Men in Ministry, 10,000 Disciples, One Man at a Time

“Therefore go and make disciples of all nations…..” Jesus commanded us in Matthew 28 18 and following. Men in Ministry, how do we do it? Is it a wallet thing? Give money so that others can do the job? Teach a Sunday School class? Lead a ministry? Go every church service? Sit next to a visitor in service and talk to other men at the end of service?

All these suggestions, plus others, are correct, but not enough.

One Man at a Time

Jesus said make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost. Baptizing is a one on one event. It takes an individual commitment from a man then the baptism is one man at a time.

Making disciples is also a one on one process. It is making a disciple. A person can make a commitment and be taught in a group or a service, but to become a disciple it takes one man with another. Jesus called His Apostles one man at a time.

The question then becomes: how do we get to the entire city of San Francisco, all 400,000 men, one man at a time?

Men in Ministry, first a couple of social realities that we will want to put to work.

1. A commitment one man to another, face to face, has the absolute highest likelihood of being honored to the fullest.

2. A one on one relationship has the greatest opportunity to be intimate and real

So what is the idea?

The idea, like all good ideas gives birth to a simple plan.

1. Be committed to walking with the Lord
2. Be an obedient follower of Jesus and Pastor Beiser
3. Attend all Glad Tidings Services
4. Pray every morning and study, the Pastor designated One Year Bible, every morning
5. Ask a man to have coffee one day per week at a Starbucks or similar location
1. Pray together to start
2. Discuss the day’s reading
3. Discuss what is going on in the man’s life
4. Pray for each other as you close the meeting
5. Invite the man to upcoming church services or events
6. As appropriate invite him to an upcoming men’s event
7. Once every few months have a social time with the man and his spouse
6. At the end of a year evaluate, with another leader, if the man is ready to disciple another man, following the same plan.

If we start with just 10 men in a disciple relationship with 10 men the first year. The numbers multiply and get ridiculous quickly. What would it be like to have 10,000 men in disciple teaching and training? That would change neighborhoods and the City of San Francisco. We can do that in 10 years!

How do you pick the man to disciple or how do you find a man to disciple you?

A. Pray to the Holy Spirit for the direction, He will answer your question.

B. Ask a leader for suggestions.

Here, we have the formula for a minimum of 10,000 disciples changing the City of San Francisco, forever, for Christ!

  Glad Tidings Men In Ministry

Choosing the Ministry Servant Leader Team

Working with Men in Ministry will be challenging and rewarding.  Leadership in this context is similar to leadership in the business world. A major difference is the men in ministry are from different economic, national origin and educational backgrounds, and they are volunteers. The most dedicated participants are the most desirable because of their heart for the ministry. All the men will personally believe that Prayer is Powerful.

In the ministry like the business world the leader, will want to be able to knit the group together by recruiting the members most likely to be dedicated and most likely to contribute to the ministry’s successful outcomes.  Train each person to perform in his role, in the ministry. Motivate each leader to participate and do what is required away from admiring eyes and recognition. Sounds a lot like business leadership where successful leaders hire well, train effectively and motivate in the group and individually.

The most important element, which is not listed in the business books but is necessary in ministry, is people who are an example of Christian Living. Each man is a Servant Leader. Men striving to serve as Jesus would serve. This is not easy we fail, but the honest striving to achieve this goal is the key indicator.

Normally the participants in the ministry cannot be chosen they volunteer. The leaders can be chosen. These men should be hand picked, prayed in and confirmed by your Pastor or Church Leadership. Look for men who are family oriented, they have volunteered for other ministries or jobs in the church they are active in a large group activities, church dinners, greeters, picnics and outings.

Develop a relationship with each leader through conversations with them over a coke or coffee to understand their interests. Do they have a passionate desire to make a difference?

Finally, when building Men in Ministry be sure and select leaders in the ministry that are respected in the church for how they act and what they “humbly” do. Leaders will need skill in communicating and organizing. The leaders will have a passion to win men to Christ, One Man at a Time.

