The History of Master's Men

"God give us men. Times like these demand strong minds, great hearts, true faith and ready hands." Written many years ago, these words have been the heart-cry of Free Will Baptist leaders and pastors. The denomination does need men—men for the Master’s work—but greater than that is the need to enlist the men who are already Free Will Baptists.

"Thank God that through Master’s Men, Free Will Baptist laymen may now have the chance for the full expression of their Christian desires. God is giving us the men, that through this organization we are giving them an opportunity for total enlistment and involvement.

"We are certain there are great possibilities among our laymen. Our prayer for them is that God may set their hearts on fire with the desire to know His will and send them forth among His people to teach and to save."

1955 Executive Secretary W. S. Mooneyham penned those three paragraphs in 1955. The message is still relevant today. Master’s Men is a vital force in the ministry of Free Will Baptists. The Department has been a force in all its existence, and this material shares some of those highlights.

From 1935, the year of the "rebirth" of the Free Will Baptist denomination until 1955 there was no nationally organized fellowship for laymen. A few scattered "Brotherhood" groups existed in local churches, but there was no uniformity or exchange of ideas between groups. The Master’s Men concept began at the 19th National Association meeting in Tulsa, Oklahoma on July 14, 1955, when W. S. Mooneyham presented a proposal to the national body. The proposal read, "Seeing the need for some national direction and coordination in the setting up of men’s organizations in the local churches, I recommend the election of a committee of three members to study the need and draft a suitable plan for these organizations."

The National responded in favor of this resolution and selected Mooneyham, Rev. O. T. Dixon and Rev. Luther Gibson to serve on the committee. Rev. Robert Hill also worked on the plans for the laymen’s organization.

1956 The following year the committee reported to the National Association, convening in Huntington, WV, stating they had indeed found a definite need for a men’s organization in Free Will Baptist churches. The committee of preachers presented the name "Master’s Men," along with a constitution and by-laws, all written by Robert Hill.

The National body received the report and adopted the recommendations. It was believed the men could provide adequate funding for the operation of the organization through collection of dues and offerings. No plan of underwriting the financial needs was presented.

1957 was the first year for a Laymen’s Breakfast at the National Convention in Birmingham, Alabama. Robert Hill was chairman of the Layman’s Committee. Growth of the new organization, Master’s Men, was astounding. In the first year alone, 53 chapters were chartered in 18 states, with membership approaching 1,000. A quarterly magazine, ATTACK, was published and more than 1,200 copies of the new issue were mailed to pastors and laymen. In 1958, the Master’s Men numbered 2,000, made up of 150 chapters, almost 300 percent growth. The year 1958 showed the men of the denomination interested in discipleship. Reports indicated men attended soul-winning classes and conducted evangelistic campaigns. The first outreach project of note was completed that year. Master’s Men purchased a truck with a winch, and a trailer for the Ivory Coast, Africa mission field. Men were challenged with the need for Christian leadership on the mission fields and immediately set forth to remedy the situation. Printing equipment was purchased (the plan was for the press to go to Cuba, but political turmoil prevented that action). Material was printed in the United States to be distributed by the Foreign Missions Department.

In 1960 there was continued growth with 200 chapters and a total membership of over 3,000. Although men around the country were involved in the work of Master’s Men, many were not directly connected with a National Department until 1961. Non-Associations report over 1,500 more men involved than the National organization can track. The loss in dues alone on an annual basis would have prevented a shortfall of operating funds in every single year of ministry. The Layman of the Year award was established to honor an outstanding Free Will Baptist man each year. The first recorded Layman of the Year was Mr. M. E. Howard from Richmond, Virginia in 1962. With the exception of the year 1970, a layman has been honored annually. Pastors were encouraged to annually nominate a layman for the award.

In 1963 and 1964, there was a sudden decline in interest in the Master’s Men. Many chapters failed to renew their charters and membership dropped sharply. With a desire to remedy the situation, a national laymen’s congress was called to convene in July 1964, in Kansas City. Laymen were present from 24 states, all with a desire to reorganize the National Master’s Men ministry.

On January 2, 1966 men across the country joined for a National Layman’s’ Day of Prayer. Men donated funds that year to purchase the identification sign for the National Office building. That sign remained in use until the sale of the Murfreesboro Road property in 1991.

Rev. Robert C. Hill spearheaded the laymen’s work from its beginning. After 11 years, in 1967, he stepped aside and Master’s Men senators and congressmen met to begin the task of finding a full-time Director. This task, due to the overall difficulties in those years was not easily accomplished. In fact, the second Director hired was Ray Turnage, who served for only one year, from 1969 to 1970.

