The church doesn’t need men’s ministry
But it does need men’s discipleship.
We have all seen it.
A man comes to Christ, and at some point, he decides he wants to get his life on track with the Lord. He is tired of his old ways and longs for something better, deeper, stronger, and more meaningful. So, he starts attending whatever his church offers under the banner of men’s ministry. At first, it motivates him. It gives him a spark. Unfortunately, that is often as far as it goes.
Life gets busy. Culture pulls hard. Before long, he drifts away from the ministry he once felt excited about. No lasting transformation has taken root. He slips back into the same habits he hoped to leave behind.
I have been a pastor for a good while now, and I have seen men’s ministry appear in every imaginable form. Small groups, men’s breakfasts, big events, retreats, outdoorsman gatherings, and hands-on activities. Men’s discipleship can happen in any of these settings, but none of them are men’s discipleship by themselves. Too often, men’s ministry becomes the church equivalent of throwing ideas at the wall to see what sticks. Do not get me wrong. These activities can be helpful. I mean, men’s breakfast? You had me at bacon.
There is a reason men’s discipleship often devolves and honestly, it is pretty innocent. Most pastors genuinely want men to grow in their faith. For the last hundred years, American churches have struggled to consistently engage men. That may be shifting in recent years, but historically it has been a real challenge. So the pastor looks around, sees what is working at another church, and tries a plug and play approach. Voila, men’s ministry! But after a few years, he realizes it is still the same eight men who started it. Men show up. Men enjoy the moment. Men leave without real change.
The issue is not that events are bad. The issue is that events alone do not produce enduring spiritual fruit in a man’s life. A retreat can get you fired up emotionally. A men’s breakfast can give you some much‑needed encouragement for the week. A conference may challenge you for a season. But discipleship is what teaches a man how to pray when he doesn’t feel like it. It’s what motivates him to examine his own heart in an honest and open manner. It’s what helps him keep going when he is in a dry spell. And it shows him how to walk with Christ when life feels heavy. I am convinced that the church needs to create environments where men can grow slowly, honestly, and deeply.
Here is the real difference:
Jesus never ran a men’s ministry.
You can read the Gospels front to back and you won’t find Him hosting a men’s breakfast, planning a hunting trip, or organizing an annual retreat. Those things can be fun and helpful, but they were never what he was aiming at.
What Jesus did do was far simpler, but also more difficult.
He called men to follow Him.
Matthew 4:19: “Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.”
Jesus wasn’t inviting men to attend something. He was inviting them to become something. His call wasn’t to a program but to a way of life which is developed by His presence, His teaching, and His mission.
But what exactly is a disciple anyway?
Simply put, a disciple is an apprentice of Jesus—someone who is fully devoted to Him. In the Gospels, being a disciple meant three things: spending significant time with the rabbi, imitating His way of life, and being entrusted with His mission. Today, a disciple is a person who walks closely with Jesus, intentionally grows to reflect His character, and joins Him in His work of making more disciples.
Action Steps
Invest intentionally in one man.
Find someone who can help you grow spiritually.
Join a men’s discipleship pathway like The Battle Plan at New Community Church (January, 2027).
Help your church cultivate a discipleship mindset.
Start small. Start slow. Go deeper.
Ask Yourself
Who has been instrumental in growing my faith to this point?
Who could I help in a similar way?
What spiritual habit do I need to develop?
Additional Resources
Disciplines of a Godly Man – R. Kent Hughes
The Measure of a Man: Twenty Attributes of a Godly Man – Gene A. Getz
No More Excuses: Be the Man God Made You to Be – Tony Evans
