For years, members of the clergy serving Lawrence have belonged to organizations made up of their colleagues, in which they can work on common issues, support each other and even pray together.

There’s the Lawrence Association of Evangelicals, the Ecumenical Fellowship Inc. and the Ministerial Alliance.

There’s a new group in town that plans to serve the spiritual needs of a large group of laypeople from congregations across the city: the Greater Lawrence Christian Men’s Assn.

The Rev. Leo Barbee, who is helping organize the interdenominational group, explained the value of having such an association.

“Men need the fellowship of other men, they need to be able to talk to other men and cry with them, share what they are wrestling with. We’re excited about the potential (of the group). I think we’re headed in the right direction,” said Barbee, pastor of Victory Bible Church, 1942 Mass.

The group’s first meeting was March 2. Sixteen men, representing eight Lawrence churches, attended the meeting at First United Methodist Church, 946 Vt.

The association’s first event will be a fellowship breakfast April 10 at First United Methodist Church featuring the Rev. Carey Casey of Lee’s Summit, Mo., president of the Fellowship of Christian Athletes Foundation.

Four Lawrence men are guiding the group’s formation: Barbee; Larry Kline, a member of First United Methodist Church and president of the Kansas East Conference of United Methodist Men; Clay Comfort, a member of First United Methodist Church; and Mark Griffith, a member of the men’s leadership ministry team at Victory Bible.

The association’s purpose will be threefold: to serve as a clearinghouse of information about men’s ministry opportunities at Lawrence and area churches; to be host two events each year featuring a nationally recognized speaker; and to help men who are unaffiliated with any congregation find a church home.

THE REV. LEO BARBEE, LEFT, Larry Kline, a member of First United Methodist Church, and Mark Grifith, a member of the men's leadership ministry team at Victory Bible Church, are leading the formation of the Greater Lawrence Christian Men's Assn.

One benefit of the association is simply that Christian men from different churches and denominations could get better acquainted, said the group’s leaders, who have already mailed informational letters about the association to 90 churches.

Another plus would be an enhanced sense of unity among Lawrence Christians.

“There are many (types of faith-related) assemblies and fellowships in Lawrence. This is another rung on the ladder to help us realize we are here together,” Barbee said.

He added that the association is the outgrowth of several years of discussions and prayers among men in the community.

Kline has plenty of experience in working with men’s ministries. As president of the Kansas East Conference of United Methodist Men, he serves 333 churches in the conference’s five districts.

“I did this (started a men’s group) through the Jaycees out in Long Beach, Calif., 30 to 40 years ago,” said Kline, a former California resident, about his involvement with the Greater Long Beach Christian Men’s Assn.

“One of our first speakers was Robert Schuller (Christian author and host of the internationally televised “Hour of Power”). I just remember bringing men together who didn’t have a church. They’d come to hear our speaker, and they’d join a church.”

Following closely on the heels of the recently released “The Passion of the Christ” — and cooperation among Lawrence churches to encourage people to see it — the new association could help spark a “spiritual revival” in town, group leaders said.

“This is something that is getting the other portion of the body of Christ together: the men. We (Christians) have been separated in so many things. What are the common denominators?” Barbee said.