At our fall 2006 GCUMM board meeting, the Letters From Dad [LFD] ministry opportunity was discussed with some of our leaders. In a nutshell, LFD is sweeping the nation with a simple ministry process. It’s helping men unlock their heart and give them a safe platform to say what they have always wanted to say but didn’t know how – in letters to loved ones. The journey starts with a large BBQ / meal kickoff at a host church, where men are invited to join the LFD experience, meeting monthly over a 4 month period. United Methodist congregations have been leading the way. LFD will launch over 400 BBQ kickoffs nationwide in 2006.
On September 12, LFD founder Greg Vaughn visited with David Adams and Larry Malone in our Nashville office, and we prayed a blessing over LFD and it's ministry to reach men in and beyond the UMC. On the following Sunday night at Wolfforth UMC [near Lubbock TX], a LFD BBQ kickoff was held in a congregation of 300 attendees. 188 MEN ATTENDED! Many of these men brought their neighbors and friends. 50 - 80% of men who attend the BBQ's will sign up for LFD. Please see the attached photo collage, and read below what UMC Wolfforth Pastor Curtis House said;
"Letters from Dad is not another man created program for the local church. Rather, it is a mighty movement of our Heavenly Father to turn the hearts of the fathers to their children and the heart of the children to their fathers. How else do you explain a church that runs 300 on a Sunday morning having 188 excited men at the Letters from Dad kick off BBQ? Our men were spiritually hungry for the words spoken by its founder Greg Vaughn and they responded in a manner that was almost unbelievable. We are committed to spiritually growing and maturing our men and that’s exactly what Letters from Dad does. My strong suggestion: saddle up your men and drive them to Letters from Dad. I think you’ll be glad you did."
As a contrast to some of our awesome emerging ministries, LFD is a turnkey ministry that is fully developed and ready to go NOW! The model that can work effectively for the UMC is a district or area event that launches BBQ kickoffs from several host churches sequentially each day over a weekend. In this way, hundreds of men can and will attend one of several BBQ's held in an area over a weekend, based upon what is best for their schedule and driving distance.
Greg Vaughn has seen and experienced a mighty movement of God with men in the UMC. As a result, he has reserved 30 weekends in the next 12 months for the UMC, giving us "first fruits" of the LFD ministry. In order to receive this blessing, we must act quickly, because Greg's calendar will fill as fast as he lets it. Remember - 400 BBQ launches in 2006! I want to schedule a conference call hosted by LFD, for key UMM leaders. They will be sharing an online presentation that will outline details of how LFD works within the local church. Now don't get all intimidated by all that Tech stuff - LFD staff assures men that if you can turn your computer on and go to a website you have what it takes. You need to block an hour for this meeting and presentation.
Our first leader meeting is scheduled for TUESDAY, October 3rd at 10:30 AM Central. Please let me know by Monday noon if you can join in this call. In this first call, you will learn about LFD and be exposed to a new way to pass and receive information, and to conduct electronic meetings.
Before the scheduled meeting, you will receive an e-mail from LFD providing a phone number to call that will conference all participants together. You will need to make the call while at a computer connected to the internet, at the LFD home page. After a presentation taking less than ½ hour, we will have time to ask and answer questions, and discuss our next steps. The same conference call presentation will be scheduled about a week later, for the men that you identify that would be likely to respond to it.
Before the meeting, please go to www.lettersfromdad.com and familiarize yourself with the website. While on the website they would encourage you to watch two video testimonies. Simply select from the menu on the left side of the screen the “Watch the Videos” section. Once there they would like you to watch the video titled; “Letters arrive 40 years late” and “Is it Worth It”.
At the time of the conference call the LFD presenters would like you to be on the LFD home page. From there they will give further instructions to lead you to the online presentation. After hearing the presentation and ministry opportunity, we would like you to identify the UMM churches who would most likely respond and make good use of LFD.
The best part of LFD is how well it is suited to be used and connected with our traditional UMM structure and culture. It is also ideal as a catalytic event that creates and captures momentum, and prepares men for further growth in "next steps" like Flight Quest, Wesleyan Bands of Brothers, and Men's Ministry Specialists. LFD is ready made for a progressive UMM leader at the jurisdiction, conference, district or local level to ACT UPON. Just say yes, follow great leadership and guidance, pray, and receive a bountiful crop of blessed and spiritually alive men.
Don’t miss this one!
In Christ,
Larry Malone
Director, United Methodist Men's Ministries
615-620-7265
lmalone@gcumm.org
Rev. David Adams
General Secretary, GCUMM
615-620-7267
dadams@gcumm.org
posted by TN Conference UMC @ 7:40 AM
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