Select 2 or 4 leaders plus yourself.  This creates odd number for decisions and enough people to spread the work and the responsibility. Keep in mind your leaders more than likely have a family and full time employment outside of the ministry, which will take most of their time. The family always comes before the ministry.

So spread the work around and do not keep giving the same tasks to the same people. In addition, each leader should be able to fill any role when it comes to an activity or project.

The key to a successful ministry to men is the leadership. The leadership team that is selected and approved to work to build and lead the ministry.

Glad Tidings Men in Ministry

Men in Ministry The Vision is Important

Men in Ministry Praying 

Men in Ministry, the vision is important. The preparation for the vision and hearing God's Voice as the confirmation of the vision are the steps to a great vision.

Joel 2:28 “‘In the last days, God says, I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy your young men will see visions your old men will dream dreams.

The word vision is mentioned 79 times in the Bible.  In everything, we do there must be a vision as to the direction and the milestones of the organization or the action.

Glad Tidings Men in Ministry International has a vision. The vision is to have a ministry of men who pray and study the Bible. Through this work, we will raise up men and win the City of San Francisco to Christ one man at a time.

I hope that the vision is big enough. The test of big enough is can it be done without God. Do I need God to complete the vision? The vision to have men dedicated to prayer, fasting and Bible study to win the men of San Francisco to Christ cannot be done by a few men and me. It will take God to reach the vision.  That makes it a true vision.

The next step is to be sure that God is voicing His approval of the vision. God is giving confirmation through His people. Milestones that show the path to the vision will support the vision.

God takes the expression of a vision seriously.  In Jeremiah 23:16 ‘They speak visions from their own minds, not from the mouth of the Lord.”  Developing a vision requires the Holy Spirit as a bold participant in the formulation and then the confirmation.

San Francisco will be a City for Jesus

This may be to say that the Men in Ministry vision formation and planning is as important as the vision itself. The vision must be based in prayer, fasting and the study of the Word followed and integrated with listening to God’s Voice. The vision for the ministry is essential, without a vision we will flounder and perish.

Throughout the Bible, God gives His faithful visions of things to come. He gave them visions of Himself, visions of how it will be, He gives us visions to strengthen their faith. He shows us the way to salvation through the vision milestones, which He lovingly gives us so as to strengthen our faith.

When God places a curse on His people He takes away the visions Micah 3:6
”Therefore night will come over you, without visions, and darkness, without divination. The sun will set for the prophets, and the day will go dark for them.” Without a vision from God or a vision blessed by God, we are in darkness. The vision shows us the future.

Vision is important to God. It is crucial to have a God ordained direction. If the vision is not ordained by God, it will not work.

God will give us the vision most often in steps. He gives us what we can handle. The vision we have for the Men in Ministry for men who pray, fast and study the Word and through that work raise up men and win the City of San Francisco to Christ. God has given the vision of Glad Tidings Church Building being filled up to over flowing. It is happening. God has sent evangelists and prophets to Glad Tidings to confirm the vision in small steps. God is confirming the Men in Ministry Vision through the milestone confirmation.

The action is to develop the vision after emersion in prayer, fasting and Bible Study.  Listen to God’s voice and get confirmation from God’s leaders. Then go for it!


Men in Ministry

A Disturbing Conversation

Disturbing is not a strong enough word. Devastating may be more in line with the subject and potential outcome. I was sitting in Panera Bread in Marlboro, Massachusetts having coffee after a customer meeting. Working on some email and planning for a meeting later in the day I was pretty much heads down into my work.

A women a few tables away was moving to sit down when she recognized a man and said I have not seen you for a while. The man acknowledged her; he replied that he had been at his mother’s funeral. The woman expressed her condolences. The man answered telling the women that his mother was 90 and lived a good life.

