Today is starting out fairly early for a Saturday: “Devotions around the Cross” with 150 or so United Methodist Men. Then it’s a quick breakfast before I share my 9:00 keynote in the main auditorium.

My topic this morning is “The fully engaged Christian Life.” What I’m talking about – essentially – is thinking about how being a disciple of Jesus is very different from simply seeing ourselves as members of a church.

Or, as I put it to my Men’s Room group Wednesday. There’s a huge distance between being in the “Jesus is just all right with me” crowd (cue the Doobie Bros music) and Christ’s admonition to “Take up (your) cross and follow me.”

“Do good, be rich in good works, be generous and ready to share. This is how you will store up the treasure of a good foundation for the future, so that you may take hold of the life that really is life” (1 Timothy 6).

But I’m encouraged. There is a good blend of guys here and some obvious enthusiasm. The men represent every age bracket and a variety of backgrounds. I just pray that – today – I connect with them in a meaningful way, and that they will be inspired in some way to go a little deeper with Jesus.

Just a few catalysts in each church, that’s all it would take to make a huge difference; Christian men who are excited about catching hold of the vision and simply living the life-charged life out loud.

Believing – DEREK