Midpoint reflections

Last night was our first Men’s gathering and it was a smash success. You could see the hunger in men’s hearts for God and for Godly leadership. I believe that we are off to a great start and the potential for our men is there to be realized. Tonight we roll the same meeting out for our second group of men.

We are now half way through a month-long push to reengage the masculine life-giving spirit of our church. This month’s emphasis is meant to be a launch point for a much longer journey for our men-a journey to discover and live out an authentic manhood. God has been speaking to us about challenging our men to step into their roles. So we chose to reject passivity and accept our responsibility to provide courageous leadership for our men.

We are casting a vision for authentic manhood, introducing a code of conduct, and challenging men to give themselves away to a transcendent cause.

It is important that we all see the critical nature of what we are doing. Through this initiative we will prevent divorces, suicides, addictions and depression in our men. With God’s help we will heal deep wounds, build strong friendships, receive vision, and a sense of our destiny.

We will teach men how to treat a woman and how to be a father. We will show men by example how to be a loyal friend. We will teach the satisfaction that can be found in a hard day’s work that is done for the Lord.

Most of all we will offer men what they need most-a vital connection with the Father of us all. Only He can ultimately bestow an authentic masculinity upon our men. Only He can truly call them out to take their place in the world.

We have made a definite decision to turn the thermostat of our church away from passivity and toward initiative and challenge. Someone once said, “The church has asked nothing great of men and so that is what many of them are giving-nothing”. Jesus was challenging to men if He was anything. Men wanted to follow Him. Why? He led them!

I do not want to fail our men by providing passive leadership. I don’t want to fail our men by not calling them into their responsibilities. I intend to lead courageously. I also expect God to reward us all as we rise to meet our challenges as men and women in this place that the world knows as “sin city”.

May God bless us all as we honor Him!

Chris