Excerpt #12: Implementing the Model in Your Church

Pat Morley, David Delk, and Brett Clemmer

Volume 199
September 25, 2006

In conjunction with the release of our new book about men’s discipleship ministry, No Man Left Behind, we are publishing 12 excerpts to give you a taste of the book. This is the last one, which is from Chapter 12, “Build Your Plan: How to Implement the Model in Your Church.”

IT'S SO . . . NATURAL."

Imagine this: A man is being ordained or installed as an elder in your church. His family is standing on the stage with him. His wife is so proud of her husband—you can see it in her glowing face. Among those watching are a group of men who have made an impact on the man’s life over the last several years, and men he has impacted as well.

The pastor steps up to him and says, “Tell us how God brought you to this point in your spiritual journey.”

"To tell you the truth,” he replies, “I’m not really sure. The only decision I can remember making is when my friend invited me to join the softball team six years ago. After that, it just seemed like every step I took was so . . . well . . . natural. Like I didn’t have to decide what to do next. The right next step just always appeared when I was ready for it."

You’ve been to an airport with those long people movers. A guy steps on at one end, and off he goes. Sure, he can jump off the side or walk backward, but the system just naturally carries him forward toward the destination.

That’s how a discipleship program for men in your church should work. A man makes a decision to step onto the belt, and off he goes. It has built-in momentum. And for the man, it’s natural.

SO WHAT'S NEXT FOR YOU?

Reading this book has been a vision and create step for you and your leadership team. The questions in the book and the exercises in this closing chapter will help you capture momentum. How well that momentum is sustained will be determined by the decisions you make by the end of this chapter, and the actions you take during the next twelve months. So what comes next?

A PLAN FOR THE NEXT YEAR

To keep this Weekly Briefing "brief" we won't go into detail about what your plan for the next year might look like, except to say that you will need one, and here are the eight areas we help you plan out in the book....

1. Explaining the Portal Priority
2. Modifying Your Man Code
3. Developing the Three Strands of Leadership
4. Developing an All-Inclusive Ministry to Men
5. Clarifying Your Vision
6. Creating Value
7. Capturing Momentum
8. Sustaining Momentum

We hope you have enjoyed these snippets from our book No Man Left Behind. We pray God will use them and the book to equip you and your leadership team to disciple EVERY man in your church and community.

For the glory of Christ and no other reason,

Pat Morley, Ph.D.

Click here to learn more about our new book No Man Left Behind.

Each week, Pat shares biblical insight and encouragement on leading issues impacting men on Man2Man Express with Brian Doyle and David Beguerie. Click here to listen to Pat's latest broadcast.