Men's Ministry ("MM")

The Men’s Fellowship began in the the year 2011 under the guidance of  Rev Dr Jonathan Seet with 8 men. The group studied the programme by Men’s Fraternity, authored by Pastor Robert Lewis from The Little Rock Church in Arkansas, USA.

Since that time, the Men’s Fellowship has grown 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 programme was 280 with about 15 men who were serving actively as facilitators and helpers for the three concurrently running programmes.

In 2014, the Series 2 programme 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.

At the beginning of each year, men who successfully completed the programme 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.

AUTHENTIC MANHOOD PROGRAMME

The Quest For Authentic Manhood is a scripture-based 24-session programme that kicks off at the beginning of each year. The programme seeks to call out to 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 learn 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.

For better understanding and learning of each session, the men 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 break up 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 work book. It is usually in this small group sessions that men get to understand further, clarify and learn life applications in the study.  

The Winning at Work and Home (Series 2), and The Great Adventure (Series 3) programmes build on The Quest for Authentic Manhood, and are typically offered to men who have completed the 1st Series. Series 2 teaches men what it means to be able to emerge victors with their 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 areas of his strength, giving him the confidence he needs to make an impact or change in his life.  

INTEREST GROUPS

Besides the usual teaching programmes 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.

MEN'S MINISTRY OUTREACH

These interest groups are also arms of the MM to serve as outreach platforms in showing the love of Christ to others. The Outreach Programme is an example where MM cyclists and bowlers partnered with PLMC Outreach & Social Concerns to bless our migrant workers during their weekends or public holidays as they spend the time in outings and excursions.

ANNUAL RETREAT

Around the September School 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.

In the past, such retreats were held in outdoor settings in chalets at Changi Beach, and Pasir Ris and were over 2 days. 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.

MEN’S MINISTRY CELL GROUP

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 has been an all-men Cell Group led by Cell Leaders who have been and are still MM facilitators. This group has seen strong growth in its size, and plans for its multiplication are underway for more to join and grow in the discipleship of believers of Christ. 

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.