20150317_SummaryLetter

SMPC Men’s MinistrySMPC Men’s Ministry

Summary -

Three types of men that will come to the breakfast.

Funnel

             Introductory (men are inquisitive on superficial level)

             Committed - (men are thinking they want to get involved

                      and that the men's group is a worthwhile ministry)

             Volunteer - (men fully or almost all the way committed

                       and willing to join outreach)

- This ministry is sanctioned and blessed by the session.

- The gospel is has to be preached at each meeting.  And see where it leads.

- The involvement of other guys can't be coerced or forced.  

    Personal communication is the best way to invite men to join the meeting. 

- We need to bathe the ministry in prayer and be ready for where God leads it. It could be an abject 

  failure or a stunning success, either way is in accordance to God's plan.

- Each meeting has to be well thought out. 

- We are not teachers as much as facilitators or moderators.

- We(as leaders) also need to show a passion to encourage,

   lift-up and promote each man in the group.

- As we start to get involved in outreach efforts we will work alongside and under the leadership of the diaconate as they help the group identify needs of the church and community.  We need to start a dialogue with the diaconate early so when the need arises we will both ready.

Meeting time: Every two months on Saturday 8 - 9:30am

Menu: Bagels, pastries, fruits, coffee, juice, water (continental)

Where: SMPC Office. We will hold the meeting at men's houses.  Kevin Parkinson is willing to host the first meeting.  At the meeting, we will ask the men if they would like to host future meetings. Josh Cools has already volunteered his house.

8 - 8:15  Grab our breakfast items and fellowship a bit

8:15 - 8:30 - Introduction  

8:30 - 9:00 - Discussion Questions 

9:00 - 9:30 - Gospel Interpretation 2 Kings 5 

9:30 - Closing Prayer (The closing prayer can't be an afterthought. It should be an important part of the whole meeting.)

Purpose Statement:

The purpose of the ministry is two-fold.

1) To use what the church has faithfully taught us and apply these principles in our daily lives as we interact with our family and community.

2) To be an outward facing group as we become active in identifying the needs of our community and provide the assistance in meeting these needs and always integrating the fruits of the Spirit (Gal 5) in our actions.

Mission Statement:

All we do for God's gracious glory, our men's group hopes to spur each man to escape his comfort zone and positively impact each other as we grow to full maturity in Jesus our Lord.

Week 1 Discussion Topic - "Who are you to the real world"

Scenario 1a-

A few people at work know that I'm a Christian.  I don't overtly profess my Christianity but I also

don't shrink when asked about it. Either you profess to be a Christian or as Pastor Tim alluded to

in his sermon about a month ago, you don't tell anyone that you're a Christian.

Do you profess yourself a Christian to your co-workers? Do you fear being marginalized or patronized for your faith?  I work with a lot of Indian Hindu's and there is a respect for each other's religion, but when I tried to inject my faith, they become defensive and guarded. 

Scenario 1b-

A few years ago, Donna gave me a cross that had the Lord's Prayer emblazoned on it. I  hung the cross prominently opposite the entrance of my cubicle, so it can be seen by people walking by or by people who stood at the entrance.  I noticed that I used the get chit-chatters or even co-workers who want to ask questions stopping by regularly, prior to the display of the cross.  After the cross was displayed, the people who talked to me, dwindled to almost nothing.  Unless it was important work related stuff, no one visited my cube. The few who talked to me talked in an almost solemn, ascetic tone.  Weeks later I placed the cross on the side wall visible but not openly.  People started stopping by again. A lot more laughing, joking banter.  Conversation became easy.  What happened? Did I do right?  Did the cross cause so much

uncomfortable sensitivity?  Was it fear that I might talk about God and religion? What "scared" them off?

 Scenario 2-

Once upon a time (maybe a year ago), I was at Walmart standing in line and I struck up a conversation with the lady in front of me.  I mentioned I liked her cross necklace and the subject turned to our faith. She said she was a devout Christian and she even handed me a business card for her church, and to come and visit her.  Very nice and uplifting lady.  Then as she was checking out, she proceeded to blast the cashier (a difference of price on an item) and she turned ugly very rapidly.

