NOTE: Thanks for your prolific responses to the "Your Help Requested to Rethink Man in the Mirrors Direction" Weekly Briefing. You did a stellar job, and your responses have struck a chord with our management team. Your input will definitely "curve" the road we take. I will keep you posted as we continue to seek God's will. I love you for caring so much.
When you look at the men in your church, do you see men leading powerful lives?
We all know there is a "men problem." In Matthew 22:29, Jesus, told some confused religious leaders, "The problem is that you do not know the Scriptures and you do not know the power of God." In other words, knowledge leads to power. The journey to biblical manhood has a reference point -- a true north -- the word of God. That's where the power is. So, what does the word of God say about biblical manhood?
The journey to biblical manhood can be summarized in many ways. One of the best summaries is Romans 12:2:
So do not conform any longer to the beliefs and customs of this world, but be transformed by renewing your mind. Then you will be able to understand what God's perfect will is for your life (paraphrase).
Transformation includes a cluster of concepts like discipleship, following Christ, maturity, becoming complete, obedience, spiritual growth, and similar concepts.
Biblical manhood is an amalgamation of "transformed" relationships, roles, characteristics, qualities, priorities, purposes, and tasks. All the books in the world still cannot capture the full mystery of what it means to be a man, but here is a snapshot of the kind of men we are trying to produce:
- He loves God, loves others, builds the kingdom, and tends the culture (the four universal purposes for all men).
- In his role as a husband and father, he is the family prophet, priest, and king.
- He must be born again, then equipped with the knowledge of God and his own spiritual gifts (among other things), then sent to live for Christ through love and service.
- Along the way, he learns how to walk in the Spirit and not the flesh, experiencing the fruit of the Spirit -- love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.
- He becomes part of the kingdom of God, which is righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit.
- He receives grace that leads to humility and contentment.
- His growth and transformation qualifies him to be a spiritual leader and disciple maker.
- The outcomes of his life match the outcomes that the church needs -- a faithful witness, steward, worshiper, worker, husband, father, citizen, teacher, and leader.
- He is like the man Paul describes in Romans 15:14, "full of goodness, complete in knowledge, and able to instruct one another."
This is a picture (panegyric) of a spiritually powerful man. It is the kind of man we want to produce. I'm sure you can think of other desirable outcomes.
So what's the point? In your church do you have the vision, determination, and sustainable strategy to produce these kinds of men? To have men in your church living defeated lives is to betray them. Why would God give any church more men if they are not faithfully discipling the men they are already have? So let's get organized. We can do this. |
