Living as Free Men, Part 1

"You are free." How we see ourselves as men is critical to how we live. Throughout our lives, the words and declarations spoken over us by dads, coaches, bosses, spouses, and other significant people largely shape the lives we live.

The other day I noticed something in the creation story of Genesis 2 that I had not noticed before. The first statement God makes to Adam about who he was is a powerful phrase of identity and direction: "You are free to eat from any tree in the garden," (Genesis 2:16). From that moment on, Satan has set about to enslave and entrap men in thought processes, behavioral habits, and relational patterns that can destroy their lives.

The good news is that through the power of the Holy Spirit, men have the promise and power to walk free again. The apostle Paul reaffirms our identity as free men in Christ, "It is for freedom that Christ has set us free," (Galatians 5:1).

What voices form your understanding of who you are? Do you allow the voice of your Heavenly Father to shape your self-perception and life? Or, do we allow the voice of others who tend to echo the desire of the evil one to shape us and enslave us?

Rumble Strips for the Mind

One of the recent additions to our public safety system in the U.S. has been the use of rumble strips along highways. Rumble strips are designed to keep wandering minds, sleepy bodies, and burger-eating mini-van drivers from driving off the road and hurting themselves or others.

The other day I was thinking, "Wouldn't it be cool if there were rumble strips for your mind?" You know, when your mind starts wandering off the path of God's truth into either lust, greed, revenge, fear, or some other mindset that is contrary to God's plan for us as men, suddenly your head would begin to shake violently to keep you from going any further into destructive thinking.

In some respects, that's exactly what the Holy Spirit does in conjunction with the Word of God to keep our minds where they belong. A man who is sensitive to the direction of the Spirit saying to him, "Hey buddy! Not there! This is not where you want your mind to go," is a man who is keeping in step with the Spirit (Galatians 5:25). When our minds are filled with the truth of God's Word it is much easier for us to recognize when we are heading toward the guard rail.

What are some tools and strategies you have found helpful in keeping your mind set on a path that is lifegiving and not a path that leads to destruction?

The Needs of a New Generation

During the 1990's, something extraordinary began to happen in the lives of men throughout the United States. From a humble beginning with just a handful of men, a national movement began to transform the lives of men. Through the faithfulness of a handful of visionary men, a ministry emerged that changed the way churches addressed the needs of men's lives.

One of the great lessons that we learned from that time is that God has an extraordinary plan for a man in every dimension of his life. We discovered the power of men in worship together. We explored issues close the hearts of men that we had not openly discussed before. We experienced the encouragement that comes from realizing that we are not alone in the. That was then.

What about today? What is the Holy Spirit doing now to impact the lives of men? What do you sense the Spirit is saying to men about the shape and future of ministry in this new millennium? What should we take from the past on our journey into the future? What might the new face of ministry to men look like in the days ahead? What does a visionary ministry to men look like as we look toward 2015?

Share your thoughts and dreams here about your desire to see a new season of effective ministry to men.