An Introduction to
Men's Ministry
2021 Laity Sunday
Chong Soon Fook
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The Men’s Fellowship began in the year 2011 when the Rev Dr Jonathan Seet spearheaded the formation of the group with a few church leaders when he saw how it has changed the lives of men and their families in his previous church. Mr Allan Fong was the ministry executive with 8 men in the program, mostly cell leaders of the church.
The group studied the program by Men’s Fraternity, authored by Pastor Robert Lewis from The Little Rock Church in Arkansas, USA. Entitled “The Quest for Authentic Manhood”, the 24-sessions program sought to call out men to take their rightful place in the home, and to lead their families in the way that God has ordained.
In the process, men learnt that their Godly calling is to be active fathers at home and to live out their lives accepting their responsibility, leading courageously and only accepting their reward from God.
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Since that time, the Men’s Fellowship started growing very rapidly. The group was finally renamed the Men’s Ministry in 2013. By 2020, the number of men who had attended The Quest for Authentic Manhood program was 280 with about 15 men who were serving actively as facilitators and helpers for the three concurrently running programs.
Men's Ministry
In the year 2014, the Series 2 program entitled Winning at Work and Home kicked off and in 2017, Series 3 called “The Great Adventure” rolled out. All three series ran the entire length of the year concurrently. Many men who had graduated from Series 1 proceeded to Series 2 in the following year and thereafter to Series 3.
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At the beginning of each year, men who successfully completed the program in the previous year would go through a graduation ceremony conducted together with an introductory session for men who are new to the MM and still deciding to join the MM.
The graduation ceremony marks the person’s commitment to be a better husband, father, son or brother to his family members and is usually attended together with family members who come together to witness his pledge as he begins his journey in committing to live out his life the way that God designed and ordained for how family lives are lived out.
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The Quest For Authentic Manhood
A graduation ceremony of The Quest for Authentic Manhood in 2015
The Quest For Authentic Manhood is a scripture based 24 sessions program, that kicks off at the beginning of each year. For better understanding and learning of each session, the men will form small groups of 4-5 men. A typical session follows the 5Ws of Cell Group ministry of Welcome, Worship, Word, Works, and Wonders.
The video session lasting about 45mins is played immediately after corporate worship, after which the men will breakup into their small groups for a discussion on what was taught in the video. Each group session is guided by a facilitator as they go through questions in the workbook. It is usually in this small group sessions that men get to understand further, clarify and learn life applications in the study.
Men's Ministry in session
The Winning at Work and Home (Series 2), and The Great Adventure (Series 3) programs builds on top of The Quest for Authentic Manhood, and is typically offered to men who have completed the 1st Series. Series 2 teaches men what it means to be able to emerge victors with the families and at the same time becoming productive and efficient workers in the office.
Series 3 teaches men who want to make their lives count for God, to be able to coach a younger man in order for him to gain a better understanding of the Christian faith, or to groom younger men in the area of his strength, giving him the confidence he needed to make an impact or change in his life.
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Interest Groups
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Besides the usual teaching programs within the Men’s Ministry, a number of different interest groups have evolved. They seek to bring men together for hobbies like Cycling, Golfing, Bowling, Table Tennis and Archery, and at the same time provide a safe environment for fellowship. We strongly believe in the need to encourage each through Brotherly love and care, and at the same time, to keep ourselves healthy through physical exercise and Christian bonding.
Platforms For Outreach
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These interest groups are also arms of the MM to serve as outreach platforms in reaching out to others for Christ. The Bangladeshi Outreach program is an example where MM cyclists and bowlers partnered with the PLMC Social Concerns to reach out to pre-believing migrant workers during their weekends or public holidays as they spend the time in outings and excursions.
Outreach to Migrant Workers
Excursion Outreach Program
A Christmas Outreach Program to Migrant Workers
Annual Retreat
Around the School’s September holidays, the MM will hold its annual retreat. These retreats seek to bring words of encouragement from anointed speakers to reinforce the purpose of our family orientation and help men along the way in life.
Our speakers in the past included the Emeritus Bishop Rev Dr Wee Boon Hup from our very own Methodist Church, Mr Jason Wong, the founder of Dads For Life, Dr Leslie Choudhury, a world reknown inspirational speaker, Mr Heng Cho Hiong, Chairperson of Missions Committee of PLMC and Chairman of TRAC Missions Committee, Mr John Koe, pastor of Petra Church and most recently, Mr Bernard Lee, an anointed leadership trainer from PLMC.
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In the past, such retreats were held in outdoor settings in chalets at Changi Beach, and Pasir Ris and were over a 2 days and 1 night stay. The retreat usually begins with a sumptuous BBQ dinner with specialty food prepared by our very own MM chefs. A video featuring Christian movies is then played at night to strengthen our beliefs of our calling in Christ.
2018 Retreat at Changi Beach Chalet
Families at Dinner in the Retreat
Keynote Speaker Rev John Koe @ Kingdom At Work
An earlier Retreat Activity in Pulau Ubin
As part of the Cell Ministry, the Men’s Ministry is also called to participate in the life of the church and its programs. Some of these are the Christmas Carnival, the Church Camp, 40DOB blessing, outreach to the Migrant Workers. These works exemplify Our Lord’s heart and compassion for those who are without a shepherd and the less fortunate. In reaching out to them, we want to bring them the love of God, that someday, many will come to know Him and accept Jesus as their personal Lord and Saviour.
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Men's Ministry Cell Group
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A recent addition to the MM Group is the formation of a MM Cell Group. Men from the MM Alumni group who had not been in Cells, joined this Cell Group to experience church cell life. Unlike other Cell Groups, this had been an all-men Cell Group led by Cell Leaders who had been and are still MM facilitators. This group had seen a strong growth in its size and plans for its multiplication is underway for more to join and grow in the discipleship of believers of Christ.
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We thank God for how He has changed lives of men through the Men’s Ministry for the last 10 years. We are grateful that God called men in PLMC to take steps to lead and guide their family members in a way that He had ordained and that will bring forth peace, unity and love in families and our community. We continue to pray and seek the guidance of the Holy Spirit for us, men of PLMC for the future that more will come to know Him and our identity in Christ.