How to Start a Men's Team Ministry to Widows, Single Moms, and Fatherless Children

About These Videos

Starting a men's team ministry is like life itself: there is an easy way and a hard way to do it. The easy way is learning from the experience of others and avoiding all the pitfalls. The hard way is ignoring the wisdom of others and having to experience the pitfalls yourself.

Over the many years that I have done men's team ministry, and trained others to do it as well, I have made some mistakes and learned a lot from them. The videos and blog posts below are a summary of what I have learned. Please be patient and invest the time and effort it takes to thoroughly cover the material. Your men, your widows, your single moms, and your church will thank you for it.

These six videos provide step by step instructions on how to start a men's team ministry in your church and are intended to be watched about one month apart.

All videos can be downloaded and distributed by watching the videos and clicking on the download icon at the bottom. Transcripts and handouts can also be downloaded and distributed.

Video#1 - Introducing Your Church Leadership and Your Church to Men's Team Ministry (16 minutes)

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Download the Video Transcript PDF MSWord

Suggested Reading

To-do list after watching the video:

Watch the orientation DVD with the workbook.
Set up an appointment with your pastor.
Meet with your pastor.
Give him the orientation DVD and workbook and ask him to review the material.
Contact your pastor 2 to 3 weeks later and see if he gives you a green light.

Video #2 - Planning Your Men's Team Ministry (12 minutes)

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Download the Video Transcript PDF MSWord

Suggested Reading

To do list after watching the video:

Confirm that you have approval from your church leadership to proceed.
Decide on the type of leadership team you will have.
Recruit your leadership team and define roles.
Develop your policy statement and get input and approval from your church leadership.
Set the dates for your orientation meeting, your first service day, and your promotional campaign.

Video #3 - Promoting Your Men's Team Ministry, Planning Your Orientation Meeting and Recruiting Care Receivers (11 minutes)

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Suggested Reading

To do list after watching the video:

Write and memorize your orientation announcement.
Publicize the orientation using all available church media.
Choose your orientation MC.
Locate your orientation DVD and test the AV system.
Download and copy workbooks . (Or have your men order them on Amazon.)
Purchase name tags and additional pens.
Make a list of potential care receivers in coordination with your church leadership.
Prioritize your care receivers.
Decide who will be contacting them.

Video #4 - Holding an Orientation Meeting, Forming Teams and Planning Your First Service Day (10 minutes)

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Suggested Reading

To do list after watching the video:

Hold your orientation meeting
Form your teams
Contact potential care receivers
Email your team members their team rosters with assigned care receivers
Send out a mass email to all team members and care receivers 4-5 days before your first service day
Follow up with an email to all team callers on the Thursday or Friday before your first service day

Video #5 - How to Lead a Devotional Hour and Preparing Your Teams for Their First Service Day (19 minutes)

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Suggested Reading

To do list after watching the video:

Plan the format for your devotional hour
Prepare your devotional
Send a mass email to all participants at least 4 days before your service day
Contact team callers individually on the Thursday or Friday before the service day to make sure they fulfilled their role
Hold your first service day
Early in the following week contact team callers again to see how things went

Video #6 - Evaluating Your Men's Team Ministry and Reviewing Other Men's Ministry Resources (14 minutes)

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Download the Video Transcript PDF MSWord

Suggested Reading

To do list after watching the video:

To Do List After the Video

Interview your care receivers.
Survey your men.
Make adjustments to your ministry model.
Make a ten year men's ministry plan.
Plan your expansion into other types of men's ministry.
Review men's ministry resources.

Congratulations!

You have started a men's team ministry to your widows, single moms, and fatherless children. Your men are well on their way toward accomplishing a very significant goal: your church being able to say, "There is no needy person among us." My prayer is that your men's team ministry will anchor your men in the love of Christ, overwhelmingly bless your widows, single moms, and fatherless children, fill your church with joy, and be a wonderful testimony to your community.

Be sure and send me an email (herbreese@newcommandment.org) and let me know how things are going and if there is any way I can improve this training.