Teach
Purposed to building men as they grow in their walk with the Lord, many groups will have a different approach, strategy or concept. The idea is to consistently encourage one another as ‘iron-sharpens-iron’ and always in training for the game plan God has given us through His Word.
GET STARTED: Creating an environment for men
- Let men meet in male-only settings.
Developing strong, godly men is best accomplished in settings where men can be honest, open and transparent with themselves and one another. - Make a man think.
Men are thinkers. They ponder and meditate. While woman use emotions and intellect simultaneously, men tend to use only one at a time. - Affirm men in their manhood.
Men need to be affirmed. One of the most devastating attacks on the body of Christ today is the lack of affirmation of manhood. A father affirms the masculinity in his sons and the femininity of his daughters. What is often missing in the family is the have the man look his son in the eyes and tell him, “I love you and respect you. You are a man.” - Consistently challenge men.
Once men are adequately affirmed, they must be consistently challenged. Men must be challenged to change their way of life in light of Scripture. Men are by nature competitive. They are looking for the next mountain to climb and conquer. - Do not expect too much too soon.
Men do not come to church in a totally sanctified state. Men must be taken through a process of maturing in Christ one step at a time. If we raise the bar too high, men will become discouraged and disillusioned. If we place the bar too low, we will encourage them to live in mediocrity and beneath the standard God has set for them. - Honestly present a strong, male image.
The challenge to church leadership is to present themselves as strong, spiritual male images both inside and outside the church. The leaders of the church must be about the Master’s business. When men see godly male leadership lived out before them day after day, it acts like a magnet. We must be careful to present to our men an accurate image of Christ in everything we say and do.