Designing a Church for Men

Mark Doebler pastors the Grove Church in Peoria, IL, which is specifically designed to appeal to men. Read this interview transcript -- amazing ideas.

"Men respond exceedingly well to challenge." Amen to that.

Best idea, in my opinion: the huddle.

"And then after the service we have something called a men’s huddle. I invite every man in the church to meet me off to the side. No microphones or nothing. We gather just like a football huddle. I stare the men in the eye. I usually have something to hand to them for them to take, put in their pocket, carry with them during the week. I have a specific story or challenge for them to walk out of the service with something practical in their hands. And the great thing about that is as soon as they get in the car, what are the wives going to ask their husbands?

Steve:“What did you do in the huddle?”

Mark: Exactly! “What did you do in the huddle?” And so for a man who does not know how to minister to his family, for the first time in his life, even without trying, he is beginning to minister to his family in spiritual things. And it’s exciting!They’re learning how to have spiritual conversations with their wife and their children on the way home from the church, because I’ve given them something that their wife and their kids didn’t hear.


Read the whole interview here.