Let us hold fast to the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who has promised is faithful. And let us consider how to provoke one another to love and good deeds… – Hebrews 10:23-24
Wednesday evening I was so happy to get together with my men’s covenant group at church. We had a good crowd for church supper, then all the various mid-week activities got under way, and a dozen guys drifted into the room where we gather.
We last met four days before Christmas, and that seems like a lifetime ago. There was so much to talk about that it was hard to settle on a place to start, and the sheer weight of what we couldn’t even begin to get to drove home to me why it is so critical that we meet faithfully when we can.
Obviously, small groups don’t take the place of deep friendships – but they do provide the space in which those relationships can take root, they teach us how to be honest and authentic, they strengthen the spiritual framework that supports our growth as men of faith, and they nurture the ongoing conversations about following Jesus that have become key to our identity as disciples.
Let’s hold on to the confession of our hope without wavering, because the one who made the promises is reliable. And let us consider each other carefully for the purpose of sparking love and good deeds. (Hebrews 10:23-24, CEB)
- sparking love and good deeds
- provoke one another
- motivate one another
- spur each other on
- stir one another up
- stimulate one other
- encourage one another
- inspire one another
We are men; we struggle constantly to live as followers of the Jesus Way; we need to learn from one another’s unvarnished experiences; we need the encouragement and the accountability of spiritual friendships; and most of us need the structure of a covenant group as the nexus of this kind of change.
I’ll go a step farther, and say that the church – your church, my church, The Church – needs its men to be not only grounded in good preaching and teaching, but also grounded in authentic spiritual community.
I’ll go a step farther, and say that the church – your church, my church, The Church – needs its men to be not only grounded in good preaching and teaching, but also grounded in authentic spiritual community.
Men who are sparked, provoked, motivated, spurred, stirred, stimulated, encouraged, and inspired.
You need this. Your husband needs this. Your church needs this. The world needs your church to equip men in this way. We have five such groups at WFPC, with around 60 men involved in weekly support and accountability – but there’s need for more.
Ask your pastor to hook you up with a covenant group in your faith community. If there’s nothing going on in your church, get some training and start something yourself. I’ve included images of four books that will help you on your way, and links to help you find them under my signature.
Peace, blessings, and the promise of a great 2017 – DEREK
- GET REAL: a spiritual journey for men
- 10 Life-Charged Words: real faith for men
- The Unmaking of a Part-Time Christian
- IN GOD’S IMAGE: what the New Testament teaches about being a man
- GET REAL – Leader’s Guide
