- Baptist Press - https://www.baptistpress.com -

Baptist Men On Mission: new name for men’s mission education groups

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ALPHARETTA, Ga. (BP)–The North American Mission Board has announced a new name and structure for its mission education organization for men, completing the reorganization of ministry and mission education among men in Southern Baptist churches.
The new organization is being called Baptist Men On Mission, with the quarterly curriculum and video package “Missions in Motion” as its primary component.
“It gives men the opportunity to create a unit so that they can become better equipped to live an on-mission lifestyle,” said Rob Carr, interim strategist of adult mission education for NAMB.
Also part of the change is the introduction of Baptist Men On Mission Week, planned for Jan. 23-30, 2000, as a replacement for the annual Baptist Men’s Day observance. The weeklong emphasis — involving prayer, learning, worship and ministry — is “an opportunity for involving men in reaching the lost in their families, their communities and beyond,” Carr said.
The overall emphasis mirrors NAMB’s new mission education strategy of helping Southern Baptists become “on-mission” Christians: awakening them to their need of seeing people come to Christ; adjusting their lives to make that personal involvement possible; activating in whatever way God has uniquely equipped them; and advocating the “on mission” lifestyle among others.
“If the intention of Baptist Men On Mission is to help men become skilled at being on mission, then Missions in Motion is the resource piece that will help them develop on-mission principles, help develop strategies for being on mission and to help them acquire the abilities and skills they will need,” Carr said.
Baptist Men On Mission will help men as they become awakened, for instance, to see exactly what is required for them to become activated in missions. An overseas missions trip, for instance, might be considered too difficult. “Sometimes men will use that as an excuse to say, ‘Well, I won’t get involved.’ They think if you’re going to do missions you have to do it ‘over there.'”
While the Missions in Motion studies will show men what steps need to be taken for major overseas mission trips, they will also present other opportunities requiring less effort. And as men become involved in smaller commitments, their experience in seeing God working through them often leads them to tackle the more difficult projects, Carr said.
Carr noted that with the myriad resources available for men, Baptist Men On Mission materials can be used as part of a larger emphasis for men — possibly combined with men’s ministry resources from Lifeway Christian Resources or Promise Keepers.
“Missions in Motion can also be used as a mission education emphasis within other men’s groups that are already formed, but they are looking for an additional element to their meeting time or gathering,” he said.