January 2010
Men’s Ministry Best Practices: Building a Men’s Ministry Culture that Serves, Succeeds, and Sizzles
Avoiding Common Failures by Steve Johnson
A strong men’s ministry culture drives challenge, performance, and positive behavior in men. It’s been said that a ministry is only as impactful as its leaders. Every ministry has a distinctive culture. A strong men’s ministry culture reinforces the values and behaviors that you want, and weakens the attitudes and actions that you don't. A weak culture, of course, gives little guidance or direction to your men, allowing all sorts of inappropriate actions and behaviors.
To grow, even to survive, you must develop a ministry culture that attracts, inspires and retains leaders and men. Take this seriously, or your men’s ministry could become a collecting point for old ideas and old thinking..."dead wood". Does your ministry inspire loyalty, dedication, creativity and motivation? Does your "ministry culture" challenge your men to learn, improve and grow? As a leader, this is a good time for you to consider the following foundational ideas and implement them into your men’s ministry. Some seem obvious, yet we have found many ministries that haven’t nailed them down and wonder why men aren’t attracted to their ministries. Take this list of seven keys to a strong culture to heart and determine the degree to which they are a part of your ministry. They’re not just good ideas...they are foundational to building a culture that attracts and retains men.
- Vision, Mission and Values: Are your vision, mission and core values clearly written down in black and white? Have they been framed and hung upon the wall? If so, great! But then what happened? All too often these important statements become part of the woodwork, ignored by old-timers and quickly forgotten by new leaders. Don't let this happen to you. Integrate these key statements of purpose and philosophy into your recruitment and orientation programs, and communications. Ask yourself this question: "Can every member of your team explain the ministry vision, mission and values in their own words?" If so, you have harnessed the power of their alignment and understanding. If not, your team may be adrift without a clear course, or rowing hard... but in divergent or conflicting directions.
- New Leader Recruitment and Orientation: Do you invest enough energy selecting leaders who are really aligned with your ministry vision and values? Do you give men sufficient time and resources to get to know you and your ministry - before they sign on as members of the team? Or do you find yourself content with bringing on just enough "warm bodies" and hope the job gets done? Studies show that leaders who get thorough orientations into the responsibilities and vision of the ministry tend to invest more, get less frustrated, and stay longer than those who are just ‘thrown into’ the ministry.
- Rites and Rituals: Men’s ministries with strong cultures evolve rites or rituals that are memorable and unique. There is a good reason why college fraternities and secretive men’s associations attract and retain men: They use rites and rituals to induct them into their organization...it’s personal and memorable. What is it about ‘belonging’ to your men’s group that is unique?
- Internal Communications: How does word get around from you to your team? Is it consistent and informative? Do you keep them abreast of all they need to know in order to accomplish their tasks? Are the communications timely, or last minute memos?
- External Communications: When you communicate with the men in your church in order to recruit them to your ministry, how effective and attractive is it? Don’t be lulled into thinking that men don’t care-we do. Men only invite other men to events and activities if they trust that it won’t be an embarrassment to them or their guest. Sometimes we only get one shot at this with men.
- Role Modeling: The most powerful actions for building a sizzling men’s ministry culture is when your leaders lead by their own example. When recruiting and orienting leaders for your ministry, it’s a good idea to have them sign an agreement that defines the actions and attitudes that characterize your ministry.
- Make your culture nourishing: Your ministry culture is like water. It can flow strongly and steadily, refreshing your men and carrying them forward, or it can sit festering and stagnant, gradually deadening those in it. If you create an open and transparent culture, within which men can share what’s ‘really’ going on in their lives in a confidential and trusting environment, it will nourish them. Being sure that your leadership team is aware of what the men in your ministry truly need from the ministry, and gearing your ministry to meet those needs is spiritual money in the bank. Otherwise, it becomes just another ‘thing’ that is a part of their week.
Read the other articles in this issue:
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