The problem - men need investment

Even if you have a men's small group.

In many cases even if you have a men's discipleship program.

You are likely way underinvesting in the men in your group.

This will be a little hard hitting but if we don't address it the leaders who have these mens souls as their responsibility I am sorry you will be held accountable. Now, your salvation of course is intact. Gods grace freed us from needing to behave a certain way.

If you are an elder or pastor or deacon and cannot point to a pouring out into at least one man to counter the negative lies and forces both from the world and from a sadly secularists and compromised church I am sorry but you have failed.

I want to first talk about the cost. Because if after hearing about these costs you still don't really want to change to do something about it that's fine. It's nothing I can do the rest of this message is entirely moot.

That's not a judgment. It's a fact.

Now when God asks you, "You heard this message. I believe he was pretty close to my heart. Not perfect. But he was close enough to hopefully move you. But you didn't. I know. It isn't for lack of activity it's for no stirring in your heart. Can you help me understand? Because you say Lord Lord but....what happened?"

The second thing is why I think there's an underinvestment. And I am being polite in that terminology.

Some of it may seem offensive. It's goal is not be be offensive but to hopefully stir some kind of Godly sorrow. To reorient your thinking not just today but for the rest of your life in how you view the world.

Third is how I want to help you and your leaders to solve this.

So we have looked at the devastating costs to churches and families. To society at large. And to the lives here now and in eternity for not tackling head on the lies of society on behalf of men.

We saw the causes. Lack of capacity. Lack of capability. Lack of caring. Lack of confronting. Lack of commitment.

Our solution

The first step that I am going to layout and tackle because it's often a sticking point is money.

I recognize some of you might be in developing nations. But if you are in a developed nation please.

There is a cost. I would argue that making a cost to go through teaching and discipleship is no less valuable to the kingdom than the tuition for seminary.

I found the people who protest most are those who make a lot of money and those who struggle financially.

This is a complex issue with the way the church had stewarded or failed to steward. It's a problem for the wealthy who actually use the tithing defensively when they are called to give more. It baffles me. But doesn't surprise me.

So we ask a per men cost. Just like you would going to a seminary, going to a conference, going to a therapist. In fact this is way better than building your own program because you scale better. You address the capacity problem while addressing capability.

Look many churches will try to build it themselves. And there's some good behind that. But there's also some not so good.

In the end, humans have a natural distribution of talents. We are in unprecedented times where the body can serve one another at their highest levels. The 1% can over the Internet feed the 99%. This small piece can feed far more why not do that?

The third is spending time creating a culture to care about this loss. And this takes content and time. And churches are busy you are doing hard work for the Lord.

We I am willing to confront. It's easier. I get that. I am far away in the distance. Someone's got to do it.

Boy wouldn't I prefer to be the shepherd who builds the relationship. To support them. To say yeah the stuff is hard hittomg. It's tough. But I will walk with you.

You get to do that. That can be relational. It can be free although I think there's the last part.

Commitment. I get it. Money for a service. A community outside of church. Teaching. That kind of direct exchange may not be part of your culture then your church should pay for it. Maybe they can't and you do it for yourself. Maybe you have been blessed and above the tithe such that you are like the widows mite you cover all the men. Come on.

The reality is if we don't pay we don't value. This is the human condition. I think men more so than women. Because this isn't fun. This isn't espn.

But in hard times together bonds are forged.

You know in very ratified air men pay expensive membership.

What's it worth? I want to know honestly what is the trade off?

I think the shape and vision of churches should begin to evolve.

Scale the teaching and content and community building in an elastic model. Grow then spend.

Increase the capacity of those who volunteer to the more common skills. Which ate relational. Ideally 1:1.

What's next?

The content is no real secret. It's just information. It's knowledge. Perhaps derived from spiritual truth.

But transformation and a true renewing needs active "arguments" against the things God desires you to know of him.

This may be the most important thing you hear today and it's entirely free.

If you are a man who, lost in your own lack of a King worth following, blinded by and to your own sin, and open to just how much in need of mercy and grace. Who believes this earth is not enough, is broken and sad and believes there's more beyond the grace, then take a moment to ask yourself whether you can in fact follow.

Or will you hear this and let the busyness and worry and greed of the day snatch this opportunity away from you.

If you want to join the next cohort of men, fill out this application. This is a paid cohort of men. We have a payment plan. Ask your church to sponsor you if you are stuck on the cash.

But apply first.

What you get will be a group of guys who have your back. Content and coaching that will help you to grow in a way that matters across the dimensions that matter.

You know what else.

I have a way for you to make your money back. So it's free. This force multiplier helps you to actually out what you learn into action. And pay off your investment.