| Men called to ministry of the heart BY KATHRYN LEIGHT
UMCONNECTION CORRESPONDENT At their annual prayer breakfast United Methodist Men were encouraged to explore one of the worlds last frontiers their own hearts. The heart of a man is the most well-defended territory. Its time we go there, said Larry Malone, director of mens ministries for the General Commission on United Methodist Men. More than 220 men and women came out to hear Malone, sing, eat, and pray together at First UMC in Hyattsville on March 9.  They listened intently to Malones message that things change when men are willing to search their hearts with the Holy Spirit. He said he has witnessed this change within his own small group, which meets weekly. The group had been meeting for 14 months before agreeing to take on the challenge of searching their hearts.
As they began this exploration, they were asked to talk about the things that have hurt them most. Their group leader reluctantly withdrew a letter from inside his Bible. It was the last letter his father had written him. When asked what the letter said, he replied that the problem was what the letter did not say. As he wept, the group prayed for him, and the process of healing began. Malone and the others were amazed that they had never come close to this very deep wound in their leaders heart. This is the ministry God has called men to do for one another, he said, If we do this, the power of God will come into this group like never before. First, Malone said, men must know Jesus Christ and be able to share their story. Nothing you can say will match the power of that story in you, he said. Next, men should be in deep, connected, biblical relationships across racial lines. We need to match our relationships with our rhetoric, Malone said. Third, men should love their pastor as Jesus loves them. A small group should be formed to pray for and support the pastor. Fourth, as God leads, men should initiate a mentoring relationship with younger people. For more information on mens ministries, visit www.gcumm.org, or contact Malone at (615) 340-7147 or
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