Mission Focused Men for Christ

Summary: Because of the Hamas attack on Israel two weeks ago, I’ve changed the topic of today’s episode to address a battle that all Christians are called to fight—the battle to shape our culture’s worldview to conform to biblical truth, instead of letting false worldviews blind our culture to reality, because we are silent. This episode examines how Hamas’ worldview is very different from that of the western world and why it led to the inhuman massacre that we have all witnessed. For Further Prayerful Thought: Contrast the worldviews of the Hamas terrorists with the worldview of those who experienced abject revulsion at what they did.What observations stood out to you about the link between Hamas’ worldview and their behavior October 7th?How does the Hamas Israel war illustrate the truth that ideas have consequences—bad ideas have victims and good ideas have beneficiaries?    How would you answer the statement—the constant war between Islamic terrorists and Israel just proves the intolerance of religion is the reason we can’t have peace in the world?For the printed version of this message click here.For a summary of topics addressed by podcast series, click here.For FREE downloadable studies on men’s issues click here.To make an online contribution to enable others to hear about the podcast: (Click link and scroll down to bottom left).

Summary:  No man wants to fail his wife or kids. Despite loud cries to the contrary in our culture, we men are assigned the position of head of our marriage, which means if we love our wives well, they will flourish. As those assigned the role of father, our concrete love for our kids is designed to prepare them to see and welcome the parallel but invisible love of God the Father. This strategic position means we must win the battle to defeat our own selfishness, building a pattern of denying ourselves to meet the needs of our wife and children. This episode examines how it is that we daily tap into the power of Christ in us to overcome our default self-preoccupation, learn to die to ourselves, and better focus on meeting the needs of others, not only loving well the wife and kids we cherish but showing Christ’s love to those God has placed around us.For Further Prayerful Thought: What are some of the things that you think blind men to their own self-centeredness?How have you seen the action of putting the love of SELF above love for God and others bear destructive fruit?Of the five ways we examined to overcome selfishness and sacrificially love others, which is the hardest to do for you? Which is the easiest?For the printed version of this message click here.For a summary of topics addressed by podcast series, click here.For FREE downloadable studies on men’s issues click here.To make an online contribution to enable others to hear about the podcast: (Click link and scroll down to bottom left).

Summary: This episode continues our October series on the battles men fight by examining Satan’s efforts to destroy our trust in God’s character. Such confidence MATTERS to God so much that his Word says, “Without faith it is impossible to please him,” (Heb 11:6a). All meaningful love-relationships require trust. Because Satan wants to destroy our relationship with God, he constantly seeks to undermine our trust in him. This episode examines Satan’s tactics in this battle and how to resist him.  For Further Prayerful Thought:  What situations make it easy for you to complain? What do you think of the idea that murmuring is public disloyalty to God?How are Israel’s temptation to put God to the test and Jesus’ temptation to put God to the test similar?We observed four ways to battle Satan’s doubt about God’s goodness, battling pride, battling the idea that loving me would cause God to make my life easier, a short-run vs long-run perspective and simply quoting the Word of God this says, God is FOR us. Which of these seems hardest?  For the printed version of this message click here.For a summary of topics addressed by podcast series, click here.For FREE downloadable studies on men’s issues click here.To make an online contribution to enable others to hear about the podcast: (Click link and scroll down to bottom left)

Summary: This episode begins our October series on the battles men fight and begins with the temptation that survey’s reveal is at the top of men’s temptations—overcoming lust and if married directing their sexual desires totally towards the wife of their youth. We study David’s fall and the lessons we can take away from this biblical example.For Further Prayerful Thought:  How is the story of the weasel taking down the eagle similar to lust’s takedown of David?What are the outer conditions and inner conditions when sinful sexual lust is most appealing to you?How would you summarize the price tag of David’s sexual sin?How is David an example of letting his failure drive him TO God and not AWAY from God. (You might want to look at Psalm 51—written after David was confronted by Nathan.)For the printed version of this message click here.For a summary of topics addressed by podcast series, click here.For FREE downloadable studies on men’s issues click here.To make an online contribution to enable others to hear about the podcast: (Click link and scroll down to bottom left)