How to react when a person dies, my first reaction is “ I hope they were saved.” My mother died 18 months ago at the age of 89. She lived a good life. That was not all. I was sad to see her go I was happy for her to be in Heaven with Jesus her Lord and Savior. Mom’s last few years were not that kind. She did not have any pain. She was confined to a bed or her wheelchair she could not talk she did smile all the time. She was active all her life, her last day living in the only house she and my dad ever owned, she fell backwards off of a ladder while cleaning her windows. This was only a few years before she died. Mom was active so her state in the nursing home was not appropriate for her.

I then heard the man talk about his mother’s funeral. He said he told the priest to pick verses that related to his mother’s life. He then said the priest did not pick the verses as he had requested. He went on to say; "the priest did not know his mother." Jesus may have been her Lord and Savior I do not know.

When someone asks about my mother, I will always make the comment that she committed her life to the Lord 30 or so years ago, now she was in heaven.

At my funeral, my pastor will select the verses the commentary and the eulogy. He knows me. As I write this I would also say that I could do the same for him. I know my pastor. I know his heart. I pray that I will not be here to prepare for or attend his funeral.

Maybe it is age but more than that it is an appreciation for the price Jesus paid for my soul and the soul of the mother of the man in Panera Bread. The price was so high He valued us so much. I hope she accepted the gift at some point in her life. The decisions and her destiny are made. There are many people, half the world in fact, who have yet to hear the Gospel Message and make their decision.

Men in Ministry this is our mission reaching one man at a time, so that none should perish. 

Holy Spirit, please lead me to whom you have for me to witness today. Please give me the words to say.

Men in Ministry

more » HubPages

Men in Ministry, What is Going On?

Active is good! Men in Ministry be active with activities that will bring the men closer to God and closer to each other. Through the relationships and building friendships, evangelism of each man's universe begins.

In San Francisco, we have been on a run of activity, which has been powerfully bringing men closer in their relationship with Jesus and into fellowship with each other. New men have entered the groups as they see things that are appealing.

40 Day Fast and Prayer

January, 2012

Each year of the last 8 or 10 years, as a church we have started each year with 40 days of fasting and prayer.

Pastor designs a 40 day fast which will range from 3 days of water only to raw vegetables to broth, to rice to a free day. The regiment varies throughout the 40 days. It is a fast that takes dependence on God and will power.

Prayer then accompanies the fast every weekday morning from 5 AM to 8 AM. That may sound rough. It is organized and varied with song worship, Bible study, personal prayer, and corporate prayer that, as hard as it may be to believe, the time flies. Not everyone can make all three hours with work and other obligations so they come for the time they can come.

This is the foundation and an exciting beginning to each year, from this time; Pastor will alter an existing plan for the year, confirm the existing plan or write a totally new one. This will all be dependent on the Holy Spirit.

Used the Book Face to Face with God

Men’s Bible Study

A different man led the study each week

March, 2012

The Bible Study was on Evangelism, using the book Face to Face with God. It was a 6-week study, each Saturday morning for 90 minutes. Refreshments of coffee, juice, bagels and donuts are provided. A different man led each week. The attendance varied it averaged 30 men each Saturday. It was awesome!

Ecuador Mission Trip

July / August 2012

This was a huge beginning for some and a refresh for others. Sixty people from Glad Tidings, San Francisco and Sequoya Community in Oakland went to work with Jerry and Janice Smith, the missionaries to Ecuador. The mix was about half men and half women. This was the third annual, major, Mission Trip. Each year there are additional trips, which include fewer people and are shorter in length.

A mission trip has a significant impact on all involved. The participants are in constant reminder of the power of God and the absolute immense value of prayer. The experience is one that can be approximated but not duplicated except by another mission trip.

Horseshoes

August 2012

 

This is an annual event that has 50 or 60 men in fellowship on a Sunday Afternoon. We will barbeque and play Horse Shoes in an organized tournament. It is a blast! Very competitive!

New men get plugged in relationships are developed relationships are restored. The event is talked about and referred to all year long, creating anticipation for the next year.

