wfn.org | Church Leaders Encouraged by Renewed

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25-Apr-96

96151         Church Leaders Encouraged by Renewed 
                Emphasis on Men in The Denomination  
 
                         by Julian Shipp 
 
LOUISVILLE, Ky.--Fresh from the National Council Meeting of Presbyterian 
Men April 19-21  in Pittsburgh, Dr. Youngil Cho, PC(USA) national president 
of Presbyterian Men, says he believes the denomination is "standing on the 
threshold of a new day for men" in the denomination. 
 
     Cho, of Raleigh, N.C., who is also the 1996-97 General Assembly 
Council chair, has served as president of Presbyterian Men since 1993. 
During the meeting, he presented a brief update on activities for men that 
are occurring throughout and outside of the denomination. 
 
     In January of 1995, Cho said he asked leaders in the Christian 
Education Program Area of the Congregational Ministries Division (CMD) to 
consider developing a new Bible study program for men.  After many 
conversations and much planning, the project was approved. The Rev. Curtis 
A. Miller, the CMD's associate for men's ministries, accepted the 
challenges of the new project and began work on the Bible study project 
March 1, 1995. 
 
     "For us this is a very exciting time in men's ministries," Miller told 
the Presbyterian News Service. "In the past we've heard bad news about men 
not being in the church, but we're looking at a time when men are looking 
to the church for answers to questions about their personhood, their future 
and their sense of purpose and being. And these are questions they've not 
asked the church in a long time." 
 
     To date, six of the seven studies in the  Bible Study for Men series 
have been produced. Written by John C. Purdy and William Ramsay, the 
resources have been warmly received, according to Cho and Miller. For 
example, Cho said, as part of the development of the series, the 1995 
meeting of the National Board of Presbyterian Men in Belleville, Ill., was 
devoted to studying the book of Job. Each board member was asked to bring 
two other men -- one under 40 and one over 40. 
 
     "Seventy-nine men gathered for this experience and words cannot 
describe the excitement, the bonding, the spiritual encounters, and the new 
sense of purpose that took shape during those seven hours of Bible study," 
Cho said. "Usually such an experience would have left the men weary, but 
they walked away excited about what had happened and excited about being 
men together in the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.)."  
 
     Cho said a Coordinating Committee for Men's Ministries has also been 
formed with four members of the committee from Presbyterian Men (including 
the ex-officio executive secretary); four involved in congregational 
ministries with men (not affiliated with Presbyterian Men); and Curtis, who 
is the committee chair. The committee's purpose is to envision future 
ministries for men throughout the denomination and develop possible 
strategies for their implementation. 
 
     Cho said the Association for Men's Ministries continues to hold 
workshops and seminars with presbyteries, individual congregations and 
national gatherings focusing on men's ministry. Next year, Cho said, the 
association hopes to have three model programs in place as examples of  how 
presbyteries can be structured to support men's ministries through 
Presbyterian Men, the Bible Study for Men series and through congregational 
ministries with men. 
 
     Cho said National Korean Presbyterian Men (NKPM) continues to grow and 
be an important part of the men's ministry program. This year Miller was 
keynote speaker at NKPM's national gathering in Detroit. Cho said the 
denomination continues to support NKPM as it seeks greater involvement from 
them in the National Council of Presbyterian Men. 
 
     Cho also cited the first "Men of the Church Day," held June 18, 1995. 
Responding to a number of voices throughout the denomination, the 205th 
General Assembly voted to set aside the third Sunday in June (Father's Day) 
as a time for emphasizing the contributions of men in the life of the 
family, the church and the community. 
 
     "A new day is dawning for men's ministries in the Presbyterian Church 
(U.S.A.)," Cho said.  "There is a new excitement and a new spirit. Men are 
beginning to once more remember God and to rediscover their call to be 
God's servants. There is much to be done, but with God's blessings and 
[men's] support, what two years ago was a weakness in our church can become 
a strength and a source for new life for all the men in the denomination." 

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For more information contact Presbyterian News Service
  Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), Louisville, KY 40202
  phone 502-569-5504            fax 502-569-8073  
  E-mail PCUSA.NEWS@pcusa.org   Web page: http://www.pcusa.org 

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