A call for men and mentoring

Posted

By Charles Brooks

In 2010 I was led to start a men's ministry titled "Armor of God Ministries," based upon Ephesians 6:10­­-18. The focus of the ministry was spiritual warfare and God blessed the ministry. Then, I had a stroke and had to stop virtually doing everything including the ministry.

God healed me – praise His Name – and once again I sensed His call to restart the ministry as Total Armor of God Ministries.

As I’ve thought of the devastation caused by spiritual warfare and its effects upon God's people, I recalled my time in the U.S. Navy submarine force. The military teaches you, among many things, to stand together and be prepared to fight as a unified whole. Our effectiveness is much greater when we stand together versus trying to do things by ourselves.

I began to apply those principles to the ministry. We, as God's men, can be so much more effective if we stand together. What if we, as God's men, would call on our brothers at the time of need and ask them to help and support us?

Think about what spiritual warfare is all about. We all face temptation. If we were to open up and ask our brothers in Christ to stand with us, the odds of overcoming temptation would be much greater. Men struggle with asking for help in a time of need. Consequently, we have a tendency to stand alone.

Very possibly we don't want others to think we are weak. However, real weakness is thinking we can do it by ourselves and don’t need anyone else. As I thought about this, God laid it on my heart the overwhelming need for mentors.

The Bible gives many examples of "men mentoring men" with magnificent results. Jesus is a great example of this.

I started asking men, at random, what they thought about mentoring and to my surprise everyone I asked stated the need was great and desperately needed. I started reading and researching mentoring and was greatly blessed with what I found.  There are literally millions of younger men who need mentoring and millions of godly men who need to become mentors. Even though there is some mentoring activity, the greatest majority is waiting to happen.

Then I thought about the need to get this message to our local churches throughout the country and earnestly pray about it. I strongly believe God would richly bless our efforts, bringing men together as "Mentors and Proteges". Think about a “Mentoring Revolution" or "Mentoring Men's Movement"!

I am very confident that once this movement begins and catches on, we as God's people will be blessed and overjoyed with what takes place in the hearts and lives of millions of men and their families.

So, what do you think? Better than just thinking about it, are you willing to do something about it by initiating it in your church and/or men's groups? Prayerfully ask God what he wants you to do and then "Do It"! Remember: "We are one in the bond of love!”


Charles Brooks is a member of First Baptist Church in Kennesaw.

men's ministry, mentoring