Transforming Your Church into a Modern-day Adullam
Sidebar: Launching and Revitalizing Your Church’s Ministry to Men
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As you finish your prayer, you realize that the man weeping at the altar has come to Christ. The leather, tattoos, and body piercing no longer agree with the transformation you know has changed him. As you praise God for his salvation, you suddenly realize: I need to help make a strong saint of this man.
Churching, or rechurching men, is a key task in developing a dynamic and growing body of believers. The differences in background, appearance, and even style of these new brothers can seem intimidating. However, God’s power and your heart are more than equal to the task. With God you can become a modern-day captain of 400 in a 21st-century Adullam.
Adullam Assembly
"David therefore departed thence, and escaped to the cave Adullam: and when his brethren and all his father’s house heard it, they went down thither to him. And every one that was in distress, and every one that was in debt, and every one that was discontented, gathered themselves unto him; and he became a captain over them: and there were with him about four hundred men" (1 Samuel 22:1,2).
David, hunted and hated by his father-in-law, hid in a wilderness cave. Penniless and burdened with his unjustly persecuted family, David needed help. God faithfully guided men to His loyal servant.
Deadbeats, troublemakers, and whiners arrived at Adullam. With Saul and all of Israel’s armies looking for David, only the losers arrived at his side. However the situation may have looked to David, this was God’s plan.
Whatever they were before, these men changed as they stayed with David. A ragtag group of malcontents became an elite force of warriors. Losers and castoffs were transformed into courageous champions.
The church is made up of men and their families. People progress from converts to new disciples, to growing disciples, and then disciple makers. This is the intended pattern for God’s church.
Your church or ministry can become a modern-day Adullam—a place where men can become transformed in God’s Spirit and power. All it takes is a heart for working with the men whom God calls from darkness. If this seems too much, ask for more of His grace.
Nothing can remain the same in the presence of God’s grace. Not the situation, not the men, not even the leader.
Transformation Assembly
Military and law enforcement leaders probably understand how Christian leaders feel. They take men who know little or nothing of war or law, then transform them. In a few weeks, they make seasoned professionals from inexperienced boys. Then they send them into the streets and battlefields to accomplish a difficult mission against incredible opposition.
In a different sense, though, military and law enforcement leaders have no idea how Christian leaders feel. Military and law academies choose their trainees; the church accepts any who will come to the Cross. In too few weeks, or in too many years, the church makes powerful saints from lowly sinners.
Christian men, before their conversion, were often the worst offenders or the least wanted in society. The Holy Spirit transforms the hearts and natures of those men the world would throw away. Through God’s grace, we rescue "the least of these" (Matthew 25:45) and help transform them into desirable champions.
Churching the unchurched man is an extraordinary venture. Conversion, discipleship, mentoring, and mission progress through the lives of all godly men. Despite the distractions and demands of the world and church life, this process is the source of growth and strength for God’s church.
Converting Men
"And the Lord said unto the servant, Go out into the highways and hedges, and compel them to come in, that my house may be filled" (Luke 14:23). It is best to start at the beginning. Go into the highways and byways. Compel them with grace, love, and hope.
There are many unchurched men in today’s society who are in prisons, on street corners, or lurking in back rooms. Our job, as Christian leaders, is to help pull them in.
God created men to be free. They need to be led out of captivity. Their families, immediate or distant, will be released from bondage as God reclaims these men. We must go to these men, since they will not, or cannot, come to us.
Time, talent, and treasure spent on new converts are never wasted. No place where conversion takes place is too dirty or difficult for God’s grace to appear. We can fill His house with those whom God is saving. Are you willing to be a channel for the flow of His power?
Men gathered at David’s side in spite of his situation. Men who were desperate for hope and redemption traveled into the wilderness and joined an outlaw. In a similar way, our churches and ministries can become modern-day Adullams. We can create places where men can come and be accepted as they are. Godly men can embrace rank sinners and help them kneel at the altar in repentance. Revival and restoration can become commonplace if we put our hearts and backs into reaching the lost.
Discipling Men
With the joyous crisis of salvation and repentance complete, what happens next? The hard work of teaching, training, and tempering a new saint begins. Some mature Christian man must embrace that newborn, feed him with gospel milk, and help him progress to spiritual meat.