Men’s Retreat

September 2012

In early September, we had a magnificent Men in Ministry Retreat. The speaker, Jim Maxim is the author of Face to Face with God, the book we used for the Bible Study.

Seventy men attended the retreat. Glad Tidings Church in San Francisco is the host site. The retreat started on Friday evening with dinner, song worship, a message and an unbelievable altar call. The men go home each night. Saturday morning begins with a breakfast followed by song worship, message, men’s small group in a short Bible Study, lunch a Prayer Meeting then recreational activities. On Sunday a dinner after second service then a commissioning service.

It was breathtaking!!!

Men in Ministry Car Wash

September 2012

Raising money for missions. The car wash is a good venue. It provides a stage for fellowship, evangelism for the car owners and it raises between $1,200 and $2,000 on a Saturday. 

Men’s Neighborhood Groups

October / November 2012

The groups meet in a leaders home for 90 minutes once per week for 6 weeks. The meetings consist of food and a study. The study in this first period is using R.A. Torrey’s Book, The Power of Prayer. The initial study is on the first 5 chapters In the 6 weeks of the Men's Neighborhoof Groups.

Training for the leaders and host took place using a custom facilitator's guide.

The objective is to reach the men of San Francisco, One Man at a Time.

This is what is going on with Glad Tidings Men’s Ministry International. God is always good He is the rock the access to the Rock is prayer and fasting.

Please pray for the Men’s Ministries all over the world.

Men in Ministry

Men in Ministry Going to Ecuador

The planning is complete. Sixty people from Glad Tidings Church and Sequoyah Community Church are ready to go. In less than 24 hours, we will board the plane to Guayaquil, Ecuador. For the first time, we have more Men in Ministry on the trip than women. This is a bold step forward in winning men to Christ, one man at a time.

The ministry teams have been practicing for 6 weeks with ever increasing intensity. We have raised $170,000.00. 1,000’s of hours of prayers and 1,000’s of days of fasting have taken place. The prayer team is part of the mission trip. A powerful prayer group will remain in San Francisco. The mission team has purchased nearly 1,000 Malaria Pills, received 100's of essential shots, bought plenty of insect repellent, Imodium, and sunscreen. We are ready!

There has been teaching in Spanish and the local customs of Ecuador. When we are in Ecuador, we will become like Ecuadorians. This is necessary to be accepted by the local people.

The ministry teams include:

· Construction team to build 2 classrooms and lay a foundation for a new church well outside of Guayaquil

· Dance team of men and women, dance is a popular form of worship in Ecuador.

· Puppet team will perform with the children, 2 songs and a play all in Spanish

 

· Choir team includes all 60 participants. The team will perform 4 songs in Spanish and English. The choir is always a large impact.

· Drama will perform Zion, a play written many years ago by Pastor and Christina Beiser. We have performed it all over the world.

· Prayer team will be the lead prayer warriors throughout the trip.

· Each team has a leader. Each ministry team can be split into 2 complete teams, to be able to give 2 performances in different regions at the same time.

Work will take place at the school in Guayaquil and the outlying areas. Janice and Jerry Smith, the missionary hosts, founded the school. They came to Guayaquil with the vision of starting a school. Through the school, they could spread the Gospel. As God would have it, the school would also meet a large need to school what today are 300,000 children in Guayaquil who cannot fit into any of the current school facilities.

In April 1987, the Liceo Cristiano opened with 700 children in grades 1 through 6. The school grew each year. The Smiths added a grade each year until it included all grades through secondary school in 55 classrooms with 3,000 students. We will be building 2 classrooms in the school to help move closer to their goal of 25,000 students. Each classroom holds 40 students. They are used multiple times during the day to accommodate over 100 students per day.

Ecuador is a Socialist Country, with free schooling. There are not enough teachers or classrooms so 300,000 children are unable to find a place in the education system.

Why are we going to Guayaquil? The school has had to turn away 1,000′s of children because they do not have sufficient facilities or teachers. The poverty in Ecuador effects 38% of the population. It is common to have children ages 5 and older working while their parent’s lie in a hammock submitted to alcohol or drugs.

