Home > Men's E-News > 100 Men of Influence

100 Men of Influence

by Rev. Dr. William H. Green
First United Methodist Church-Cary, N.C.

click for a printable .pdf of this article

                “I’m looking for 100 men who want to make a difference for Christ. Are you one of them?” That was the question I began asking the men of our church in the fall of 2002. Since then, I have seen God move in the hearts of men and do an amazing thing to revitalize the men’s ministry of our church. As a result, we now have what we call the “100 Men of Influence” program at First United Methodist Church. Yes, a lot has happened since I first began challenging our men about becoming one of our “100 Men of Influence.” But just how did this all get started and what exactly is the “100 Men of Influence” program?

                 We took a survey of what our men wanted to do at our first UMMen’s breakfast meeting in January of 2002. Seven men stated that they would be interested in a bible study. I was asked to come up with a suggestion for the study. I was all ready to come up with a good study for these seven men but God intervened.

                  One of the men of our church, Deven Spear, had a life changing experience, a true “heart” transformation. As a result of his experience, Deven asked me how he could make a difference in the ministry and mission of our church. What I saw next was truly of God. After counseling with Deven, I saw Deven take up a leadership role in our church, make a $10,000 contribution to the special ministries and missions of our church, and become involved in a daily discipline of prayer and bible study. I thought to my self, “What if we had a 100 men like Deven at our church? Wouldn’t that really make a difference? It was then that I remembered a quote from John Wesley.

                  “Give me 100 preachers, who fear nothing but sin and desire nothing but God and I care not a straw whether they be clergy or lay, such alone will shake the gates of hell and set up the kingdom of God upon the earth.”

                   In prayer I began to ask God for 100 men who would rise up and become men of influence at our church, just like Deven. Then God said to me, “Why don’t you just go get them?”

                  When asked if I had come up for a study for the seven men, I said, “No, I’m not going to have a study for seven men; I’m looking for 100 men.” I was asked where the other 93 men were. I said I didn’t know but that they were out there somewhere and that I was going to go get them.

                  I didn’t get 100 men. But I did get 85 men. And the last time I checked, 85 is more than 7, which was our original goal.

                  We had 85 men in 13 small groups to go through a six week study of Rick Warren’s book, The Purpose Driven Life. What did I learn from all of this? I learned that men respond to a challenge, we far too often set man made goals rather than God inspired goals, prayer is more powerful than surveys, and that men’s ministry can be a truly rewarding experience. I believe that there is a wave of the Holy Spirit at work in men’s ministry today. Like a good surfer, all we need to do is “jump on that wave!”

                  The most significant contribution that I can make to the men’s ministry of our church is to identify, recruit, and mentor future leaders. Each month I meet with one man whom I have identified as a potential leader. I share with him that I see him becoming one of the “100 men of influence” at our church. I ask if I may meet with him once a month for six months in order to help him take the next step in three areas of his life: 1) to take the next step in his devotional life; 2) to take the next step getting connected with other men for mutual care and support; 3) and to take the next step to claim and use his gifts for leadership. During the time that I meet with each man, I pray for him and his family. I tell the story and cast the vision of our men’s ministry at our church. I give my “elevator” s peech of why I’m excited about the men’s ministry of our church. I ask him “what one thing could our men’s ministry do to help you grow in your faith?” And I also invite him to attend one our meetings for our Men’s Ministry Leadership Team.

                  I have a goal to mentor 100 men using this approach. It will take another ten years to accomplish this goal. Since the most important thing I can do is to disciple men who will in turn disciple other men (II Timothy 2:2), I make it a point to help train the men whom I mentor to be able to mentor other men too.

                  It is amazing what we have been able to do at our church in just the past couple of years. We have hosted the largest “No Man Left Behind Conference” held to date in the United States. We have hosted several Man in the Mirror seminars (“Dads that Make a Difference,” “Seven Seasons of a Man’s Life,” and “Success that Matters”). We have created the “Leadership Lifter for Men” program in which we invite men in the community to come talk to our men’s group about leadership and the most important leadership lessons that they have learned. We have hosted the John Maxwell leadership simulcast at our church and invited business leaders throughout the community to participate.

                 Our motto for our men’s ministry is: “Every man a leader; every man an influence for Christ; and every man needs a lift.”

                 I am often asked, “What are you going to do when you get your 100 men?” The answer is simple, “go get another 100 men.” Hopefully, what I am doing will inspire other men to do the same and the 100’s will soon become 1,000’s.

January 1, 2008
the Reverend Dr. H. William Green
Associate Pastor
First United Methodist Church
117 S. Academy St
Cary, N.C. 27511
919-467-1861
www.fumc-cary.org

click for a printable .pdf of this article