Here’s where the going gets tough. Teaching men takes time and talent. Otherwise intelligent and clever converts won’t immediately understand or agree with every aspect of their new lives in Christ. Someone needs to teach the fine art of godly living.
It is necessary that we teach these men to be obedient. Pleasure seekers must be transformed into modest, temperate men. Addicts must learn to reject every dependence except Jesus Christ.
Men, no matter how much they growl, respond to grace. At sometime in their lives all men need a kind, guiding hand. Newborn saints need their teachers to have respectful patience, if nothing else.
We may never know what kind of boot camp David ran for his recruits. I’m sure some lost heart when they learned what would be expected of them. Still, 400 men stayed the course and were transformed.
A new believer needs more care and teaching than he will at any other time of his Christian life. As leaders in God’s church, it is our job to help men learn Scripture and reach maturity in Christ Jesus. By teaching and training early and well, we can help men live long and fruitful lives as Christians.
"My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge: because thou hast rejected knowledge, I will also reject thee, that thou shalt be no priest to me: seeing thou hast forgotten the law of thy God, I will also forget thy children" (Hosea 4:6).
Knowledge is power. A man full of Scripture and the Holy Spirit is a threat to the enemy and a champion for the Kingdom. Are the powerful emerging around you?
Mentoring Men
Mentoring involves an intimate teaching and leading relationship. After their initial discipleship, men still need someone to guide them into the deep waters of God. A mentor takes on that role, selflessly helping a man become what God intends for him to become.
Each man who comes to God has a unique personality and set of gifts. No matter how many times you refine copper, it will not become steel. It is a mentor’s job to help this person and his God-given gifts and help him become the man God intends him to be.
"And now, saith the Lord that formed me from the womb to be his servant, to bring Jacob again to him, Though Israel be not gathered, yet shall I be glorious in the eyes of the Lord, and my God shall be my strength" (Isaiah 49:5).
Investing in the lives of men may not have immediate return. But as Christian leaders invest in God’s men, God will invest in His faithful leaders. There may be a gap between sowing and reaping. Stay the course.
God uses us to build His kingdom. Although we may not understand until later, His grace weaves exquisite patterns. God pours His glory into obedient lives. Dare to be part of His plans.
Mission
"Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world" (Matthew 28:19,20).
Sooner or later, a new convert becomes a mature saint. The comforts of being fed and nurtured need to give way to bringing up a new cohort of saints. At that moment, it becomes necessary to help them reach out in ministry to others.
"Therefore David inquired of the Lord, saying, Shall I go and smite these Philistines? And the Lord said unto David, Go, and smite the Philistines, and save Keilah. And David’s men said unto him, Behold, we be afraid here in Judah: how much more then if we come to Keilah against the armies of the Philistines?" (1 Samuel 23:2,3).
David’s men knew the skill and might of the Philistines. Fighting defensive battles on home territory is one thing; attacking a superior foe on his turf is another. God’s direction to David and his men was clear in its purpose, but not certain in its outcome.
The deep water of God’s purpose can be scary, even for veterans. It should come as no surprise that your men might have their faith stretched in fulfilling their mission. It’s important that you help them execute the Great Commission.
"Then David inquired of the Lord yet again. And the Lord answered him and said, Arise, go down to Keilah; for I will deliver the Philistines into thine hand. So David and his men went to Keilah, and fought with the Philistines, and brought away their cattle, and smote them with a great slaughter. So David saved the inhabitants of Keilah" (1 Samuel 23:4,5).
David’s 400 men, once desperate and broken, are transformed. They fought against the hardened armies of the Philistines and were victorious. Their potential, hidden when they first arrived at Adullam, is now plainly visible to everyone.
Courageous men are usually not fearless men. Courage can be defined as "personal strength greater than personal fear." The men of your church are capable of great Kingdom work. Still, they may need a little encouragement and exhortation to get going. It may even be necessary for their captain to share his own courage and wisdom with the men.
David never hesitated to consult with God. He always called out to Jehovah-Shammah, the God who is there, when his own reserves and resources seemed too little. God’s power and grace flow through willing vessels, changing everything.
