Agency provides free resources for men’s ministry Aug. 10, 2004  NASHVILLE, Tenn. (UMNS) –– The Commission on United Methodist Men is offering a free electronic newsletter to provide clergy with “tools” to help them reach out to men.
Power Tools, a monthly e-mail newsletter launched in June, provides clergy and other interested people with ways to begin or expand men’s ministries. In spite of the fact that only 30 percent of United Methodists are men and in spite of the declining number of members in U.S. churches, pastors receive very little training in men’s ministry, observed the Rev. Kwasi Kena, a staff executive with the churchwide commission. Kena noted that when he was in seminary he took courses in Greek or Hebrew, church history, preaching, Christian education, children’s ministry, youth ministry and sacred music, “but no course in men’s ministry or men’s studies was even offered. “I conducted an Internet search for men’s studies courses in today’s academic world recently” (and) “I was shocked to find that not much has changed in the past 15 years,” he said. “In short, this means that male and female clergy routinely complete seminary without getting any tools in their toolkits for men’s ministry. It’s time to close the men’s ministry gap.” The first issue of Power Tools provides: - resources to start a men’s ministry;
- resources to observe the newly created, optional Men’s Ministry Sunday;
- four building blocks of a successful men’s ministry;
- a men’s ministry action plan;
- ways to get connected to United Methodist Men;
- information about T-Quest, a spiritual life resource for small groups; and
- information about Strength for Service to God and Country, a book of daily devotions for members of the Armed Forces.
“When it comes to men’s ministry we cannot afford to settle for ‘wishing and wondering,’” says Kena, editor of the resource. “We hope that readers will find the content of Power Tools to be challenging, informative and motivational. Our aim is to help you develop life-changing ministries to and through men in your local church and community.” To order the free resource, e-mail gcumm@gcumm.org and put “power tools” in the subject line. News media contact: Kathy L. Gilbert, Nashville, Tenn., (615) 742-5470 or newsdesk@umcom.org.
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