The dedicated efforts of Ken Lane, a volunteer from Oklahoma, kept the work alive. Ken was the new chairman of the Board in 1971. He stepped in to begin the task of rebuilding. His unceasing efforts provided the spark to keep Master’s Men moving.

The denomination allocated 7% of the undesignated cooperative funding to Master’s Men, helping insure the Department’s existence. Several years later that total was raised to 14%. There is no desire to denigrate the funds given to the work. However, the Department always suffered financially. The denomination, as a whole, has never embraced the ministry of laymen.

The first ongoing national projects for missions, Tool Shed and Book Shelf, began in 1974. Project Tool Shed was first used in 1976. Howard Filkins, missionary to Ivory Coast, Africa, benefited from this project. Project Book Shelf saw the purchase value of $425.68 in books was sent to our missionaries. Area Representatives and State Senators provided more organization and concentrated effort in states. By 1975 the work was again beginning to show slow but steady growth. In 1975 at the National Convention in Ohio, the Board voted to hire Loyd Olsan as a part time Director. He became the first full-time worker for the Department, filling that position until 1983. His effort combined with a part-time secretary and bookkeeper lifted the work to greater acceptance. A men’s retreat was held at White Bluff, Tennessee in 1978. It was the precursor of the institution of a yearly National Master’s Men Conference in 1979, which focused the creative abilities of the men. Through the years, men faithfully traveled to meet, sing, pray, worship, and hear challenges from their peers, their missionaries, and their pastors. Camp Linden will host the 20th meeting April 23-25, 1998. Charles Denman, Texas native, as a volunteer worker, spearheaded the effort of the men to provide ushering services for the National Convention in Louisville, Kentucky in 1982. This effort continues today under the direction of Raymond Lee, from North Carolina. Both these men are former Master’s Men Board Members. The many men helped save thousands of dollars in security costs. They serve faithfully each year, giving many hours of volunteer service, helping the Convention run smoothly. The Board presented the fourth Director at the 1983 National Convention in Columbus, Ohio. James Vallance, a Board Member since 1975, was hired. He had edited the monthly West Virginia Free Will Baptist since 1969, and served as a Deacon in his home church.

The most ambitious project for Master’s Men to undertake had its beginnings in 1983 at the National Master’s Men Conference. Laymen volunteered construction expertise in Brazil if money for a building could be raised. $8,000 was needed to build a youth camp dormitory. At first, the project was considered a lost cause. No one except those attending the April Conference knew anything about the project. However, in November 1983, an appeal was made and men responded.

Two Tennesseeans, Mr. Carroll Poole and Mr. Don Wilbanks, volunteered their time and talents. They spent three weeks in Brazil at their own expense working on the dormitory. The first overseas building project was actually begun in 1984. The 52-bed dormitory was named in honor of John and Kay Dudley Metcalf.

Since that time until September 1997, more than 81 places of worship were erected. These work projects saved an estimated $3.5 million to $4 in construction costs. A number of homes were also constructed, providing some funding for the Department.

Retired men and women make up the crew, led by Howard Gwartney, Board Member and employee of the Home Missions Department. The concept expanded, with other groups of men traveling overseas 11 times. Director Vallance traveled with the workers to Japan in 1988, and to Cuba in 1991 and 1996. Other groups of men work at the Free Will Baptist Bible College each summer on the upkeep of buildings there. Several state Master’s Men organizations conducted projects.

During the 1997 National Convention, Director Jim Vallance noted in his report the volunteer laborers had reduced the Department’s indebtedness by over $43,000 in just 3 ½ years. "These men labored on churches and houses to raise the funds for debt retirement. It wasn't taken from offerings, gifts, dues or other areas. The men worked hard to accomplish this great achievement. They are due great thanks for their help."

A Decade of Discipleship was instituted in 1985, using the monthly Bible study portion of the Attack magazine to challenge men to deeper commitment to the Master. This study was very comprehensive in nature, dealing with all parts of life. Men stated these series helped them in personal and spiritual matters.

LifeMembership was instituted in December 1985. This concept made possible the investment of deposits to an irrevocable Endowment Trust Fund, held by the Free Will Baptist Foundation. Through twelve years of promotion, LifeMembership now has 823 men, with 61 LifeFriends among the women, and 2 LifeFriend churches. Nearly 100 more men are committed to make payments to achieve LifeMember status. Deposits to the Endowment Trust Fund already exceed $102,000. They topped $100,000 in February 1996. Earned interest becomes General funds, providing all the earnings annually to the financial needs of the Department.

A group of 18 individuals are called Endowment Builders. These folks have included Master’s Men as beneficiary in wills, insurance policies, and Living Trusts. A conservative estimate places the value of their future gifts at nearly $500,000. When received, these gifts will be deposited with the irrevocable Endowment Trust.