Local Assembly
In the business world, an organization seeks to have 50 percent of its revenues come from young (less than 2 years old) products. The new products fuel growth in market share, customer base, and additional innovation. A leader and organization with these sorts of results are usually envied by competitors and favored by the owners and investors.
Our churches could profit from this approach. We can and should fill our pews with newly converted men. A church that grows through new converts attracts the attention of the community, expands its ability to further evangelize, and fulfills its God-given mission and commission. God and men will always favor a Christian leader who makes godly men of unbelievers.
It takes effort to create a new Adullam where you are. Losers and castaways will gather at the door, seeking the salt and light of the gospel to heal their hurts. As Christian leaders, it is our mission and mandate to make saints and champions through the power of the Holy Spirit.
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Kirk Hunt serves as director of men’s ministries at Copper Mountain Assembly of God near Tucson, Arizona. In addition to being a contracts manager at an aerospace manufacturer, Hunt is the author of the unpublished book, Soldiers of the Kingdom. |
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Some churches have launched a vigorous ministry to men while others have found it hard to get their ministry off the ground. Here are some ABC’s to help establish an effective men’s ministry. Acquire your team The most important part of men’s ministry is the leadership team. The men’s ministry leadership team establishes enthusiasm and direction. Individuals on the team must believe in the need for this ministry. Team leader. The pastor should select the coordinator and/or leader. Together they can select the other members. Team training. The team must be trained. The HonorBound BluePrint seminar* provides this training and helps leaders develop men’s ministry suited for their church. Team assessment. The team assesses the needs of the men in the church and the community through surveys, interviews, demographic studies, and brainstorming. Team prayer. Without prayer, men’s ministry will be another civic organization. Leaders must depend on the Holy Spirit to direct every part of this ministry. Team planning. The BluePrint seminar provides worksheets to help the team address the needs they have identified. When the worksheets are followed, the team will establish a target with goals based on biblical principles. Team assignments. Each member of the team will serve as a team leader in some aspect. Team evaluation. Evaluate the ministry’s effectiveness in reaching its goals. From time to time, adjust goals to be relevant and effective. Build relationships with men and among men Most men change within the context of friendships. However, most Christian men don’t have close friends. For effective growth and change to occur, leaders must cultivate relationships with men and among men. Pastor’s platform. The greatest platform for change in a community is the one-on-one encounters pastors have with their men. Men who feel significant to their pastor will feel they can do significant things for God. Pastor’s investment. A pastor’s investment of time will pay huge dividends in the leadership core and their families. Pastor’s leadership. The pastor does not have to be involved in all planning, but he should be the leader. Each opportunity to speak to his men is an opportunity to lead them to excellence. Pastor’s model. The pastor can model relationships. His openness and transparency will be a model. Men will sense that the ministry to men is a safe place. The pastor will be able to say to his men, "Follow me as I follow Christ." Capture and sustain momentum Men’s ministry must be process driven rather than event driven. Here are some ways to balance events with the process of spiritual growth in your men. Leverage your assets. Use major events and small events to capture the interests of men. This will help you gain momentum. Some churches have entry-point events to attract men: motorcycle clubs, fishing, hunting, golf, field trips, men’s conferences, and seminars. Use their interests to reach them. Develop a discipleship process. Resources are available that will help you establish a 3-year discipleship curriculum plan. Discipleship is not just a class. Everything you are doing must become discipleship. Stress relationships. The material will take root as it’s caught. Emphasize goals. Men are goal oriented. Stress the objectives for men to buy into the cause. When goals are established, men will rally around the team. Excel in basics. Help your men establish discipline in Bible reading and prayer. If they develop disciplines in the basics, they will be better husbands and fathers. Find ways for men to serve. Prepare a ministry in such a way that a man can get his arms around it and serve. He will soon take ownership and call it "my ministry." The commitment to teams can vary from a year to a few weeks to a few hours. Everyone needs to serve through the church to feel a part. Strive for excellence in everything you plan. Help your team members establish goals and checklists. The variety and organization of events will maintain the men’s interest. —Jeff Swaim, Springfield, Missouri. *For more information on the HonorBound BluePrint seminar, contact the HonorBound Men’s Ministries office at 417-862-2781, ext.4170. |
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