01 Oct Brothers in arms: The 4 F’s of men’s ministry
How good and pleasant it is when God’s people live together in unity! Psalm 133:1 (NIV)
Has 2020 got you down?
Nothing like spending time with fellow believers to kickstart your walk with Christ!
Frontline Ministries recently held their annual men’s retreat at Whitehall Camp & Conference Center, about 90 miles northeast of Pittsburgh, PA. To many, this region is affectionally referred to as “God’s Country”: bountiful forests, beautiful wildlife, and bad cell phone signals! As usual, the Frontline Ministries team did a phenomenal job pulling together dozens of men from area churches to spend time with God and each other. Praise God for these men, brothers in arms (see image above)!
As I reflected on this event, God helped me summarize what I learned, the 4 F’s on men’s ministry:
Faith: This weekend was all about growing and renewing our faith in God: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Really, it’s simply an expression of the greatest command: love God with all your heart, all your soul, all your mind, and all your strength. The beauty of His creation in the beautiful mountains of northwestern Pennsylvania certainly offer times of teaching, quiet reflection, and contemplation in God’s Word. You could feel God’s presence all around you! There’s something else – the second F of men’s ministry – that helps grow your faith, and that’s…
Fellowship: In a time when most of us are starved for personal relationships, this was a weekend to reconnect with old friends and make new ones as well. Our emotions ran the gamut from laughing so hard that our bellies hurt to getting misty-eyed over the troubles we’ve suffered. Yet, God was in the middle of it all, bringing about fellowship in view of the second greatest command: love your neighbor as yourself. Indeed, there was a LOT of that going on: huddling to pray for a husband whose wife is dealing with a suspicious lump in her breast, talking with brothers who recently left a life of addiction behind to follow Jesus, and listening to men share their stories of God’s faithfulness. Of course, all of this was helped along the by third F of men’s ministry…
Food: The quickest way to a man’s heart is still through his stomach! Years ago, when our church’s men’s ministry events brought hundreds to thousands of men together, the post event surveys always reported the same #1 thing men loved most: food! And this weekend was no exception. We were treated to homemade meatloaf, pancakes, bacon, sourdough bread bowls of soup, cookies, pies, and cakes. In fact, one food dish brought tears to my eyes! Chuck (and his bride Karen) Golembiesky know that I love baked apple dishes (they remind me of Mom), so they baked me a homemade apple dish that I devoured at two sittings – I’m still praising God for His goodness through them! Which leads to the fourth F of men’s ministry…
Fun: We had so much fun this weekend! From shooting clay pigeons, to biking the Allegheny bike trail, to hitting the links, and fishing in the lake for fall bass, there were many fantastic opportunities to have fun in so many different ways. The joy of the Lord filled the camp through the sounds of men laughing, hooting, and hollering! Just as King David wrote in Psalm 133:1 (NIV), “How good and pleasant it is when God’s people live together in unity!”
Yep, the 4 F’s of men’s ministry (faith, fellowship, food, and fun) all came together perfectly in a weekend that, as Frontline Ministry promoted, opened up the opportunity for men to gather in an atmosphere that allowed for transparent and authentic dialog. Truly, we are brothers in the arms of the Lord!
And, with renewed resolve, we took these lessons and experiences back home to our families, publicly declaring the amazing glory of our God. It’s what A Faithful Dad is all about, encouraging dads and families.
Amen!
Challenge: Sign up for a retreat, and be prepared to experience the 4 F’s of men’s ministry!
Joyfully,
Travis L. Zimmerman
Pastor, Co-Founder
