Mission Focused Men for Christ

This is the second episode in a three-part series, Becoming Effective Spiritual Leaders. This series examines the leadership process by examining the relationships between the 3 components of leadership. Here is the link to a simple diagram that explains these three parts and their relationship to one another. Last week we examined the orange arrow from the leader to the goal, observing ways the leader must stay focused upon the goal of his own spiritual growth, so he can lead from his life. This episode examines the vertical green arrow from the leader to the followers and five ways that Jesus won the hearts of his followers by BUILDING HIS RELATIONSHIP WITH THEM. 

Summary: The greatest impact we have on those around us often comes when we fill the role of spiritual leader. This role can come to us in countless ways—by being assigned by God to spiritual leadership at home as a husband and father, or by serving as a church or ministry leader. Leadership can come with being the default spiritual influencer on your sports team or among your friends. It can be the result of assuming responsibility to steer brothers and sisters in your extended family towards Christ, or neighbors, or work associates. This episode looks at the way spiritual leadership can have maximum impact in the lives of those who surround us.Here is the link to the Leadership Leadership Diagram referred to on this podcast.

Men want to succeed at everything they do. They want to know which hill to take. They want a clear target on the wall so they can focus their masculine energy into it. When it comes to spiritual things, they want to like Paul, who said, Forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. If we are going to strive to obey God’s command to fathers, to bring our children up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord, what are the goals that we need to PRESS ON TOWARDS. This episode gives guys a concrete game plan to strive to achieve as with the Lord’s help, train our kids into godly character.Much of the material in today’s episode comes from Boundaries With Kids, by Dr. Henry Cloud and Dr. John Townsend. 

Even though MOTHERS seem so much better at it, God makes FATHERS primarily responsible for raising up their children in the way they should go. But how can we expect Christian dads to succeed in this vital calling if they are not equipped with biblical principles and strategies to formulate a plan? This episode equips dads to understand the basic goal of parenting and gives three ways parents must use their influence to accomplish this mission. We then identify 6 obstacles to effective parenting. Finally, we look at God’s evaluation of a parent who does not paddle his child, Whoever spares the rod hates his son, but he who loves him is diligent to discipline him. God designed a child with a bottom—a safe part of the body with no risk of damaging organs to receive a sting NOW for wrong behavior, so that wrong behavior does not CONTINUE and bring severe pain. The article then provides wisdom for how paddling must be used properly so it corrects behavior but is never abusive.Much of the material in today’s episode comes from Boundaries With Kids, by Dr. Henry Cloud and Dr. John Townsend. 

In the past few weeks, we’ve seen an authority figure, namely a Minneapolis police officer, murder George Floyd, seen mayors of major American cities refuse to stop angry mobs from looting and destroying property, and while observing Father’s Day, noted the fatherlessness epidemic in our cities along with God’s ordained design for fathers to be responsible for the discipline of their children. The common thread in these themes, is the break-down of the proper use of authority in our streets and homes. This episode looks at four restraints upon evil that God provides for society, then zooms in to look specifically at one of those restraints, i.e. the proper discipline of children. It examines five guiding principles to use discipline to train our children effectively at home.Here is the link to the bog article I wrote several years ago, in response to a Twitter explosion, asking What Is a Switch? in response to Adrian Peter’s mention of this implement used for paddling children. The article, entitled, The Peterson Case & the Spanking Question.Some of the material in this episode comes from Boundaries With Kids, by Dr. Henry Cloud and Dr. John Townsend, which is my favorite book on parenting. 

For decades we have been hearing that the Bible is laced with a patriarchal bias, which more enlightened, modern Christians must uncover and correct. This episode examines this flawed argument, which if left unchecked will shape the rising generation in our homes and churches. It then identifies and amplifies five facets of biblical fatherhood that meet the needs of a child’s heart. 

The horrific murder of George Floyd and lawless property theft and destruction taking place across America have put our focus on American cities, the plight of the urban poor, and especially black urban poor. This focus has rightly challenged Christians to consider how better to confront racism in our own lives and American institutions. As Fathers’ Day approaches, I want to also suggest that, as we consider the plight of the urban poor in America, we recognize the epidemic of fatherlessness taking place in our cities and the black community. Its impact is enormous. But father absence is not just an urban or black problem. Fifty percent of children in America grow up with fathers who are physically absent (34%) or emotionally uninvolved or harmful through abuse (17%). Today’s episode looks at the way God has designed children to need a father, the damage caused by that absence, what a child needs from his/her father, and what we can do to help boys and girls in our midst who don’t have dads in their lives.Some of the material in this episode comes from Pete Alwinson’s book, Like Father Like Son: How Knowing God as Father Changes Men, which I highly recommend.

Many of our podcast listeners know Romans 8:28, God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose. By faith, we claim this verse during difficult times. But we miss tremendous power to cope well with the trials that God ordains for us if we stop reading Romans 8 at vs 28. It is vs 29 that tells us what god’s purpose for us is: For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son. God’s purpose is that we become Christ-like. This episode examines two verses from Romans 8 to find wisdom and strength for our mission, making four observations. It then suggests and illustrates three practical steps to take when facing trials.

Today’s podcast addresses our first, and highest calling—TO BUILD AND ENJOY A LOVE RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD, HIMSELF. Jesus told us the greatest commandment was, You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength (Mark 12:30). This podcast explains why fulfilling this part of our mission is absolutely foundational for our lives and how to grow to love God well. 

In America, this is Memorial Day Weekend when we celebrate those who have given their last, fullest measure of devotion to secure and protect our freedom. The honor we give to such countrymen and women for their devotion to their mission reminds me of some of Paul’s words as he neared the end of his mission. He wrote: As for me, I feel that the last drops of my life are being poured out for God. The glorious fight that God gave me I have fought. The course that I was set I have finished, and I have kept the faith. The future for me holds the crown of righteousness which God, the true judge, will give to those who have loved what they have seen of him (2 Tim 4:6-8 J.B. Phillips)Everyone listening to this podcast wants to be able to look back upon his life and say, The glorious fight that God gave me I have fought. I have not been AWOL (absent without leave). I have not been a deserter. I have not been so busy with civilian life that I forgot to report for duty. I went into battle and I fought the spiritual enemies of my loved ones and my Lord on the battlefield that was assigned to me. This episode looks at why Paul was able to say that about his own life.