I'm very sorry to say that I didn't say a word. I was taken aback by her actions.  I said a few kind words to the cashier but not enough.  We’ve all had similar experiences, when people are professing to be

Christians but acting totally non-Christian like.  There is hypocrisy in all of us, some more than others. If an injustice is done or your faith is being maligned, do you come to its defense? Who is my neighbor?

The purported Christian lady or the cashier?

The following scenarios will be discussed in future sessions. 

Scenario 3-

There's an attractive lady that works with you.  You greet each other and that's about it.

One day she's working in the same area as you and begin a conversation, about general things.

Then at least once maybe twice a week she comes into your area and start talking about relationship issues she's having with her husband. Hmm. You, the concerned co-worker start to listen, give words of encouragement, AND you love the attention.  Wow, an attractive woman trusting you enough to talk about deep, emotional issues.  AND you start to become attracted.  What is wrong with this picture?

The rationalizing comes "Hey, I'm being kind, I'm just listening, nothing's going to happen, I have a wife and family." But as more days pass an emotional bond begins to form with the other person. What is your best course of action?  She’s coming to you for advice, right? Let's add another wrinkle.  Home-life hasn't been that pleasant.  You and your wife have been at odds lately and the kids are being more obnoxious than usual. Now what? And oh by the way, she knows you’re a Christian and trusts you to be discreet about her issues.

Scenario 4

A lot of times at work you get pulled in a conversations with a bunch of guys and a few off-color

and lewd jokes are being said. Two things happen.  One, you stay and don't say a word, you don't encourage but you don't say anything.  Two, you say something like "hey don't say things like that".

But here's what happens. Now you're branded.  You're ridiculed and feel like you've got the plague.

People start uninviting you to conversations.  It's a price you have to pay.  Everyone wants to be part of a group, to fit in.  What is the cost of your participation in the secular world?  As men, we have egos that need to be fed.  How far will we go, how high will we climb, how low will be bend to accommodate the world?  Are we men of faith always or only on Sunday or during community group or other church activities?  

Ideas for future discussion topics:

Meeting 2: Fear

Meeting 3: Money Matters
Meeting 4: What’s the harm in a little porn?  


MARKS Distillation Summary
From: mark@springmeadowschurch.org
Date: Tue, 31 Mar 2015 11:45:50 -0700
Subject: Distillation of "Philosophy of Men's Ministry" at SMPC
To: germanprivera@hotmail.com; jdcools@gmail.com

Guys,

Here is my distillation of German's document.  This is what I'm putting down in writing.  If anything is missing, please let me know.

Mark 

Philosophy of Men's Ministry at SMPC

PURPOSE  (Why do we have this ministry?)

The SMPC Men's Ministry exists to help men apply what the Scriptures teach in their daily lives as they interact with family and community 

MISSION (How will we do this ministry?)

This will take the form of an outward-facing fellowship of men who become active in identifying the needs of one another and the community as they provide assistance in meeting these needs in accordance with how each man is spiritually gifted.

"All we do is for God's gracious glory. The Men's Ministry at SMPC hopes to spur on each man to escape his comfort zone to positively impact each other as we grow to full maturity in Jesus our Lord."

APPLICATION (What will this ministry look like?)

• This ministry is under the direct oversight and has the endorsement of the Session of SMPC.
  
• The gospel must be preached at each meeting.  It is up to the Holy Spirit as to where it leads.
  
• The involvement of other men cannot and should not be coerced or forced. Personal communication is the best way to invite men to join us.
  
• This ministry must be bathed in prayer.  Whether it is a failure or success, either way it is in accordance with God's plan.
  
• Men's gatherings will be facilitated and moderated discussion.  This will not be heavy-laden with teaching.
  
• The facilitators of the group need to demonstrate a passion to encourage, lift up, and promote each individual man in the ministry, one-to-one discipleship is important.
  
• Involving the diaconate as the ministry becomes involved in outreach will be an important step as the group identifies the needs of the church and the community.