Mission Focused Men for Christ

Summary: No man walks down the wedding aisle or holds his newborn child for the first time, planning to fail his family. We want to lead our homes well. This episode is the second in a 3-part series, Lessons for Men from the Arrival of the Messiah examines the man God chose to lead the home where his son, Jesus, was to grow up—Joseph of Nazareth—and what lessons we can learn from him about godly manhood. Resource Used for This Podcast: Boundaries With Kids, Henry Cloud and John TownsendLeadership is Male, David PawsonFor 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: 

Summary: At the heart of the Mission Focused Men podcast is the belief that Christian men don’t want to fail in the mission Christ has assigned to them. It turns out that the Christmas season is a great time to sharpen our focus on what OUR everyday mission as Christ-followers IS because we better understand what CHRIST’s mission WAS. Jesus’ mission was NOT merely to come down from heaven, die for our sins, and then whisk us back to heaven when we die. If that had been JESUS’ mission, then OUR mission would be to basically wait around until we die!  So, what was Jesus’ mission, and how does that impact our daily mission? This podcast sharpens our understanding of the mission assigned to us by Christ, by looking at the meaning of Isaiah’s prophecy, The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; those who dwelt in a land of deep darkness, on them has light shone. Resource Used for This Podcast: Ministries of Mercy, by Timothy Keller 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: 

Summary:  When Jesus came to earth, the teaching of the Scriptures had been so horribly corrupted by the Pharisees that an Israelite man thought his mission from God was the lifeless keeping of thousands of requirement in God’s rule book that had been expanded by the Pharisees to 30 volumes of do’s and don’ts. In utter contrast to this externally focused, rule- keeping slavery, Jesus said, those who enjoyed the presence of God never were the self-righteous rule-keepers but those who were pure in heart. Jesus’ message was, “righteousness is a matter of the heart and that bar is so high that I have come to give you a NEW, PURE HEART and The Holy Spirit to dwell in that heart to help you do what the law really is all about: loving God and loving your neighbor.” This episode considers how we can experience the power of Christ at work in us TRANSFORMING OUR HEARTS for everyday living that pleases him.  Resource Used for This Podcast: Making Sense of God, by Timothy Keller 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: 

Summary: This episode continues the series, Christ’s Compelling Mission for Us. We know that Christ’s mission for us is TO BE LIKE HIM and that he gave a summary of his heart attitudes in the Sermon on the Mount. In past episodes (season #1 episodes 8-11), we examined the first four beatitudes. Today we come to the fifth, from Matt 5:7, Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy. Our calling is to show Christ’s heart of mercy to the world. How do we do that? That is the question this episode answers. Resource Used for This Podcast: Ministries of Mercy: The Call of the Jericho Road, Timothy Keller 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.

Summary: This episode continues our series, Christ’s Compelling Mission for Us, by examining our Call TO CHRIST and asking “How do I better fill my soul with Christ’s love, so I can succeed at loving well those I am supposed to?” Jesus told us that he is the vine, we are the branches and that fruitfulness in our mission from him comes through abiding in him—i.e. through our love-relationship with him. How can we strengthen our love connection with Christ and, therefore, maximize our fruitfulness for Christ? That is the question we answer in this episode. For Further Prayerful Thought: What do you think of the idea that what God always wants to fuel our commitment to his mission for us is our love for him?Which truths from Scripture most help you remember how much God loves you?Read back over the Marxist’s letter. Which aspect of his devotion to his cause do you wish was more a part of your devotion to Christ? (You can’t answer “all of it!”)  Resource Used for This Podcast:Allegiance: Building a Foundation of Loyalty to God, (30 daily devotionals to infuse fresh energy into every Christian man’s walk with Christ) by Gary Yagel.Objects of His Affection, by Scotty Smith. 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: 

Summary: No Christian man wants to fail Jesus. But how to we keep our inner fire to live for him burning hot when our failure, disheartening circumstances, and seemingly unanswered prayers pour buckets of water on those flames. That is the question we answer in this episode, as we consider an approach to discipleship that ignites the heart. Resource Used for This Podcast: The Call: Finding and Fulfilling God’s Purpose for Your Life, By Os Guiness 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: 

Summary: Many weary Christians are disheartened as they try to battle for truth in our culture. The thought crosses our minds, “Why battle for truth in a world that hates you? After all, Jesus was clear to his disciples, If you were of the world, the world would love you as its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you.Why bother trying to shape our election based on arguing for biblical principles. Since the world hates us, why would they listen? Why don’t we just withdraw into our own Christian cocoon, and await Christ’s return? Why fight for spiritual truth in a world that is heading to hell and destruction? Capitulating to this argument is tempting. But yielding to it would lead to utter FAILURE to complete the mission assigned to us by Christ. This episode explains why. 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: 

Summary: No man wants to fail at his mission to impact others for Christ. But we will, if we forget one of the commands of Peter that is a prerequisite for having such an impact—BE READY. Always be ready, writes Peter to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you (1 Pet 3:15).In other words, Peter commands every Christian to prepare ahead of time—that is what “ready” means. What are we to be prepare ourselves to do?  Make a logical defense of our faith. That is what the Greek word, “defense” means. It is APOLOGIA. APO means from or since, LOGIA is the word from which we get logic. This episode helps us be prepared and prepare our loved ones to give a logical answer to a very common accusation that Christians hear: YOU CAN’T TAKE THE BIBLE LITERALLY. For Further Prayerful Thought: 1. What would you say to someone who says, “I think it tells spiritual truth, but the events it records are not always real historical events”?2. How would you answer the objection, “We don’t even really know what the original writers of the Bible really said. Bible translations disagree”?3. What is your biggest doubt about whether the Bible is really God’s Word? 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: 

Summary: Fighting words are words that arouse a visceral response in people, making their gut churn and their hands ball into fists. As the election draws near, fighting words have been flying all over twitter and Facebook in the political clash over our nation’s future. This episode looks beneath this political fight to a deeper, even more significant war, the battle by which Christians are to destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ (2 Cor 10:5). Christian men as leaders of their homes and churches are to lead the way in this fight. That is the reason for this current series, “Surrounding Our Loved Ones With the Belt of Truth.” Today’s culture is marinated in the idea that tolerance is the highest virtue in the land. Therefore, Christ’s words, I am the way the truth and the life. No one comes to the father but by me are FIGHTING WORDS for many. Saying your religion is right and all the others are wrong is the epitome of intolerance. So, how do we help our loved ones survive this assault on their faith and winsomely challenge others to investigate the claims of Christ? That is today’s topic. For Further Prayerful Thought:1. Can you think of an instance when you heard the “Christianity is too narrow and intolerant argument?” What do you think are the hidden assumptions of those who say that?2. Which argument for Jesus claim to deity stood out most to you?3. Many in the culture believe Jesus was just a great moral teacher, even though a primary tenet of his teaching was his claim to be God. Why do you think Christians have not challenged them with Liar, Lunatic, Lord argument, when it is so logical? 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: 

Summary: Historians tell us, Ideas have consequences.There is one idea that has invaded the human heart that is responsible for more human destruction than any other idea—the falsehood that God’s goodness can’t be trusted. When this wrong idea captured Eve’s heart, she rebelled, Adam rebelled with her, and humans have been rebelling against God and his law ever since. Satan’s chief strategy to inspire rebellion in Eve’s heart was to make her doubt God’s goodness. Our calling as men is to “Surround our loved ones with the belt of truth,” which is the title of this podcast series. This episode helps our kids build confidence in the GOODNESS of God and in their ability to answer those who assert that suffering proves there can’t be a good God.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: