Opportunities to Become that Man of God

The other day, I received a video from a ministry that specializes in Men’s Adventure Challenge Weekends. It was well-made and shows what can happen when men are placed in an exotic environment and then stretched to the breaking point. They are challenged physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually, and the men involved may reach a turning point that helps them break free of a pile of the crap that they are carrying in their lives. It is a necessary thing to go through. A good thing. Every man needs to experience it...
 
But what's next? What follows an experience like that?
 
A certain organization came out of the States and held huge rallies in stadiums all across this great country of ours. The men were encouraged. The men were inspired to make promises that they would be good men of God. And they were... for a time. But, after being home for a while, there was nothing for them.
 
Some men had men's groups which they attended. That kept them accountable; kept them connected. But again, it wasn't enough. The churches saw this. And, as the American promoters faded and the newly established Canadian organization explored better options, those churches declared that those rallies weren't enough, and they froze out Promise Keepers even to this day. Sadly, to their discredit. (Promise Keepers Canada is a fantastic organization for men and their churches.)
 
This particular Adventure Weekend ministry to men through men is excellent. Promise Keepers' annual men's conferences, and Iron Sharpens Iron for that matter, are excellent. The weekly ministry to men through the local church - the Bible study, the fellowship, sharing and prayer – all these are excellent, but still they are not enough. A man – a good man – feels incomplete.
 
Perhaps you see it. The Adventure Weekend is predicated upon it. Men must be doers. They must be actively doing something that puts shoe-leather... sorry, rubber-soles to their faith. Thinking, reading, contemplating, planning and dreaming are powerful for a man, but they must have their outlet. They must have a purpose beyond building the man on the inside. Men want action and they want a challenge and they want that challenge to be beyond their own capabilities... beyond their comfort zone. That's what the Adventure Weekend does for a man.
 
Honestly, I do the same thing, but I do it on a weekly basis, and I do it by getting men focused on God's Mission to take the Gospel to all people. I do it through Christian Service Brigade, and Christian Service Brigade focuses on the boys and young men in our churches, neighbourhoods and communities. There is no greater call than to be the instrument that God uses to reach someone for Jesus Christ. That's what CSB does. We give a man an impossible task. We give him the tools and resources, the framework and training, the opportunity and responsibility. And, we trust that his church will give him the authority and accountability. And we watch that man’s faith grow. We throw him into the deep-end and watch him sink to his knees and desperately pray to God for answers to things way beyond his own strength.
 
The Adventure Challenge Weekend is condensing much of this into a few days. Excellent – every man needs this. But every man also needs more than this. He needs a mission; marching orders from God that give him a daily reminder of Who he serves and Who is watching his every step. I know that seeing God in my life every day keeps me closer to Him. I know that going to church every Thursday evening to build boys in their walk with Christ has kept me on the straight and narrow. That's what it's all about: obeying God in doing what He commands and discovering that it is also for our very best.
 
Okay, I will get off my soapbox now, but this is the point...
 

• Every man needs to get away from it all to break through to his inner self. This is an inward focus.
• Every man needs to meet together at a national men's conference to see beyond himself and to discover the greater ministry of God. This is an outward focus.
• Every man needs a weekly local men's group Bible study where he can share, be filled with the Word, reflect on his walk with God, and find accountability. This is an inward focus.
• Every man needs a weekly ministry that puts him in the front-lines of God's battle to save the lost; a task beyond his abilities, a task which he can grow into. This is an outward focus.

 
The Adventure Challenge Weekend ministry addresses something needed at the beginning of a man’s journey. Working in ministry within the church on a weekly basis, especially working with boys, addresses that journey’s culmination, at least at that particular stage in life.

Find that mission to which God is calling you.