Editors Note: Ministry Spotlight, written by Epiphany vestry member and professional journalist Christopher Johnson will be a monthly article focusing on the people and ministries of Epiphany.
By Christopher Johnson
“Iron sharpens iron, and one man sharpens another.” Proverbs 27:17
Many men tend to feel a total disconnect when it comes to church. If given the choice, spending time at church most likely falls a distant second to spending time with friends, family or doing just about anything else.
Why is this? Well, simply put, men just don’t feel a presence of the Lord.
This is where the Men’s Ministry comes in.
The Men’s Ministry is the active pursuit of men in order to connect them to God, His Word, and other men for the purpose of winning, growing, and training God’s man in Christ. Like a fire of burning coals, the combined energy of men gathered together draws men toward the flame and keeps them active and encouraged by the other members involved.
The Epiphany Men’s Ministry umbrella includes:
- Men’s Prayer
- Men’s Bible Study
- Band of Brothers
- Annual Men’s Retreat
The Men’s Prayer group meets weekly on Thursdays with location to be determined. Led by Ted Gregg, this group is great for being able to get to know one another and to minister to the prayer needs of each other. This often leads to significant prayer time.
“We tend to have very meaningful discussions of a book and/or a portion of scripture that we are studying. We are always open to having more people join with us,” said Murray Black.
Thursday Mornings, Ted Gregg leads the Men’s Bible Study. This is a time for men to discuss and reflect on bible teachings and grow in their faith.
Founded by David Bassert, Band of Brothers meets Saturday mornings from 7:30 – 9 a.m. The meetings start off with Bob Schulenberg and his band playing a few tunes to get the spirit moving. Afterwards, coffee, conversation and study focused on scripture or another aspect of church life. Ex. The group recently studied the book “Why Men Hate to Go to Church” and gospels in light of their 1st century cultural context.
“Simply by being in this group with other men who struggle with life like we all do, strengthens my faith,” said David van Esselstyn.
Once a year, the Men’s Ministry goes on an annual retreat. This is a time for the Men to reflect, relax with canoeing or a variety of activities and pray while enjoying the many gifts the Lord provides. Men are welcome to bring their sons along as they bond together in the power of the Holy Spirit.
Can this ministry enable a man to better understand his calling in life and how to achieve it? Can it challenge a man to grow deeper in intellect, emotion and spirit? The answer to these questions is a resounding yes!
For more information on the Men’s Ministry and upcoming events, contact David Bassert at (703)-426-8122 or dbassert@aol.com