"The Barn"... How It All Started, Part II

Continued from Part I...

About a year before I started the meetings at The Barn I was at my church and had gone up to speak with one of the pastors. After a brief exchange he looked at me and asked, " when are you and your wife going to start a home group"? I had just returned from my second Boot Camp in Colorado. I told him that what I really was interested in was "ministry for men", and told him of some of my experiences with the Wild at Heart message. He responded with, " ain't that somethin,..well if you do it and it works, we'll get behind you!"
Looking back, I think that I left a little discouraged. What I was wanting, in my heart...and my flesh, was for him to validate what I was doing and help me to get a men's ministry going for the church!...I'm so thankful today that he didn't!

We cranked up at the Barn utilizing a DVD series that Ransomed Heart Ministries made available. Many that have read Wild at Heart don't realize that there is a DVD series. One brother who showed up at The Barn about 4 years ago had read the book several times, then after going through the series said it was a "2 x 4 experience" for him...in a good way. He then went on to offer the series at his church several times...and is now an integral part of leadership at The Barn.

About 18 months after that conversation with my pastor, we were both leaving church one day and he asked, "Are you still meeting with those guys at The Barn?" I said that we were and he asked if I wanted to put out some fliers or brochures at the church. I responded "no, I don't think so"...this was because within the 8 guys that were meeting at The Barn, five different churches were represented. In consideration of those involved, I didn't think that it would be appropriate to make it a "one church" thing. Once again my pastor responded "ain't that somethin"! ...I believe that having multiple church's involved has helped to make the whole experience at The Barn more dynamic.

We had several meetings about what was going on at The Barn. He even got his interns to start reading Wild at Heart. My pastor was very supportive of what we were doing and gave me a couple of opportunities to be a part of the "men's outreach" that they were launching at the church. The men's outreach at the church evolved into a monthly meeting with a "speaker". The best part was when they would break up into small groups. where the men could share and build relationships.

I struggle personally with the way most churches approach "Men's Ministry". It turns into bringing in a "speaker", creating some type of service work, or having a worship night, mostly with little opportunity for the men to interact with each other. . All of these are great, but I have never seen where these get into the real issues that men are faced with these days. In regard to the issues that men face, I've heard pastors say "get over it" or stop doing that" etc. etc. If that really worked, I believe the fatherlessness, abandonment, divorce, addictions, and the lack of men participating in the church would be less of an epidemic than it is.

Over the last five and half years it's been amazing how men have "wound up" at The Barn. We've run in to groups of men in coffee shops looking to connect with others. Some have heard about it in casual conversations with friends, while others are sent to us from local Christian counseling. We've never really advertised or promoted The Barn formally...Guys just keep showing up...and more often than not, they keep coming back. About 8 months ago during a meeting at The Barn there were 19 men that represented 9 different church fellowships in attendance. I was wondering, "why do these guys show up here on Tuesdays"?...Maybe they are getting something that they can't get (or not offered) elsewhere.

Even though I know that "mens ministry" could be so much more than most make it, I'm thankful that God has given us this "mission" at The Barn. My hope is that we can be a resource for the entire body of Christ by continuing to offer a place where men can gather and experience More Life, Love and Freedom with Jesus Christ. As Jesus wanted His disciples to spend time with Him, we are intentional about creating an environment where men can experience God, receive healing and restoration in their hearts, and become the men, fathers, sons, husbands, brothers, and friends that God designed us to be!

We didn't start out to be a "ministry"...but "Ministry" is what happens... at The Barn

"The Barn"... How It All Started

 

In October of 2003, a great friend called me from Georgia to tell me about this thing that some of the men in his church were doing...some kind of "video series" from a book called "Wild at Heart".
He had never done anything like this before so I went and bought this book...

Before I continue, here's a little background...

I was raised in a denominational church where I had experienced "religion", but not so much of a "relationship" with Jesus Christ. After wandering for many years, I rededicated my life to Christ when I was 30 years old. This happened in a more charismatic church where I enjoyed some great teaching, awesome worship, new friends and ultimately met and married my wife.

During my years at this church, there was a series of meetings led by the senior pastor called "Real Men". I don't really recall much of the content of the series, but was excited about the idea of 200 +/- men gathering every week to fellowship, and build relationships. When the "series" was over the meetings were suppose to continue. Unfortunately without the senior pastors leading, the numbers diminished quickly...75, then 30, until it was about 7 or 8 of us that met every Wednesday night at a small home near the church...This was my first exposure to a "Band of Brothers", men coming together, warts and all, worshiping, telling stories...it was good.

Years later, at the age of 43, after reading "Wild at Heart" by John Eldredge, I realized how I had been "walking alone", in the midst of many acquaintances, fellow workers, and relationships that never got beyond the veneer of the skin...to the Heart. There was also the realization that too much of my "Christian walk" had been about looking the right way, saying the right things, and being a "nice guy" with a "sinful and deceitful heart". When the internal struggles of performing to standards that I couldn't maintain sent me into a tailspin that led to old habits and addictions resurfacing in my life, I really did not have an answer...I mean I did have the answer, I just didn't know I had it...

"Wild at Heart" helped me get back to God's word, and started revealing truths that made the bible come alive as it related to me personally. The concept of knowing that we are in a battle, and we shouldn't fight alone brought clarity to many aspects of my life.

In May 2004, I traveled to Buena Vista Colorado for my first Wild at Heart Boot Camp. Over 375 men, from all different backgrounds, ages 19 to 75 converged on a Young Life Camp in the Rocky Mountains for four days of "unplugging from the matrix of day to day life" to experience the most "non religious" Christian gathering that I have ever been a part of. Thought provoking messages presented in ways that I could understand. Time alone with God asking Him questions and writing down what I felt Him speaking to me in my journal. I experienced a Freedom and communion with God that I'd never experienced before in my life. It was a realization of what Jesus said of himself as to "why He came"in Luke 4, when He quoted Isaiah 61.

In March of 2005, after going back for another Boot Camp, and also experiencing this life changing message in a small group format locally...I knew that I wanted to share this with other men. So the first Wednesday in March, 8 men and myself, with a 27' TV, a make shift surround sound system, and open hearts, started meeting at "The Barn"!....to be continued