Randall House Publications provided office space for the Department for 15 years. Master’s Men moved into the National office building in 1990. The denomination consented to the construction of a new National Office structure, and in August 1991, six national agencies including Master’s Men occupied the new structure. Master’s Men volunteer laborers donated over 5,000 hours of labor in the build-out construction.

Moving into the new building compounded the problem of financial shortages for Master’s Men. Insufficient finances plagued the efforts of the Department through many years. Within three years the Department owed over $100,000. The total debt climbed to over $145,000 before the Department began to get it under control. The Director recommended exploring new avenues of raising revenue.

To help meet the financial needs, Sports Fellowship was added to the Master’s Men process in 1992. Randall House Publications was the sponsor since 1980 of the annual Free Will Baptist Softball Tournament. In 1992 the program was assumed by Master’s Men.

That same year a national Golf Tournament was begun. Free Will Baptist sports enthusiasts now have outlets for their energies in sports competitions. These activities provide Master’s Men with several benefits—wider contact with men and churches, a means of meeting needs in their lives with a Christian context and atmosphere, and financial provision for the Department funding.

The Department initiated contact with the Boy Scouts of America in 1994. Then, in 1995, an effort was begun to encourage all Free Will Baptist churches to use the scouting program locally. Several benefits are obvious. Men give of their talents to lead young men. The youth learn godly concepts for life from their mentors, then challenge their peers to duplicate that lifestyle.

Scouting also provides opportunity for training in leadership, personal achievement, self-reliance, responsible living and many other good characteristics. They develop spiritually, socially, physically and emotionally. The program provides the church with another outreach into the local community, making its name more familiar and gaining new prospects for church membership.

A continuing project of the Department, begun in 1994, is the "Build A House Campaign." The success of this campaign will enable the men to more quickly pay back the indebtedness and more fully underwrite the expenses of the Department. People and churches are asked to "buy" square feet with cash donations of $35 per square foot. A goal of 2,000 square feet, or $70,000, will provide funds to build a good house. The house will be sold for a profit, providing the Department extra capital. Nearly half of the project goal is funded. Deposits total over $34,000, or nearly half the goal. This fund received a great boost in September 1997, when a layman from East Tennessee donated $5,000 to become an irrevocable Trust Fund for the Build-A-House Campaign.

A house construction project was undertaken in 1995 in Arkansas. Mr. John Folkes guided the construction and financing. John is a Board Member and a native of Arkansas. This project cleared $20,000 profit, which was applied to Master’s Men needs.

The second Build-A-House Project is under way. September 1997 was the kickoff date for another house to be constructed near Vilonia, Arkansas. This year, the profits generated will be used to feed back into the Build-A-House fund. It is will be used to feed back into the Build-A-House fund. It is expected to see about $20,000 realized from this second project. A no interest building loan was offered by one of our laymen to help complete this project more rapidly.

1995 marked the completion of a Decade of Discipleship. Each year was highlighted with a special theme and monthly study lessons detailed some portion of the aspects of discipleship. The continuation of study emphasis through the year 2,000 is called "Back to Basics." Each year the men will renew familiarity with and commitment to the five purposes of Master’s Men: Discipleship, Stewardship, Soul-Winning, Fellowship and Edification.

The December 1996 Board Meeting produced a surprise. Trymon Messer, Home Missions Director, was invited by Jim Vallance to appear before the Board with an unusual proposal. Messer invited the Master’s Men Board to consider the feasibility of a merger with the Home Missions Department. Messer sees the men as an asset to the church building and establishment work of HM. He believes the men can become greatly involved in witnessing and door-to-door visitation to help establish the new churches across America.

In December of 1997 Jim Valance resigned as Director of the Master's Men Department.

Rev. Tom Dooley assumed the role as Director of Master's Men in July of 1998. Brother Dooley came to Master's Men from Ohio where he had served as a pastor for sixteen years. 1999 brought many blessings to the Master's Men department. In March the board of Master's Men voted to repay a long-standing debt ($93,000) to the FWB executive office thus becoming debt-free. 1999 also saw the implementation of a new study program for FWB men, the "Direction Bible Study Series." Master's Men continued to grow and advance in 2000. For the first time in the history of the department, Master's Men staff increased to four. Mr. Kenneth Akers joined the staff as Director of Ministry Development.

In Dec. 2001, Bro. Tom Dooley submitted his resignation to the Master’s Men board. Bro. Dooley returned to Ohio to pastor First Free Will Baptist Church in Austintown, Ohio. The board hired Bro. Kenneth Akers to become the General Director of the Master’s Men Department beginning Jan. 1, 2002.