Discipling Men in the Local Church

Article by: Mike Honeycutt

Men’s Discipleship Specialist

Cornerstone Conference IPHC

I spent 42 years in youth ministry, mostly in Royal Rangers, which gave me the opportunity to meet and minister alongside many men over the years. In 2018, I mentored a new Outpost Leader at our Royal Ranger outpost at North Pointe and then stepped down as an Outpost Leader myself. It was a hard decision, but I knew God was leading me to make it.

In 2019, I felt God calling me into Men’s Ministry at my home church. I didn’t know much about leading a Men’s Ministry, but I agreed to try. God blessed and anointed our Men’s Ministry, and we have seen growth in both numbers and spiritual depth. We started with six to eight men, and now we often have numbers in the mid-20s (as you know, church attendance can vary!). Last year, I agreed to serve as the Cornerstone Conference Men’s Ministry “Specialist” by sharing what we’ve done at North Pointe with anyone interested in starting a Men’s Ministry or exchanging ideas.

Why is Men’s Ministry Important to Me?

With all that is happening in the world, I believe men are under attack, and it is more important than ever for Christian men to be involved in Men’s Ministry! What should it accomplish? At least a couple of things are clear.

First, it should encourage spiritual growth by creating a time and place for men to connect. It is often difficult for men to share their struggles with anyone—especially other men—and it takes time and intentional effort to build trust. Regular church services alone rarely create the space for this kind of openness.

Second, it strengthens men by creating opportunities to bond through activities. Whether it is a social fellowship event or a service project, men grow closer by sharing common experiences. Get two golfers together, and guess what they’ll talk about? Golf. Get two NASCAR fans together, and guess what they’ll talk about? NASCAR! The church grows—not just in numbers but in strength—when men step into joint ministry opportunities. Men’s Ministry helps get men off the bleachers and into the game!

If you’re interested in starting a Men’s Ministry, or would simply like to exchange ideas about what works and what doesn’t, I’d love to connect with you. I believe men need other men to be strong Christians! We’ve all heard the saying, “iron sharpens iron,” and it’s true. On the wall of our Men’s Ministry meeting room, we’ve posted 1 Corinthians 16:13: “Watch ye, stand fast in the faith, quit ye like men, be strong.”

Be strong—together!