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The Area Directors Speak Out: Limiting Factors in Men’s Discipleship and Their Solutions Each issue, we pose a question to our Area Directors about men’s discipleship in the local church. Here are some of their responses.
What are some limiting factors in men’s discipleship and what are solutions to those obstacles? Tony Lambert , Greater Kansas City Coalition for Men's Discipleship Limiting Factor: Not enough leaders and passionate men to build a leadership team. Solution: Prayer and patience (but that doesn’t mean sitting back and doing nothing). Five years ago our Men’s Pastor prayed, sought out and asked men for a commitment to serve the men of our church for nearly 8 months before putting together the leadership team that still currently leads our ministry to men.
Ronn Read , Northwest Chicagoland Coalition for Men’s Discipleship Limiting Factor: Our culture of “quick and simple.” We go for numbers and think we are not successful because we only have a few. Solution: Pour ourselves into those few, with the constant mindset that we are making disciples who make disciples -- the power of multiplication as opposed to addition goes to work! I have used the formula E=mc2 as my guide: effectiveness = maturing Christians making maturing Christians!
Dave Armstrong, Greater Philadelphia North Coalition for Men's Discipleship Limiting Factor: People’s use of time, often seen as overcommitment. We get so busy doing good things, we lose sight of doing eternal things. Solution: Discernment. We need to help men to identify those few key priorities that will direct them to being godly men and then continually challenge them to devote themselves to those priorities.
Bob Ryan, Northwest Arkansas Coalition for Men’s Discipleship Limiting Factor: Time/priorities in churches and people. Solution: Getting men into small groups. In my church, we have about 100 men meeting twice a month with a specific purpose of discipleship and I am hearing good things! This coaching is flexible, loose, and provides accountability/friendship.
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