In the city, of Guayaquil children live in desperate poverty. The children live on the streets without hope and open to exploitation of all kinds. Children should dream of baseball and Christmas and birthday parties and friends. The children's dreams are stolen by their situation. Malnutrition stunts the growth of children, which is common in third world countries, but not acceptable. Add to these conditions the occasional natural disaster. The picture should be clear.

The calling came a year ago when we were in the Amsterdam Airport, Schiphol on the return trip from Malawi, Africa. We are ready to go.

God has prepared an exciting time for us in Guayaquil, Ecuador

Men in Ministry

How Forceful Should We Be When Witnessing

I was doing some research and found that more than 62% of America is un-churched. This has been multiplying throughout the generations, unless something happens the numbers will continue to grow. In 1950, it was 15%, in 2000 the number was 40%, 10 years later it is over 60%. In baseball on a losing streak the manager will go with his best pitcher, we call the stopper. As Men in Ministry, we are the stopper in Jesus plan.

It is clear that Jesus has one plan He commands in Matthew 28:19 and 20: "Therefore, go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit and teach them to abbey all I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always even to the end of the age."

We are the means for everyone to receive a quality hearing of the love that Jesus has for all men and women. The 62% of adults in the United States equates to 195 million people. That is a large number. Nearly 2 out of 3 Americans are un-churched. No need to travel to other parts of the world when it is most likely that your neighbors and friends are in need of a quality hearing of the Gospel Message.

“Love your neighbor as yourself.” How will it feel when we are in heaven and friends are suffering. Will I have that impression of the time, I had an opportunity to witness to that person, and I passed it up. We past because we were afraid of what the person would think about us.

Less than 1 in 10 people make a decision for Christ in a church setting. Most people will make a decision for Christ based on seeing His life lived out in their friends, family members and business associates.

In Luke 16:19 and following is a story that Jesus told about a rich man and a beggar named Lazarus. The beggar and the rich man both died. The beggar was carried off to Abraham’s side. The rich man went to “Hades.” He begged Abraham to send Lazarus back to earth to tell his family to repent. Abraham told him your family did not believe the prophets they will not believes a person who comes back from the dead.

We live among the 62% we can be the example of the joy that a relationship with Jesus brings to our lives. Based on the growth from 40% in 2000 to 10 years later 62% by 2020 the number will be 77%.

We should have a sense of urgency, one man at a time.

In Glad Tidings Mens Ministry International, we are active men in ministry making a difference, one man at a time.

Hardworking Men, at Work in Ministry, Changing the World One Man at a Time

That is a mouthful of direction for men everywhere. How can we effectively make a difference, everyday? We are each only one man, how can we make a long-term difference? How can we change the world? These are all good important questions for us to ask, ultimately how do we, as individuals, become world changers? Let us look we are really never alone.

Let us first look at making a difference everyday. We do this whether we think we do or not. Just by being, we make a difference. I live in San Francisco, California, not to confuse it with any other San Francisco. In this city, not unlike any other, just by walking around with a smile on my face and greeting the people I walk past, I make a difference, a modest difference, but a difference just the same. Now if I take that walking around, smiling and greeting to the next step and actually talk to a few people that are willing to have a conversation. With this conversation I will make a greater difference. Now let me become deliberate and decide I want to talk to people, who seem willing, about a particular subject. Now I will make a deliberate difference in some people’s lives. That deliberate action may be positive or negative we will move people one way or another.

Some good examples that we know, your father was / is a world changer. He had an impact on you. You will take that experience and have an impact on others, one person at a time. Liken it to the butterfly effect. The flapping of the delicate wings has an impact on the movement of the air.

The best example is Jesus; He was very personal, He developed a deep personal relationship with a few people. His inter circle was James, John and Peter. Jesus was a one man at a time guy. He lived the fact that iron sharpens iron. He is deliberate in His relationship with us. He is the ultimate example.

