As part of Christ’s army, you march in the ranks of gallant spirits. Every one of your fellow soldiers is the child of a King. Some, like you, are in the midst of battle, besieged on every side by affliction and temptation. Others, after many assaults, repulses, and rallyings of their faith, are already standing upon the wall of heaven as conquerors. From there they look down and urge you, their comrades on earth, to march up the hill after them. This is their cry: “Fight to the death and the City is your own, as now it is ours!” ---William Gurnall
Purpose:
· To provide a format where men can come together in a non-threatening environment to discover their true nature and the way God created them as uniquely masculine beings.
Goals:
· This “Adventure” is really just a lifelong journey into what it means to be a Christian man living in the world today. I hope that through this journey together, we will find the strength to make some positive changes in our lives and begin to truly enjoy the time we have been given here on earth, our temporary home.
· What we really need is permission to be what and who we are. We are made in God’s image, and if we are true followers of Christ Jesus, we are sons of the Living Lord! We need permission to live from the heart and not from a list of “should” and “ought to” that has left so many of us in the church tired and bored. We will do this by discovering God’s perfect truth using the bible as our textbook for life.
· For each G-MAT brother to continually invest some of his time in at least one other man or young man and invite them into the “Great Adventure” that God has called each of us into.
Man’s deepest questions:
· Deep in a man’s heart are some fundamental questions that simply cannot be answered in the “safe places” of our life!
1. Who am I? How do you define yourself? What do you say when someone asks who you are? (Described by your job?) NO, I am a son or daughter of the Living Lord! Amen? Amen.
2. What am I made of? Am I strong enough to protect my family? Do I have what it takes to provide for my family? Spiritual leadership?
3. What is my purpose? Where am I headed? What will give my life meaning?
· Where did Moses find out what his TRUE purpose in life was? In the desert! Where did Jacob wrestle with God? In the desert! Where did the great prophet Elijah go to recover his strength? To the WILDERNESS!
· Modern Day Example- “City Slickers” movie staring Billy Cristal. It is a story about 3 men who live in the city who are trapped in their jobs doing the same thing day after day after day so they decided to go on a wilderness adventure to “find themselves”. They had these same questions! The trail boss had found the answer; each of us has to find our “ONE THING”!
The Invitation:
· God made the masculine heart, set it within every man, and therefore offers us an invitation: Come, and live out what I meant you to be.
· What has God set in your heart? Instead of asking what you think you ought to do to become a better man, I want to ask, what makes you come alive in your Christian journey?! What stirs your heart? Go do that!!!! What the world really needs are real men who have come alive!!!!
· What steps will you take to find your “One Thing”?
· What steps will you take to follow the Lord Jesus more closely?
· Have you ever made a profession of faith in Jesus Christ? Don’t wait!
Man Town:
· A man must have a “Man Town”; a place where he can be free to explore what is going on in his heart.
· This is a place for some real “renewal” and “refreshment” for your heart! It will not be easy to find this place and it will be a difficult journey, but I believe it is what is missing in the lives of many men, young and old. Your enemy wants to keep you from finding, and frequently visiting your “Man Town”. Because he knows if you do, you will be MUCH more dangerous to his wicked plans of destroying your relationships on earth and your relationship with the Lord God Almighty!
How do I start a G-MAT group?
· Contact Russ Shiebler at rshiebler@myfairpoint.net
Some Thoughts About Men’s Ministry
· Men don’t follow programs—they follow other men! Jesus is the example.
· “I am not calling men back to church—I am calling the church back to men!”
· “Life is not a problem to be solved; it is an adventure to be lived.”
· “A man just won’t be happy until he’s got adventure in his work, in his love, and in his spiritual life.”
· “Don’t ask yourself what the world needs. Ask yourself what makes you come alive in your Christian journey, and go do that, because what the world needs is men who have come alive!”
· The wound. “Every boy, in his journey to become a man, takes and arrow in the center of his heart, in the place of his strength. Because the wound is rarely discussed and even more rarely healed, every man carries a wound. And the wound is nearly always given by his father.”
· A man’s deepest question: “Do I have what it takes? Am I powerful? Until a man knows he’s a man he will forever be trying to prove he is one, while at the same time shrink from anything that might reveal he is not. Men either live their lives haunted by the question, or crippled by the answer they have been given.”
· “If you want your church to attract men, you must put a high priority on developing leaders, especially male leaders. Men are not looking for theologians, teachers, or facilitators. They are looking for men who will lead them to greatness. Provide men with great male leadership, and they will return.”
· “Banish the word facilitator from your vocabulary. Men follow leaders, not facilitators. Jesus led, and so must we.”
· Men need to have a clearly defined purpose. A purpose with a challenge is even better!
· Give men high standards: Ask something of them! Jesus always asked for commitment clearly and confidently. He often asked men to drop everything and follow him. (i.e. Abraham Lincoln story)
· Men need time to think before they pray. Praying out loud is really tough on the average guy. A more manly prayer posture is with outstretched hands, palms up, face up to God with his eyes open. It feels more like a soldier communicating with the commanding officer. (i.e. Kazakhstan men story)
· We need to adjust the thermostat in our churches away from “comfort, ceremony, and conformity” and closer to “challenge and confrontation”.
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