ManChurch Columbus Kickoff Postponed

After a great deal of prayer and consultation, we have decided to postpone the kick-off of the ManChurch event that was scheduled for March 1, 2007.

Although we [our team] have made great strides in preparing for the men of Columbus, I do not believe we are truly ready for what I believe is the next great move of God among the seekers, the hurting, or the disenfranchised in our area. Our role has and will continue to be a mentor or spiritual guide to those who may have given up church, so that means we must be “healed to heal” (in the words of my pastor). Personally, I have overcome many obstacles and mental weights that over time have conditioned me, primed, and prepared me in many ways, but also in many ways I too am unprepared. That is why we as a team must be willing to submit and commit ourselves not only to this event, but to each other in a whole new way.

What I am finding out in my old age is that the words of Paul hand written an eon ago are still true:

“1If I speak in the tongues[a] of men and of angels, but have not love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. 2If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. 3If I give all I possess to the poor and surrender my body to the flames, [b] but have not love, I gain nothing” (I Corinthians 13).

We limit this chapter to speak only to the romantic or marriage relationship, but I believe it is meant to resound with us on a much deeper level. In essence Paul is saying to us that we can have all the talents, gifts, or even a faith that can move mountains, but all is lost without the power of love. Love is the endorphin that stirs our very DNA to move us into acts of compassion for others. Love is not a feeling; it is a spirit that produces power for effectiveness in ministry and in life. Love is not just an agenda—it is THE agenda! The tenet remains true, it is more blessed to give than to receive. Because of past hurts and disappointments, I have waited to receive love, too unsure about the reaction or even the agenda of others. I have been lost pursuing an agenda that has left me lost, calloused, and scared. Because of the intervention of my wife and my brothers, I have been loved, renewed, and wanting to love again!

So my question to you becomes, ‘do you have love enough to touch the untouchable, to seek out the undesirables, and to champion the cause of Christ, or is ManChurch or any other ministry activity something to do as we chase our own selfish agendas?’ I need to know your answer—and I must be able to answer that question for myself—if we are going to move forward and present a ministry alternative to the City of Columbus.

As our mission states in Luke 22:31-32: “…Satan has asked to sift you[a] as wheat. 32But I have prayed for you, … that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned back, strengthen your brothers." Just as you have prayed for me, I continue to pray for you that once your footing is secure, you can strengthen your brothers!

Think about it...and give me your comments.

The Purpose of ManChurch Columbus

From the very beginning, FreeSpirit Ministries has attempted to address the intrinsic needs of men. We declared "Men Need Ministry!" very loudly and very proudly, but the foundation of our perspective is the thought that men can change, grow, and seek out their God and His purposes by way of the Spirit. This Spiritual transformation and development is purposed for every man, regardless our preceptions of him.

Normal church fellowships have never been enough to ignite men, to fill and sustain them. Sunday morning worship services are often seen as a waste of time because all too often the only sermon geared toward men is the one on Father's Day. If we are weakened by the lack of a good spiritual meal, then who will support our children, our teen aged men, or our young men in the fear and admonition of the Lord? How can hurt men find healing, support, and a catalyst for change through outmoded paradigms of religious Christianity?

ManChurch (Church for Men) is a partial response to the obvious need of men for Spiritual mentorship. For one day a month, men can come together with other men and embark on a great worship adventure! It is this place that 'iron can sharpen iron' and men can be set free from personal bondages and spiritual oppression. So ManChurch is purposed to:

  1. Be an additional support to men irregardless of their church affiliation, cultural perspective, or economic status.
  2. Provide a service in support of the community in which we live by partnering with other churches and ministries, sponsoring community-based programs and various volunteer opportunities.
  3. Assist men to re-prioritize their relationship with God by way of their partnership and accountability to other men.
  4. Provide relevant example and sound biblical instruction as God's desired course of action in building Godly Men.
  5. Provide a worship adventure where men can freely share, be nurtured and grow.

ManChurch is not for the weak or squeemish. ManChurch is for men who don't go to church, for those who are dissatisfied with church, or those who need a safe-haven to try something new. So, if you are looking for fun, for substance, or for change, we invite you to attend the next ManChurch gathering!

Can You Do It?

From Our Brother Mike Ellis (Church for Men, Daytona Beach, FLA):

"Get what you can. Can what you get. Bury what you can."

My buddy, Pastor Ray Kelley from the Daytona Outreach Center spoke these words today during his morning message. Pastor Ray told us that the "can principle" is how the world teaches us to live everyday. Me first. Give me some. I want this. I want that. Me, me, me and me. We grab what we can. Stick it in a can and then keep it where no one else can find it or get it. We're like dogs burying bones. We call ourselves "Christians" who love God but we don't give love, show love or share love with our brothers and sisters in Christ. We shout "Praise God" but we don't love people who don't look like us. We put our hands in the air while we sing worship songs in church but we won't use those arms to hug a dirty, stinky homeless person. We join hands in church but we don't reach out to the single mother across the street from the church.

If anyone boasts, "I love God," and goes right on hating his brother or sister, thinking nothing of it, he is a liar. If he won't love the person he can see, how can he love the God he can't see? The command we have from Christ is blunt: Loving God includes loving people. You've got to love both.---1 John 4:19-21 (The Message)

We all, including myself, need to stop storing love in a "can" and keeping it to ourselves. We need to stop judging others when we say, "There is no way he can ever change!" If we love God then we should love people who don't look like us, act like us and smell like us. We all "can" do it but only with God's help. Jesus was blunt: "No chance at all if you think you can pull it off by yourself. Every chance in the world if you let God do it." ---Mark 10:27 (The Message)