The original questions can then be summed up in one question. How can we change the world one man at a time? That is the only way to change the world one man / person at a time. It is work and it is rewarding.

The “how to” of this will take practice. We cannot do it alone. I will be deliberate and say how do we complete the mission which we were assigned right before Jesus ascended into heaven, as told to us in The Great Commission: Matthew 28:19-20: Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.

If we look at this command, backwards, and say Jesus is with us, individually, always, to the very end of the age. He gave the command and then said He will be with us to execute the command. He then sent the Holy Spirit, to be along side of us to assist us, when called on to do so, to complete the command.

In a conversation or in a public speech the most important words are, if planned well, the last words spoken. This is what the speaker or the person wants the audience to remember.

These were the last words Jesus spoke, while in the flesh on earth. They are the important words; they are our mission in life.

The formula for the mission is to garner all the resources we have been given to succeed in the mission.

Call on the Holy Spirit each morning and throughout the day to prepare for the people He will put in our path to effect, then pray that we will recognize those people. Then ask for the words to say. We do not want to offend with harsh statements, we want to lift up the people we meet with the love of Jesus.

Once we have done this and put on the armor of God then we are ready to change the world one man at a time. And that is your ministry!

Men in Ministry

Who are you listening too?

Glad Tidings Men's Ministry International conducted a Men’s Bible Study this morning. The subject for all our Men in Ministry is Evangelism. Particularly witnessing to men. The mission is witnessing to one man at a time. This brings to the for front the question “Who are you listening too?”

My career began in the 70’ s in the computer industry. I love the productivity that technology produces for individuals and businesses. The advances over the time I have been in the industry have produced dramatic gains in productivity. Properly technology has created dramatic changes to our lives, allowing flexibility in work schedules and allowing professional people to spend more time with family and in ministry. The ultimate is the ability to get more work done in a shorter period of time. The quality of the work is always the question.

Technology has also allowed us to hide behind email, voicemail and the like. It has allowed us to “communicate” without talking to anyone. It has allowed us to make excuses for, at times, garbage in the communication, causing disruption or at a minimum confusion, which may slow others in the chain of communication in the execution of their tasks. How many times have you received a text or an email with a word missing or out of order, leaving you to wonder what the message is?

From the early days of the industry to the present time, one phrase continues to ring true. Garbage in, garbage out, is the phrase, whether that garbage is conversational, a tweet, an email or a text or data into a business model. This phrase also applies to our lives.

Letting garbage come in to us allows that garbage to have an influence on us. Let negative stuff in and sooner rather than later it will affect our attitude and our actions. Where does the negative stuff come from? All over radio, TV, Internet, Spam, people on and on. The age we live in allows somewhat unbridled access to us. If you leave your email address on a site for any reason or do a search on Google or another search engine you have opened the door for a barrage of “stuff” to come your way.

Who are you listening too? With all this stuff coming in, much of it trying to influence how you think or react to situations and people, the stuff needs to be screened and off set with the truth. If it cannot be screened, which is difficult, it will need to be filtered through the truth by which you can test everything you hear, read or see.

If you will live to a consistent standard, what is that standard or is there a standard that has absolute consistency?

Who are you listening too? You can listen to all the people who say what you want to do is hard, it is not supported by the “norm”, it will be a lot of work, and the possibility for success is slim. They say!

Do the research and look to the successful, experienced sources for the answers. Find those people who consistently perform, way above the norm. If it was easy everyone would be doing it and the value will be much less, when you are successful.

For me the Bible is the one true over arching source of truth. From here I can test everything I hear, see or read, no matter where it came from, to see if it measures to the truth. Once, what I am using has been tested, then I can be comfortable putting it to use. The results will be consistent and fair, decisions and actions in my family, business and personal relationships. In all three areas iron sharpens iron. This then gives me a strong foundation for building great success for the people around me and myself.

Glad Tidings Mens Ministry International