Men forging Men
This is a call to fatherhood, discipleship, adventure. This call is not for the average neanderthal that dwells in a man cave surrounded by plastic footballs and cheap beer themed wall decorations. This call is for the man that craves to fulfill his purpose, his destiny, his reason for being. This call will demand everything from you. Your patience, perseverance, listening ear, strength and integrity will all be tested. This call is for all men that claim to have hope in Christ, for all men that desire to please their creator, for all men that want to be more than the tool in the beer and electric shaver commercial, this call is for you. Will you answer?
We live in a time of individual thinking, in short, its all about you. Men particularly have become so goal centered that most are willing to do whatever it takes to get on top, we laugh at the rookies and we want to be like the veterans, but we never care to look around and see we are not alone in this life. This problem has caused many of the well known and parodied "daddy issues" that many people have this days. We have fathers that worked hard, provided for the family, become known for their skills yet barely know their children, and in turn their children have no true idea who their fathers are.
As men of God we are to act differently, we are called to take the younger, the uninitiated, the naive ones and not use them as stepping stones to reach higher, but place them on our shoulders and create disciples. Men are to look beyond themselves and realize that it is better to leave a legacy behind than a legend, it is better for your children to act like Godly men because you taught them than for your name to be in some obscure award from your company.
We see Jesus himself doing this in John 14:12 when he says "I tell you the truth, anyone who believes in me will do the same works I have done, and even greater works, because I am going to be with the Father." Can you believe that, Jesus himself said that you can do better than He did! Its like MJ telling Kobe that He expects him to shoot better than he ever did. We must understand that the heart of our father is for us to multiply and educate others, not to become obsessed with our own pitiful so called perfection.
To many times have I seen preachers that think they are the most spiritual person in the world and their children are running around acting like demons. I am not saying that those preachers are not called or spiritual , I am saying that those preachers clearly care more about their ministry than the disciples that they are making, they care more about being recognized as great men of God than raising their Children to be amazing men of God. this is wrong, selfish and will not last.
Instead I propose doing as Jesus did. Taking the broken, hurting, weak and call them whole, solid, and strong. I propose becoming men that lead sheep rather than a great trailblazer that ends up all alone and forgotten in the middle of some woods that nobody cares about. I propose that you find a young person, one perhaps without direction or purpose and begin to teach him the ways of God and manhood.
Now I warned you, this will demand everything from you. This is about to be the greatest must fulfilling adventure you ever undertake. You must listen and be willing to guide, don't pretend like you know everything, instead always point them to the one that does, Jesus. Show them spiritual and practical things, have fun with them, be willing to cry, laugh, smile and hurt with them. Most important, don't be a flake, if you say you will be there, be there. none of this oh I am busy right now. oh and don't make everything spiritual, It is totally fine to just sit by a fire and talk about good comics, cars, movies, knives, sports teams or whatever you guys are into. Be a father.
This calling, the one to make disciples, is how great men are forged, is how we can ensure that more men grow up molded by God and not media. This calling is a direct mandate from Jesus. Now go and make disciples of all nations.
We live in a time of individual thinking, in short, its all about you. Men particularly have become so goal centered that most are willing to do whatever it takes to get on top, we laugh at the rookies and we want to be like the veterans, but we never care to look around and see we are not alone in this life. This problem has caused many of the well known and parodied "daddy issues" that many people have this days. We have fathers that worked hard, provided for the family, become known for their skills yet barely know their children, and in turn their children have no true idea who their fathers are.
As men of God we are to act differently, we are called to take the younger, the uninitiated, the naive ones and not use them as stepping stones to reach higher, but place them on our shoulders and create disciples. Men are to look beyond themselves and realize that it is better to leave a legacy behind than a legend, it is better for your children to act like Godly men because you taught them than for your name to be in some obscure award from your company.
We see Jesus himself doing this in John 14:12 when he says "I tell you the truth, anyone who believes in me will do the same works I have done, and even greater works, because I am going to be with the Father." Can you believe that, Jesus himself said that you can do better than He did! Its like MJ telling Kobe that He expects him to shoot better than he ever did. We must understand that the heart of our father is for us to multiply and educate others, not to become obsessed with our own pitiful so called perfection.
To many times have I seen preachers that think they are the most spiritual person in the world and their children are running around acting like demons. I am not saying that those preachers are not called or spiritual , I am saying that those preachers clearly care more about their ministry than the disciples that they are making, they care more about being recognized as great men of God than raising their Children to be amazing men of God. this is wrong, selfish and will not last.
Instead I propose doing as Jesus did. Taking the broken, hurting, weak and call them whole, solid, and strong. I propose becoming men that lead sheep rather than a great trailblazer that ends up all alone and forgotten in the middle of some woods that nobody cares about. I propose that you find a young person, one perhaps without direction or purpose and begin to teach him the ways of God and manhood.
Now I warned you, this will demand everything from you. This is about to be the greatest must fulfilling adventure you ever undertake. You must listen and be willing to guide, don't pretend like you know everything, instead always point them to the one that does, Jesus. Show them spiritual and practical things, have fun with them, be willing to cry, laugh, smile and hurt with them. Most important, don't be a flake, if you say you will be there, be there. none of this oh I am busy right now. oh and don't make everything spiritual, It is totally fine to just sit by a fire and talk about good comics, cars, movies, knives, sports teams or whatever you guys are into. Be a father.
This calling, the one to make disciples, is how great men are forged, is how we can ensure that more men grow up molded by God and not media. This calling is a direct mandate from Jesus. Now go and make disciples of all nations.
My brother, best friend, disciple and I goofing off in a toy aisle.
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