NASHVILLE –– Jim Boesch, one of the first persons to be certified as a men’s ministry specialist, has been named one of four deployed staff members of the General Commission on United Methodist Men.

After completing training sessions with Orlando-based Man in the Mirror, Boesch engaged in courses in United Methodist polity and history, safe sanctuary training, and hands-on experience in men’s ministry in a local church. He was certified as a men’s ministry specialist in 2009.

Boesch has taught adult-education classes in local churches, and he has equipped church members to lead discipling experiences, Bible studies and Sunday school classes.

As a nationally certified trainer and learning facilitator, he helped the commission place courses on United Methodist History and Doctrine on the web so others training to become men’s ministry specialists would be able to take the course on line.

In recent years, Boesch has also been active in the delivery of the “Understanding Men’s Ministry” discipleship training for clergy and lay leaders in the Florida and West Ohio annual conferences.

“Jim is an extremely talented and gifted man,” said Gil Hanke, top staff executive of the General Commission on United Methodist Men. “He was instrumental in the development of the Understanding Men’s Ministry Leadership Training, and an Advanced Lay Speaking course. He also served on the team to refine that course as part of the men’s ministry certification process. He has successfully combined his training skills used in his profession with our training needs in men’s ministry.”

“I am very humbled to serve as a member of the deployed staff team,” said Boesch. “I fully support the direction the commission is taking in the renewal of our local churches through transformational ministry-with-men discipleship programs.”

The other deployed staff members are: Mark Dehority, Moweaqua, Ill.; Mark Lubbock, Baton Rouge, La.; and Greg Arnold Vancleave, Miss.

Contact Boesch by cellphone (407-721-0416) or email (jboesch@gcumm.org)