Southern Baptist Men's Ministry Ideas

Building a strong men's ministry in your Southern Baptist church is essential to overcoming generational gaps and getting men connected and accountable. According to the Baptist General Association of Virginia, a men's ministry should have three dimensions. It should focus on the inner spiritual life of the men in the church, on fellowship with one another, and on witnessing to those outside the church.

One important function of a brotherhood group within the Baptist Church is for Christian men to fellowship with one another. The Bible says that iron sharpens iron, so the goal of fellowship is to allow men to meet in a social setting and discuss issues that Christian men face on a daily basis. There are several ways to fellowship with one another. Some men meet for donuts and coffee on a Saturday morning. Other men's groups go out to dinner once a month or get together for bowling or fishing trips.

Spiritual growth in a men's ministry is vital. Without it, some of the men may stumble in their Christian walk and fail in their marriages or other facets of their lives. Bible study time should be in addition to regular Sunday school classes and church attendance. A men's group Bible study can meet once a week, once a month, or even have occasional classes. It can be taught by the men's ministry leader, or an outside party can come in to teach the class.

Men who are saved should begin to reach out to others in the community who might not attend church or who are not walking with the Lord. There are more outreach opportunities than a single men's group could ever complete, so it is important to choose those activities that seem to have the most impact. Some ideas include going from door to door in the neighborhoods surrounding your church and inviting the men to attend a special function, such as a men's brunch or picnic. The men in your group should also regularly invite friends and co-workers to attend men's dinners and other functions.

A thriving men's ministry has a few big events the men participate in each year. These can include mission trips to serve those less fortunate, outings to an Air Force museum or to the Creation Museum near Cincinnati, or retreats. Most retreats take place at a hotel or conference center. Some of the larger Southern Baptist churches and most state associations have facilities available for retreats. An annual retreat can serve as a time of renewal for the men in your church.