Men's Ministry - TRAIN
Train Newsletters
Find out what's happening in our Train Newsletter (Feb 2008).
TRAIN event: "Marriage" - August 23 - Click for details
Running the race
"Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize. Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last; but we do it to get a crown that will last forever. Therefore I do not run like a man running aimlessly; I do not fight like a man beating the air. No, I beat my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize." (1 Corinthians 9:24-27)
All of us are to run our race in such a way that we receive the prize - the crown that lasts forever. The apostle says that he doesn't run aimlessly. He doesn't fight like a man beating the air. None of us ought to be.
Our men's ministry aims to encourage men to keep on running with purpose. It is too easy today for men to be distracted. We become preoccupied with other things like our career or our business or greed or pleasure. We can turn aside from the race that has been marked out for us. Men need to be spurring one another on. We need to be encouraging one another. As the old proverb says, "As iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another" (Proverbs 27:17)
This is what our Men's ministry is all about. It's about men encouraging men not to live their lives aimlessly. We want to spur one another on so that we might live to glorify God in all that we do. We also want others to come to know God's glory in Christ.
There are a number of ways we plan to do this:
A Training Plan
The apostle wrote to Timothy that he was to train himself to be godly. We want to encourage men to come up with their own plan of how they are going to train themselves. A personal plan will assist us to grow in godliness. Without a training plan we tend to drift along aimlessly.
The following six -point plan is a suggestion You might like to adopt it or come up wuth your own. What is important is that we have a strategy for growing in godliness and that we stick at it.
- Talk personally with God and read His word daily.
- Gather family members for regular prayer and Bible study.
- An active involvement in my church.
- Always honour the Lord Jesus at work.
- Share Christ with other men.
- Encourage my buddies to run the race.
The six-point plan or your own version of it ought to be placed in a number of places where you will see it regularly. It could be cut and placed in the front of your Bible or placed as a screen saver on your computer.
Training Buddies
Good intentions also need to translate into actions. To help this to happen it is good to have buddies who are also training. Buddies are people who will pray with us, encourage us and keep us accountable. Training buddies are three or four guys who meet together at least once a month to catch up with each other and spur one another on.
Training Talks
From time to time it is good to have someone come and give us specific advice on how we can all improve our game. Team talks are occasions when all our men can come together and hear a talk on an issue particularly relevant to the struggles and temptations that men face.
A couple of these seminars will be planned for each year. On these occasions we hope that all our men will come together to be encouraged and to encourage each other.
Time out
Time out is an opportunity for men to get together informally and get to know one another. It will also be an opportunity to invite non-Christian friends to a well organised social event at which they can get to know some of your mates from the church. Activities might include things like: indoor rock climbing, karting, a golf morning, fitness for men, etc.
Reaching out
As men we also want to reach out to other men with the gospel of Jesus. Buddies will be encouraging one another to be reaching out to thers. Together we will plan events that are suitable to ask our non Christian mates along to.
Mens ministry task force
This task force is a group that has been appointed by the church to encourage men to grow in godliness, to equip them to serve and to help them reach out to others with the good news.
| Shannon: | For dates and details about team talks and time out events. |
| Jeremy: | For help with finding training buddies to partner with. We are asking all groups to register with Jeremy. |
| Iain: | For if you need help with developing your own training plan. |