By Brent Lacy
# Building a Men’s Ministry in a Small Church: A Practical Guide
The Problem With Men’s Ministry in Small Churches
Here’s a scenario I’ve seen a hundred times. A small church decides it needs a men’s ministry. The pastor announces it from the pulpit. Three guys show up to the first meeting. They eat donuts, talk about the weather, and go home. The second meeting, two guys show up. By the third meeting, it’s just the pastor and one deacon.
Sound familiar?
The problem isn’t that men don’t want to grow spiritually. The problem is that most men’s ministry models were designed for churches with 200+ men and a dedicated men’s pastor. They don’t translate to a church where the entire men’s population could fit around two tables at the local diner.
But that doesn’t mean you can’t have a meaningful men’s ministry. It means you need a different approach.
What Men in Small Churches Actually Need
Before you plan a single event, understand what men in your church are actually looking for:
1. Authentic relationships, not programs.
Men don’t need another meeting. They need other men they can be real with , men who will ask how they’re doing and actually listen to the answer.
2. Practical discipleship, not theoretical theology.
Most men in your church aren’t looking for a seminary-level Bible study. They want to know how to be a better husband, father, and follower of Jesus in the real world.
3. A reason to show up on Sunday.
Many men in small churches attend because their wife wants them there. A strong men’s ministry gives them their own reason to be part of the church.
4. Service opportunities, not just study.
Men often process faith through doing, not just discussing. Give them something to build, fix, or serve, and they’ll engage.
The Small Church Men’s Ministry Model
Forget the megachurch model. Here’s what works in churches with 5-30 men:
Monthly Men’s Breakfast (or Lunch, or Supper)
Keep it simple. Once a month, men gather for a meal and a brief devotional. That’s it.
Format:
- 30 minutes: Eat and fellowship
- 15 minutes: Brief devotional (10-15 minutes max , not a sermon)
- 15 minutes: Prayer for one another
Key principles:
- Rotate who leads the devotional (not just the pastor)
- Meet at the church, a restaurant, or rotate homes
- Keep it to one hour total
- Make it easy to attend (no homework, no preparation required)
Quarterly Service Projects
Four times a year, the men of the church do a service project together. This could be:
- Helping a widow with home repairs
- Building a wheelchair ramp
- Cleaning up a community area
- Helping with a church work day
- Partnering with a local charity
Why this works: Men bond through shared work. Building something together creates relationships that a Bible study alone never will.
Annual Men’s Retreat (or Day Away)
Once a year, take a half-day or full day away from the church for focused fellowship and spiritual growth. This doesn’t need to be expensive:
- A Saturday morning at a state park (free or low cost)
- A day at a member’s farm or cabin
- A men’s breakfast at a nice restaurant followed by a hike
Format:
- Meal together
- A guest speaker or the pastor sharing on a relevant topic
- Small group discussion
- Prayer time
- Activity (hiking, fishing, sports, etc.)
Weekly Accountability Pairs
This is the simplest and most effective men’s ministry tool in a small church. Pair men up (or groups of 3) and ask them to:
- Check in with each other once a week (phone, text, or in person)
- Ask each other three questions:
- How is your walk with God this week?
- How are your relationships (wife, kids, coworkers)?
- Where are you struggling?
That’s it. No curriculum. No materials. Just two men committed to helping each other follow Jesus.
Men’s Ministry Ideas That Work in Small Churches
Men’s Bible Study: A weekly or biweekly study that works around work schedules. Early morning (6:30 AM before work), lunch hour, or Saturday morning.
Men’s Book Study: Read a book together over 6-8 weeks and discuss it. Choose practical books on marriage, fatherhood, work, or discipleship.
Mentoring Program: Pair older, more mature men with younger men. The older man commits to meeting with the younger man once a month for a year.
Sports League: Organize a men’s basketball, softball, or golf league. This isn’t “ministry” in the traditional sense, but it builds relationships that lead to spiritual conversations.
Father/Son Activities: Annual father-son campout, fishing trip, or service project. This reaches men through their role as fathers.
Men’s Prayer Breakfast: A weekly or monthly early-morning prayer gathering. Simple format: breakfast, brief devotional, prayer.
What NOT to Do
Don’t try to copy the megachurch model. You don’t have the people, the budget, or the staff. That’s okay.
Don’t make it complicated. The best men’s ministry in a small church is the one that actually happens. Simple and consistent beats ambitious and sporadic.
Don’t exclude men who aren’t “spiritual enough.” If your men’s ministry is only for men who read their Bible every day, you’ll have three guys. Welcome all men and trust the Holy Spirit to do the growing.
Don’t forget the men who can’t attend events. Some men work Sundays. Some are homebound. Some are shy. Find ways to include them , phone calls, home visits, one-on-one mentoring.
Don’t let it become a clique. The goal is to draw men INTO community, not to create an exclusive group.
Getting Started: Your First 90 Days
Week 1-2: Talk to 3-5 men individually. Ask them what they’d find valuable. Don’t announce a program , have conversations.
Week 3-4: Based on those conversations, plan your first event. Keep it simple , a breakfast, a service project, or a day trip.
Month 2: Hold your first event. Keep it low-key. Focus on building relationships, not delivering content.
Month 3: Evaluate. What worked? What didn’t? Ask the men what they want to do next. Then plan your next 90 days.
The Bottom Line
Men’s ministry in a small church doesn’t require a big budget, a dedicated staff, or a complicated program. It requires a pastor (or a faithful layman) who cares enough to start something simple and keep it going. One breakfast. One service project. One conversation at a time.
The men in your church are hungry for authentic Christian brotherhood. They just need someone to take the first step.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do we implement this in a small church?
Start with one or two key ideas from this guide. Implement them consistently before adding more. Small churches succeed through focus and faithfulness, not through doing everything at once.
What if we do not have enough people or resources?
Small churches have always done more with less. Focus on your strengths: close relationships, community knowledge, and the ability to adapt quickly.
Where can we learn more about this topic?
MinistryPlace.net offers free and affordable resources specifically designed for small and rural churches. Browse our resource library for guides, templates, and tools.