Summary: This episode raises the question, “Could it be that Satan and sin are racking up wins against us NOT because we’re NOT trying hard enough, but because we are not fighting with the right weapon?” Christ’s agenda of righteousness will never prevail in our own hearts or over the earth through trying harder. We must defeat the kingdom of darkness for “rightness” to spread. But such victory only comes through something called, PREVAILING PRAYER. This episode examines how to fight with this incredibly powerful weapon.For further prayerful thought.Do you agree that most Christians do not look at prayer primarily as a weapon? If you agree, why do you think that is the case. What are two or three of the arguments that most stood out to you, to show that God’s intention for the advancement of Christ’s kingdom of righteousness over earth requires us using the weapon of prevailing prayer.As we looked at the prayers of Elijah and Paul what practical insights can help you better pray for the things that will advance Christ’s agenda in the lives of your loved ones and spheres of your life?For the printed version of this message click here.For a summary of topics addressed by podcast series, click here.For FREE downloadable studies on men’s issues click here.To make an online contribution to enable others to hear about the podcast: (Click link and scroll down to bottom left)

Summary: On the night before he died, Jesus made the astonishing claim that he had completed the work the Father gave him to do. We wonder how Jesus could have talked about a completed work. His three-year ministry seemed all too short. For every prostitute whose heart he touched, hundreds remained untouched. For every blind man enabled to see, hundreds were still blind. Yet on that last night, with many urgent human needs unmet and useful tasks undone, the Lord said he had completed the work God had given him. How did he do that? That is the subject of today’s episode as we consider how best to be focused and effective in the mission assigned to us by King Jesus. For further prayerful thought.In what ways is the term seek, the opposite of haphazard, unfocused living?Why do the pressures of life seem to take us everywhere but to the masters’ feet to talk with us about our mission? Almost everything about life, e.g. just buying groceries, is more effective with a plan (a list). Why don’t we think about a game plan for growing in Christ or loving our wives well?   Resource Used for this Episode:The FOCUS Notebook.For the printed version of this message click here.For a summary of topics addressed by podcast series, click here.For FREE downloadable studies on men’s issues click here.To make an online contribution to enable others to hear about the podcast: (Click link and scroll down to bottom left)

Summary: This episode provides a biblical definition of the term kingdom of God and when that becomes clear, we will see why Jesus said that PURSUING THE KINGDOM OF GOD is the most valuable objective anyone could ever build his life around!For further prayerful thought. Why is seeking the kingdom of God like a pearl merchant pursuing and finding a fabulous pearl? What Scripture comes to mind to support the idea that the kingdom where Jesus wants righteousness to prevail is Adam’s kingdom, earth? How would you answer, the objection, “seeking righteousness” is at its core depending upon yourself instead of Christ? We saw that a clear understanding of our mission to seek first the kingdom of God leads to a) sharing the gospel, b) a high view of “secular” work, c) a high view of the physical word, d) realizing that salvation is not about escaping from the world but engaging the world seeking to spread Christ’s righteousness, e) that as agents of reconciliation Christians are to help others restore their relationship with themselves, God, others, and creation. Which of these five do you most want to remember from this episode? Why?Resource Used for this Episode:Discipling Men’s Hearts Through Kingdom DiscipleshipFor the printed version of this message click here.For a summary of topics addressed by podcast series, click here.For FREE downloadable studies on men’s issues click here.To make an online contribution to enable others to hear about the podcast: (Click link and scroll down to bottom left).

