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Chautona Havig

Chautona Havig

Using story to connect YOU to the Master Storyteller

Do I Have Strong Opinions on Men’s Ministries?

by Chautona Havig · 5 Comments

Are You in the Game? looks into how one man reconsidered his opinions on men's ministries and how God used that to bless him and the church. via @chautonahavig

“Why don’t they open the stupid Bible once in a while?”

Okay, so calling the Bible “stupid” was probably not the best choice of words, but I understood my daughter’s frustration. Seriously, didn’t she have a point?  Who goes to Youth Group and expects not to at least hear a little something from the Word of God?

Got an answer for you.  Apparently, a lot of people.

No, seriously. Week after week, my daughter went to this youth group, and week after week, she’d ask to have something from the Bible. Nope.  Sweet little homilies about loving Jesus–sure. Actual Scripture?  Not so much.

It won’t surprise you to learn that she quit going there after a while. She can hang out with friends anytime.  She wanted… well, more.

I wish I could say that I was shocked by her discovery.  I’d noticed for years that most Women’s “Bible Studies” were more “Read this book that someone wrote about what she learned in her study of the Bible and answer its questions” than a dig into the Word itself.  It was partly why I’d removed myself from those.

Men’s Ministries?  We’d never been a part of a church that had them.  My husband always considered his ministry to be us–his family.  And he served us well.

Still, when I was given the chance to read a book about men’s ministries and pastors, I thought it could offer interesting insight into something I would like to understand.  After all, I have strong opinions on youth groups, obviously, but…

Do I have Strong opinions on men's ministries?

Note: links may be affiliate links that provide me with a small commission at no extra expense to you.  Furthermore, I received a free copy of this book for review purposes, and that no way influenced what I have to say about it.

Do I Have Strong Opinions on Men’s Ministries?

The simple answer is no.

See, I’ve seen strong ministries in action in the past couple of years, so I don’t want to denigrate what I know to be a beautiful thing when done well.  I began reading Are You in the Game or in the Way? and hoped for clarity and insight on how the church and, its leadership, in particular, could improve its ministry to the men who so often are neglected in our discipleship programs.

I went into this book with expectations.  Perhaps they weren’t kind.  I don’t know.  I do think, however, they were reasonable. I expected a book written to pastors about shepherding the men of their churches in a ministry designed to address the particular needs of men to… oh, I don’t know.  USE THE BIBLE to do it?

That looks harsh there. I almost removed the all-caps.

I couldn’t.  See, there’s a problem, I think.

If all our eating, drinking, and everything else we do is to be done to God’s glory, wouldn’t that include our men’s ministries?  And if a man was teaching others about the importance of men’s ministries and doing it without using the Bible to back up what he was saying, would you really believe that he believed it to be a Biblical call?

Am I saying Are You in the Game or in the Way? doesn’t have any Bible in it?

Nope.  I’m not.  there were three or four verses sprinkled across a couple of pages.

Instead of being a book to encourage church leadership in how to minister to the men, this book is more of one man’s experience in making that particular ministry more important in his life and in the lives of his congregation.  Rather than a call to Biblical action, it’s more of an anecdotal and experiential story–a hyper-focused memoir of sorts.  You could subtitle it, “How I got out of my own way and made the men of the church a priority.”

Something like that might have clued me in to what was coming.  Instead, the subtitle of “a question for pastors and men’s ministry leaders” hints that it’s about something deeper than it really is.

Does that mean I hated the book?  Nope.

It was okay.  I found a few places some folks might struggle with it. A phrase or two, etc.  Aside from that and the lack of Biblical support for the understated call to make men’s ministries a priority in modern churches, it was a moderately interesting story about one man’s journey from antagonistic to the idea to obviously passionate about it.

Recommended for people who enjoy topical memoirs, and pastors who need an encouraging reminder to invest in the men of their churches.

Are You in the Game 

Are you in the game holtzBook: Are You in the Game or in the Way?

Author: Ross Holtz

Genre: RELIGION / Christian Ministry / Pastoral Resources

Release Date: March 10, 2017

Are You in the Game or in the Way?

A men’s ministry reality check: What is standing in the way of a vital men’s ministry in your church? 

The guy who should be at the forefront is often in the way of the program getting off the ground. 

·         Are you, as pastor, the main obstacle to the growth of a vital men’s ministry? 

·         Are you the guy who wants to start a men’s ministry in your church but don’t know how? 

·         Is fear or a sense of inadequacy keeping you from starting such a ministry? 

Pastor Ross Holtz tells his personal story of how he became a catalyst for growth, instead of an impediment will inspire pastors and men’s ministry leaders. 

What works, what doesn’t, and what is required in forming a vital men’s ministry. Practical and honest teaching filled with relevant and tested examples from recognizing the problem to finding the fix.  

Pastor Ross Holtz is a man who has earned the right to speak on ministering to and through men . . . One man’s journey from being a sceptic to a fully-engaged pastor who sees the power of a clear ministry to and through men . . . Pastor Ross bares his heart, and is, at times, brutally honest in a way that will resonate.  

