United Methodist Men
Northwest Texas United Methodist Men UMM is committed to the spiritual growth of men who experience God’s transforming power in their lives and pass on their faith to live and grow in others.
Men growing in Christ,
So others may know Christ.
Our Primary Mission is to support spiritual growth among men, helping men to mature as disciples as they encourage spiritual formation in others.
Our Goal is to empower the ministry of Jesus Christ through men with the congregation of the UMC
Our Pathway is a lifelong commitment to spiritual growth to maturity as Christ followers. Our spiritual formation is marked by spiritual reproduction, as our faith passes on in others. Spiritual reproduction is the foundation of Evangelism
EMS – Every Man Shares in Evangelism, Mission and Spirituality
What Men’s Ministry means to me. http://www.gcumm.org/resources/media/vidplayer.html?id=30
There are no “Five Easy Steps to an Effective Men’s Ministry.” There aren’t even five hard steps. It just doesn’t work that way. “Understanding Men’s Ministry” explains “why” and “how” to disciple men, but we don’t specify exactly what you should do. Instead, we will help you plan your own concrete next steps according to the culture and needs of your church.
“It all comes down to leadership” – Leadership will make or break your business, your family, your church, and your church’s men’s ministry. No ministry to men can be sustained without a solid strategy for identifying, recruiting, and empowering leaders. Look for FAT men: faithful, available and teachable.
Many if not most of our cultural problems – divorce, abortion, juvenile crime, fatherlessness – can be traced back to the failure of a man. Ironically, it’s a man who got up in the morning hoping to succeed. Do you have a plan or vision to help men succeed in your church?
Everything your church does that touches any man is men’s ministry. Everything. That means if you have 100 men in your church, then you have 100 men in men’s ministry. Begin thinking of an all-inclusive ministry to men as your men’s ministry.
The most powerful force in the world is a relationship (love). Build around relationships, not programs. The relationship is the task. If it’s not going well as you had hoped with your men, don’t get angry. Love them more. Small groups rock.
What type of men are you trying to produce? Disciples, not workers. Most men don’t have enough Jesus for themselves, much less to give away. Help men fill up to the overflow in their relationship with Jesus. At a point, they will feel compelled to serve Him.
Focusing question: If we know that we will only have a man and his family for, say, five years, what are the lessons so important to build into his life that if he should leave without them, we would have failed that man? This, then, becomes the discipleship curriculum.
Make yourself dispensable. “The architect does not have to occupy the building for the building to stand.” Develop leaders who can exceed you in ministry. Constantly spread the vision and allow the Holy Spirit to draw new leaders to your efforts.
Our job is not to produce a particular outcome. Our job is to be faithful to our call. Repetition is reputation. Repeat your idea (vision, dream, purpose) in every meeting. Do fewer things better. Do each thing to appeal to the men you have and the men you want to have.
Do not call men to be better. Call them to join the cause of the gospel of Jesus Christ and to live in the shadow of that call. Not even God can change the direction of a stationary object. Get moving and help other men get moving. Do something.
Zechariah 4:10 says, “Do not despise the small beginning, for the eyes of the Lord rejoice to see the work begin.” “All God’s giants have been weak men who did great things for God because they reckoned on His power and presence to be with them.” Hudson Taylor
Managing expectations: All disappointment is the result of unmet expectations. It takes a long time to make a disciple. Richard Foster said, “Our tendency is to overestimate what we can accomplish in one year, and underestimate what we can accomplish in ten years.” Think in terms of what you want to do over the next ten years with your men.
“Go and make disciples.” If the Great Commission is true, our plans are not too big; they are too small. Surrender yourself to do something great for God. Planning without prayer is presumption. Prayer without planning is presumption.
Men can already see your strengths, so reveal your weaknesses. God uses the weak things of this world for his glory. Make a seminal decision to be transparent. Vulnerability leads to transformation. Christianity is not about behavior modification, it’s about heart transformation.
Help men become “true believers.” Men do what they want to do, and they will want to do things they see as valuable, worthwhile, or bringing happiness. It’s your job to present the vision in such a way that the Holy Spirit can call men to passionate commitment.
Things to know when organizing a local UMM chartered unit or men’s small group
Benefits of GCUMM and Methodist Men to the local pastor and church
Tools for United Methodist Men's Ministry
Local Goal Setting and Evaluation Guide
Chartering a UMM at your church http://www.gcumm.org/ministries/men/resources.html
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Contact Information for NWTX UMM Coordinator:
James Bell
Men’s Ministry Specialist
2003 Morrison
Big Spring, TX 79720
214-228-4280 Cell
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Helpful links:
