Purpose: Men's ministry is committed to developing strong relationships among the men at FVBC that bring the Word of God to bear on our lives together as men. Through these relationships, we are committed to challenging one another in our biblical role as men to grow in our understanding of the Word of God, to obey the Word of God, to live holy lives, to shepherd our families, and to pass these responsibilities on to the next generation.

“A controversy of major proportions has spread through the church. It began almost 40 years ago in society at large. Since then an avalanche of feminist literature has argued that there need be no difference between men’s and women’s roles – indeed, that to support gender-based role differences is unjust discrimination. Within evangelical Christianity, the counterpart to this movement has been the increasing tendency to oppose any unique leadership role for men in the family and in the church. ‘Manhood’ and ‘Womanhood’ as such are now often seen as irrelevant factors in determining fitness for leadership.’”

From the preface of Recovering Biblical Manhood and Womanhood by John Piper and Wayne Grudem

As a result of the above, there has been a growing uncertainty among evangelicals as to what their God-given roles should be, both male and female. We believe it would be helpful to provide a biblical answer to that question.  To that end, the Men’s Ministry will be offering a series of 16 sessions on Biblical Manhood.

We’d like to encourage ALL men to be a part of this year’s study by attending the Men’s Bible Study on the following Saturday mornings:

2008 FVBC MINISTRY PLAN FOR MEN:

Men’s Bible Study – 7:00 AM

Mar.15	Manhood and Womanhood Biblically Defined
Mar.29	Male-Female Equality and Male Headship
Apr.12	Husbands and Wives / Christ and the Church
Apr.26	Men & Women in the Image of God
May 10	Male Leadership in the Family Requires Male Leadership in the Church
May 24	The Family and the Church – Biblical Manhood in Practice
June 14	Biology – Gender-Specific Behavior
June 28	Psychology - How to Raise Masculine Sons and Feminine Daughters
July 12	Sociology – The Cultural Impact of Feminism
July 26	Where’s Dad?
Sept.13	Family Devotions – Men Discipling Their Wives and Children
Sept.27	Real Men Don’t…
Oct.11	The Man’s Battle With Lust
Oct.25	The Place of Work in the Life of a Godly Man
Nov.15	Establishing a Man’s Priorities – Now What?
Dec.6	20 Questions: Commonly Asked Questions

FATHERS, BRING YOUR SONS:  We strongly encourage dads who have junior high aged sons or older to consider bringing them to the studies. These young men are being raised in a culture that will bring increasing pressure to bear on their future roles as Christian husbands, fathers, church members, and workers outside the home. We’d like to help you prepare them for the battles that lie ahead.

This cultural struggle is actually showing signs of intensifying, not subsiding.  No Christian family, who interacts with our culture, will remain untouched.  Please consider engaging in this subject with us and as a church family learning together how we might best address these key issues with wisdom and strength, yet with gentleness and reverence as we share the hope that lies within us.