—Chuck Stecker, president, A Chosen Generation

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Comments

  1. Linda Palmer says

    November 15, 2019 at 7:05 am

    This book about men’s ministry sounds like a book that my husband would enjoy reading. I liked the sample piece about the restored truck.

    Reply
  2. Melissa Wenger says

    November 15, 2019 at 6:33 am

    I agree – the Bible should be the center of any ministry of a church! Sadly, sometimes that’s not what appeals to people.

    Reply
  3. James Robert says

    November 15, 2019 at 12:36 am

    Thanks for sharing your book with us. I think we all enjoy hearing about new books we previously didn’t know about. Also, thank you for the giveaway.

    Reply
  4. Amelia says

    November 14, 2019 at 1:41 pm

    Thanks for the review!

    Reply
  5. Andrea Stoeckel says

    November 14, 2019 at 7:48 am

    In my more “liberal” tradition, Men’s’ Ministry has always meant “let’s do breakfast”,rarely sprinkled with Bible Study. And, don’t get me wrong, I attended a Bible based undergrad school and have attended many “more conservative “ churches over the years. And, I do agree that Youth Groups/Youth Ministries have little to no actual Bible in them….

    However, something must have happened in 1971 when 12 out of the 45 members of my “youth group” were confirmed and FIVE OF US BECAME ORDAINED MINISTERS. G-d can call us out of the whirlwind, but also out of the day-to-day bible of the world. Everyone says they are too busy, too stressed to do Bible Study. Maybe, but can’t they learn otherwise?

    Reply

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Episode 163: A Chat with Naomi Craig about Ezekiel's Song
byChautona Havig

Before I began the interview with Naomi Craig about Ezekiel’s Song, I kind of went crazy and left it in to give you a chuckle. But Naomi and I chat about her upcoming release, why she chose to write about Ezekiel, and what areas she focused on. Listen in and hear her heart for the Word and for stimulating readers to love it and live it.

Oh, and that song I couldn’t remember? Well, I found it after a BUNCH of hunting on YouTube. Here you go!

Note: links may be affiliate links that provide me with a small commission at no extra expense to you.

Has Ezekiel Always Confused You? How about a Little Fictional Clarity?

There’s SO much to write about in Ezekiel, but after talking to Naomi Craig, I feel like I got a pretty good grasp of where she’s taking this book without feeling like I don’t need to read it now that we chatted, and that’s always great. Naomi shows service in the temple, how Ezekiel could have had a mentorish relationship under Jeremiah, and even what kind of woman his wife might have been.

Personally, I love the “Darcy-ish” meeting where he totally insults her and accuses her of being an idolatress. Let me tell you something. I cannot wait to read that! Seriously!

God had Ezekiel do a lot of weird things, and I always wondered how he managed some of it, but Naomi brings out possibilities by focusing on this wife that we don’t know much (anything) about. How cool is that?

Naomi also gave us a couple of glimpses into what’s coming next!

She’s #TeamBlue in the Keeping Christmas novella collections, writing about Herod’s palace and the wise men’s appearance looking for “the King of the Jews.”  And… from a scribe’s perspective!  How cool is that?

Also… next up is a book about a woman in Ephriam’s lineage who built three cities. A woman credited with the building of these cities!  I cannot wait! I love how Naomi focuses on how strong Biblical women were. So often we think of them as downtrodden and little more than cattle, but God shows how much He loves His daughters in the Word, and He definitely allows them to shine. We saw that in Naomi’s debut novel Rahab’s Courage.

Ezekiel’s Song by Naomi Craig

A prophet’s heart broken, a woman’s joy gone. What does Yahweh have planned for His people?

On the brink of Jerusalem’s demise, devoted priest, Ezekiel, sees the insincerity of Judah’s worship. Despite his efforts to call the people back to true worship of Yahweh, priests, artisans, valiant warriors, and royals are exiled to Babylon. When God gives him messages of continued judgment for the people in his homeland, his heart breaks. How can he minister to the people from so far away?

The presence of the Lord is tangible when Shiriel sings in the temple, and her voice prepares the hearts of many to worship. When she is exiled to Babylon, her faith is shaken. Does the Lord’s presence extend beyond Jerusalem and His holy temple?

Ezekiel is struck mute and paralyzed as he begins his prophetic ministry, and Shiriel devises a plan to get the Lord’s message back to the unfaithful people of Judah. Shiriel struggles with discontentment as serving the Lord looks nothing like she’d imagined. Can she provide for her family and carry out her husband’s ministry when her joy is gone, and her own dreams are placed on hold?

How will Yahweh save His people from themselves? Find out in Ezekiel’s Song!

Ezekiel’s Song is available at 30% off paperback and at a discount for Kindle, too through release week, so visit Naomi’s WEBSITE for more information.

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young—except the ones who destroy her beloved books. You could say she doesn’t have a very nice 
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