Eight years ago, Emanuel, New London, Wis., had several ministries serving children, young adults, and women, but no men’s ministry. One of the pastors asked a small group of men to create a ministry for men who have a passion for the outdoors. After several meetings, this group created a new ministry called Men of the Outdoors with this vision: “Bringing together men who share a love for the outdoors through hosting outdoor-related events while also sharing the Word of God and demonstrating Christian love.”

The organization began hosting events like a three-day fishing trip, a sporting clay shoot, a sight-in event, quarterly breakfast chats, and a sportsmen’s breakfast. “The sportsmen’s breakfast is our effort to reach out to the community,” says Chris Doran, a layman at Emanuel and one of the group’s leaders along with layman Rich Platz. “The event has vendors, workshops, kids’ games, a keynote speaker, breakfast, and God’s Word.”

The group also started planning longer trips into the wilderness. “The trips to the wilderness are excellent examples of our vision to gather men to develop friendships and grow spiritually,” says Platz. “Spending days in the wilderness and hours in canoes forces you to talk to each other. Holding morning devotions around a campfire sets the tone for the day.”

Platz says every event Men of the Outdoors hosts begins with a devotion geared toward “outdoor guys.” The group also sends out a devotion every Monday morning and hosts quarterly Bible classes.

Blessings have been evident through the years, according to Doran: “We have seen men develop friendships within our program. Men have prayed in public at restaurants and in parking lots. Men have invited friends and family members to our events and had them join our program. Different men have led devotions at our events. Men have actively participated in our Bible classes.”

He says people often ask how many participate. “The answer is we don’t keep numbers,” he shares. “We are all about planting seeds and helping them to grow.”

Learn more about Emanuel’s Men of the Outdoors ministry.

Author: FIC
Volume 111, Number 09
Issue: September 2024