It is 6 a.m. and while most people are punching off the alarm clock, groups of men all around the state are awake, dressed and pulling into church parking lots to meet with one another in a unique small group time designed especially for men.
Men’s Fraternity, a series of three one-year-long studies, is designed to be more than a Bible study time. It is defining for men all over the country biblical, authentic manhood. Men’s Fraternity launched in 1990 at Fellowship Bible Church in Arkansas through the vision of Robert Lewis, founder. Since then, Men’s Fraternity has spread across the U.S., including many churches in South Carolina.
“In all of my travels and encounters with pastors and men across the state in almost every case, I hear about life-changing, transformational things happening among men involved in Men’s Fraternity,” said Bobby Jackson, director of the South Carolina Baptist Convention’s lifestyle evangelism group.
Men’s Fraternity meetings are typically held in early morning, prior to the work day, once a week. The time is broken into small and large group times. The curriculum is DVD-based and is usually led by a facilitator. Topics range from parental relationships to the husband/wife connection, and biblically defined manhood.
“Men typically do not break down their barriers to discuss their personal lives with other men – after realizing that we do not have unique problems, that other men live with the same struggles, we can open up and discuss our wounds from the past,” said Barry Phillips, of Hampton Heights Baptist Church, Greenville.
Kirt Mitchell, pastor of Varennes Heights Baptist Church, Anderson, says that he can see changes in the lives of the men in his church.
“The men have a better understanding of their roles as men, which has caused them to be better husbands and fathers – one comment which is spoken over and over is, ‘I wish I had known this sooner.’ “
Similarly, Ed Carney, pastor of Riverland Hills Baptist Church, Irmo, has seen marked changes in the men of his church.
“Men hardly ever discuss anything of importance in a social setting, especially if their wives or children are present. Men’s Fraternity is custom-made to overcome informational barriers and find reliable sources of help that were not recognized before in each other.”
Perhaps one of the larger impacts of Men’s Fraternity is in strengthening family ties, including relationships between husbands, wives and children.
“The study has taught me that wives are excited to see their husbands step up and become the leaders that God has called them to be,” said Buddy Noonan, who leads a men’s ministry at First Baptist Church, Sumter.
Although Jackson is unsure how many Men’s Fraternity groups are meeting around the state, he knows the number has grown over the past few years. It is estimated that more than 6,000 Men’s Fraternity groups are meeting nationwide. Since 2005, the men’s ministry conference Salt and Light, which meets every January, has been centered on one of the three series parts. The 2008 Salt and Light conference will focus on the second part of the series, “Authentic Manhood: Winning at Work and Home.”
“Men’s Fraternity has taught me that men are searching for significant relationships with other men,” one participant said, “and through these relationships, transformation takes place.”