEP 5. Mail the completed application and charter fee to:

Church of God Department of Laity Ministries
P. O. Box 2430
Cleveland, TN 37320-2430

This process can also be done online as well.

Any materials necessary for the discipleship program of the chapter can be ordered at this time from the Department of Lay Ministries, either with paper
forms or by visiting our web store.

STEP 6. Financing LifeBuilders Men’s Ministries

• Locally—The method of financing LifeBuilders Men’s Ministry shall be left to the discretion of the members and team leaders; however, it is suggested that yearly dues be collected to help offset the cost of ministry projects. The amount of dues is to be determined by eachlocal ministry group. The decision should be included in your bylaws.
• International—LifeShare Annual Giving Program. All groups chartered with the International Department of Lay Ministries are requested to receive and mail to us an annual contribution to assist in our worldwide outreach. Details of each year’s project will be mailed to the Men’s Ministry Team Leader.