Stepping Up as Leading Men
The Rev. Mark B. Allais
L
eading Men: Providing the opportunity for the men of our congregation
to develop spiritually, grow personally and serve others while having fun.
The idea behind the Leading Men group came from an active member of
our congregation. Over the years of coming to the New Church Buccleuch,
Mark Langridge noticed that there were plenty of women who attended church
with their children, but the men were not as regular or didn’t attend at all.
The idea sprang out of an on-going discussion that we as a congregation
have had for the last year and a half on how we can grow. Growth in numbers,
yes, but more importantly growing in getting people actively involved in the
life of our church, and growing in their spiritual walk with the Lord. After
hearing the discussions about growing the church, Mark approached me with
a suggestion: “Let’s start a men’s group.”
We chatted about this new idea and decided to give it a try. In April we
called all men together after church to test the waters. We had a very good
response and interest in a men’s group. We launched Leading Men later that
month with the purpose of providing the opportunity for the men of our
congregation to develop spiritually, grow personally, and serve others while
having fun.
The name Leading Men can be taken in two ways – both of which we hope
to support as a group. The first way of interpreting Leading Men is from the
Lord’s perspective. We want to learn from the Lord and be led by His Word in
our lives, but also acknowledge that men are leading other men. The second
interpretation is from the perspective of what we as a men’s group can do and
give to others.
It is our responsibility as men to lead our families to church, to the Word,
and ultimately to the Lord. It is our responsibility as men to lead the next
generation of young men by example, through being role models in the life of
the church and leading through service.
Leading Men meets once a month. Our meetings are very casual, with
time to catch up on what’s happening. There is either a topic for discussion
or one of the men gives a presentation of something of interest and benefit to
61