Summary: Hall of Fame NFL stars, besides excelling at unrelenting commitment to becoming the best they can be at their position, usually have developed a high football IQ, which helps them put playing their position in context. Jesus’ job description for his followers is to seek first the KINGDOM OF GOD and his righteousness. But it is impossible to go hard to succeed at this mission without a concrete understanding of what the kingdom of God is. What is the target on the wall? This episode seeks to develop our KINGDOM IQ—so we can better understand the mission that Jesus said was to be our top priority in life.For further prayerful thought:  How would you try to persuade a brother in Christ that it was important to understand the full background behind the term kingdom of God? What stood out most to you about the parallel between the first Adam and the second Adam? The word gospel means good news. How is the good news of the kingdom, which Jesus taught and proclaimed, a richer concept than just saying the gospel is that we are saved by grace alone through faith alone? In what ways is our mission to spread “rightness and wholeness” (the kingdom of righteousness) over every square inch of the planet a compelling challenge? Are you ready to accept the challenge to pursue rightness—the agenda of Christ in every sphere of your life?Primary Resource Used for this Episode:   Discipling Men's Hearts Through Kingdom Theology  by Dr. Gary YagelFor the printed version of this message click here.For a summary of topics addressed by podcast series, click here.For FREE downloadable studies on men’s issues click here.To make an online contribution to enable others to hear about the podcast: (Click link and scroll down to bottom left)

Episode Summary: God assigns Christian fathers the responsibility of protecting their children—and one of the greatest dangers to them in this cultural moment is the false religion called progressive Christianity. This episode exposes this new movement that many in the rising generation are becoming convinced is superior to their old fashioned, closed minded bigoted Christian faith they grew up believing and what dads, granddads, and church leaders can do about it.Questions for Guiding the Rising Generation to think about this material.  What alarms you most about the rise of progressive Christianity? Why do you think this movement would be attractive to today’s rising generation of kids raised in the church? What was most helpful in thinking through how to help the rising generation reject this heretical movement?Recommended Resources I want to especially highlight the excellent series from the Colson Center, “What Would You Say.” This series addresses numerous worldview issues biblically, succinctly, and with logical clarity. It is the best equipping tool I have ever seen to guide Christians to know how to be salt and light, winsomely promoting the biblical worldview throughout the culture.A Practical Guide to Culture, John Stonestreet and Brent KunkleMama Bea Apologetics, Hillary FerrerBefore Your Lose Your Faith, Ivan MesaThe Ten Commandments of Progressive Christianity, Michael Kruger For the printed version of this message click here.For a summary of topics addressed by podcast series, click here.For FREE downloadable studies on men’s issues click here.To make an online contribution to enable others to hear about the podcast: (Click link and scroll down to bottom left)

Summary: Vibrant marriages and healthy families are the result of following God’s design of male and female to have different needs, responsibilities, and callings in the family. These words came from a veteran Christian counselor who had once been a beat cop on the streets of Miami. I think this counselor is right—which means that today’s Christian men need to be steering the rising generation towards wholeheartedly embracing God’s gender design. But there are two BIG OBSTACLES to getting the rising generation to embrace the biblical worldview concerning gender. This episode examines what these two roadblocks are and how to overcome them. For Further Prayerful Thought:Analyze this statement: Christian adults critique of the Gender Unicorn fractured worldview of sexual personhood compared to the awesomeness of God’s design will be heard as anti-LGBTQ+ hostility and rejected unless we are demonstrating real Christ-like love for those who are sexually broken.Where is the analogy of the Samaritan woman (who had 5 husbands and was currently living with a man) compared to those living the LGBTQ+ life a good parallel and not a good parallel?What do you think are the biggest hindrances to Christians reaching out in the friendship of Jesus love to LGBTQ+ folks as we should? TSER Gender Unicorn graphic Anchoring Your Child to God’s Truth in a Gender Confused CultureFor the printed version of this message click here.For a summary of topics addressed by podcast series, click here.For FREE downloadable studies on men’s issues click here: To make an online contribution to enable others to hear about the podcast: (Click link and scroll down to bottom left)