Calling All Single Men
It is general experience that most single's groups within The Church are largely
planned, implemented and run by women. Why is this? While it is true
that "...there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus"
(Galatians 3:28), men are called upon to take leadership roles in the Church.
Women are often the ones who step forward, however.
Frequently, men choose to sit on the sidelines. Adam was right there in the
Garden of Eden with Eve when she was tempted, yet he remained silent on the
sidelines. Why didn't Adam speak up? It was he who was directly
given the commandment from God not to eat from the fruit of the Tree of
Knowledge of Good and Evil - he was told this before
Eve was created. (See Genesis 2:15-18). Eve misquoted what God had
said when she was speaking to the serpent, why didn't Adam speak up and correct
her? (Genesis 3:2) Instead, Adam chose to remain silent and
to stay on the sidelines. Men, why do we do this?
Do you sometimes feel a deep longing for something more from your
relationship with God and your place in the church? Do you sometimes feel
a desire for adventure and passion and not simply more service? Most men felt this as
children when we played at being pirates and soldiers and policemen. As adults however, we are conditioned
to live from a practical level, and to quiet or kill the deep longings of our
heart. John Wayne portrayed strength but he never displayed emotion, and
sometimes the Church seems to ask us to be more like Mr. Rogers than Jesus
Christ driving out the Moneychangers with a whip. Read the
"Ballad of the Goodly Fere" however, a poem about the character of Jesus Christ,
and you will see that
Jesus Christ was a passionate, emotional man, yet while still being a "man's man".
This is also born out in Scripture.
Man was created outside of the Garden of Eden, in the Wilderness (see
Genesis 2:7-8). We were not created to be tame, we were created to be
wild, fiery like Peter and Paul - after they received the Holy Spirit. Read
about Paul's life in 2 Corinthians 11:23-27, it was quite an adventure.
But before Peter received the Holy Spirit he cowarded in the courtyard, on the
sidelines at the trial of Jesus, when asked if he wasn't one of Jesus' disciples
too. This was a mere 50 days before he so bodly proclaimed Christ at
Pentecost.
There is a unique opportunity for men to serve with me in this ministry.
We (men) should be the ones planning the adventures. We (men) should be
the ones who provide the atmosphere of safety in this ministry for the women.
We (men) should be the ones who watch out for the "wolves in sheep's clothing"
who will inevitably show up from time to time at this ministry, and we (men)
should be the ones who ask them to leave.
Get off the sidelines and get in the game. Join me in this ministry. I can't do it alone. Email via the
address on the Connect page, or just stop me and talk with me at Church.
In Christ,
Kevin
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