PRAISE AND WORSHIP

I know it may sound a little cliche, but I enjoy being in a room with a bunch of manly dudes who are singing at the top of their lungs in praise for Jesus. It’s in this environment that I see things like repentance happen. I see men praying with one another or men in tears while others encourage them.

It’s a beautiful moment because even if it’s only for a weekend, it’s in this short time men are taken out of their normal rhythms of life and are allowed to work through their sin, stress, anxiety, or simply breathe after an exhausting season.

The fruit is seeing men come to a place where they see Jesus as King and are in absolute worship of Him and Him alone.

CONNECTIVITY AND COMMUNICATION

It’s a fact that men tend to run in packs; from high school to college; the gym to beers over a great fire. It’s also been said that many men aren’t the greatest communicators, so I’ve heard.

At the retreat, these worlds are forced to collide. Not only are men running in packs, sharing laughter and a good time, but they come to a point where they begin to share their success, failure, and struggle and open up to one another in community and prayer.

Plainly, it is the redemption we have because of Jesus that brings men together allowing them to become better equipped, united, and prepared.

LEADERSHIP

When you mix a time where worshipping Jesus is at an all time high and vulnerability is actually beneficial in community, men take ownership of their sin and what God has called them to do.

We see many go from bros to men. Personally, I’ve seen my guys go from boys in college to men working towards their degree to provide for their future family. It’s a different ball game.

THE CALL

The Sunday after our Men’s Retreat ended, we received tragic news about our little brother, Dylan Adams (8) who was involved in a serious accident causing severe head trauma. On Friday, October 30th, Dylan passed away. In that week’s span, I saw the same men who were praising Jesus and connecting with one another unite the church and lead them in prayer, support, and care for Dylan’s family.

For many, retreats can be an emotional high and I’m sure that some may have felt this way, but for others, I saw the call to step up as men as a reality.

This was one of our best Men’s Retreat and I am proud of our boys for leading many of our people during this trying season. My encouragement to you men is to keep going. It’ll be hard, but your job is to keep moving.

“Rest time is not waste time. It is economy to gather fresh strength… It is wisdom to take occasional furlough. In the long run, we shall do more by sometimes doing less.”