I have long been desiring to do a series on manhood. The church at large is mostly silent on the topic while culture is more than a little confused. The need is high yet I have resisted or shrunk back from actually doing one for several reasons.
- I don’t feel like the most manly of men. I don’t know what a carburetor is, I don’t have bulging biceps nor do I lift weights, I don’t own any power tools, nor would I know how to use them if I did. So when it comes to speaking to men about manly things, I haven’t felt qualified.
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I was concerned about such a narrow audience. I mean if you are going to talk about all things man, you have cut out half, if not more, of your audience.
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Most men already feel like they are not cutting it. The last thing they need is the church coming down on them for all of their shortcomings and failures. Honestly I thought if men knew there was a series targeting men, they would find an excuse to not show up.
Early in the year it became clear that I couldn’t put it off any longer. The ideal time presented itself in June and I got to work on developing a series that would be encouraging to men and position them with some handles on becoming the man God created them to be. I read several books (listed below) and studied scripture. The content that I wanted to share quickly outmatched the amount of time we had earmarked for the series. Ideas, lessons, and teachings were everywhere. I started to regret that we only had three weeks for the series. I wished we would have done a series like this long ago. Now that the series is over I find myself looking forward to revisiting Grill Marks in the future and building on what we have already learned.
WEEK 1 SUMMARY
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There is a calling to be a man
“I am going where everyone on earth must someday go. Take courage and be a man.” – 1 Kings 2:2-3 (NLT)
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There is a reality for men
“Surely I am too stupid to be a man. I have not the understanding of a man. I have not learned wisdom, nor have I knowledge of the Holy One.” – Proverbs 30:2-3
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There is a way to be a man
“Be watchful, stand firm in the faith, act like men, be strong. Let all that you do be done in love.” – 1 Corinthians 16:13-14