MEN'S MINISTRY
"Older men are to be sober-minded, dignified, self-controlled, sounds in faith, in love, and in steadfastness ... that the word of God may not be reviled."
Titus 2:2, 5b
What should be the focus of a men's ministry? In our minds, we may have a tendency to simply flip the two words -- men's ministry -- and think that the primary purpose of a men's ministry is to minister to men. That seems simple enough, right? However, did you notice the purpose of men's ministry in Titus 2:5? The apostle Paul described how older men are to conduct themselves so that the word of God may not be reviled. That is an interesting goal. If you take a minute to think about it -- men are not the ultimate focus of men's ministry. Upholding the word of God is.
So, if we were to take a step back and look at the big picture of the New Testament, men's ministry is not about men alone; it is about men being faithful to God's word in his church. This is because spiritually healthy men are an essential component to a spiritually healthy church, and Paul writes that the church is the "pillar and buttress of truth" in 1 Timothy 3:15.
So, if we were to take a step back and look at the big picture of the New Testament, men's ministry is not about men alone; it is about men being faithful to God's word in his church. This is because spiritually healthy men are an essential component to a spiritually healthy church, and Paul writes that the church is the "pillar and buttress of truth" in 1 Timothy 3:15.
- Spiritually healthy husbands are vital to a spiritually heathy marriage.
- Spiritually healthy fathers are vital to raising spiritually healthy sons and daughters.
- Spiritually healthy men are vital to a healthy men's ministry.
- Spiritually healthy men, husbands, fathers, and sons are all part of a healthy local church.
So, it takes a spiritually healthy church, not simply a spiritually healthy man, to reach a spiritually dying world. Fireside is seeking to build up the church by following the blueprint that God gave the apostle Paul, who then gave it to Titus, and Titus followed in Crete, and the elders are following the same blueprint in Elizabethtown.