ยท Leaders, Leader Development, Ministry To Men

NASHVILLE, Tenn. –– South Carolina churches that want to expand their ministries to men will receive helpful guidance from Herman B. Lightsey,Jr., a member of Ashland United Methodist Church in Irmo.

 Lightsey, a retired National Guard officer, was certified as a men’s ministry specialist by the General Commission on United Methodist Men during a March 5 commissioning service in Nashville.  He is the first certified Men's Ministry Specialist in South Carolina and one of sixteen in the Methodist Church.  The goal is to have seventy-five Men's Ministry Specialist in the Methodist Church by 2012.

 Following an intensive training experience, Lightsey is now qualified to lead a 12-hour training course titled “Understanding Men’s Ministry.” The course is based upon content and materials used by Orlando, Fla. based-Man in the Mirror in a 2½-day learning seminar. The condensed curriculum is packaged in four 3-hour sections.

 “I say, if we will disciple men and get them involved in the church, many of the church’s problems will be resolved,” says Lightsey. “Will it fix all of the worldly problems? No, but it will certainly improve them.”

 Lightsey also conducts a 6-hour workshop developed by SC UMMen called Reaching Every Man, and he represents United Methodist Men on the District Council on Ministries.

 Lightsey and his wife, Mary, became United Methodists in 1972, one year after their marriage. They have two girls, Jennifer and Amy. Jennifer is a school teacher in North Carolina and is married to Marshall Gibson.Amy is single and is a certified social worker for the state of Georgia. Mary and Herman have two grandsons, Justyn and Tyler, and a granddaughter, Riley.

 He was then mentored by his pastor and the local United Methodist Men’s group, and he went onto establish two more United Methodist Men’s groups. Family and christian friends have greatly influenced his life.

Currently employed in the workers’ compensation industry, Lightsey says he feels God has placed him in men’s ministry for a reason and is looking forward to serving in his new position.

 

 

 

Back to News Articles