Men’s meeting Jan 2023

Why are we here?

I’ve been asked leading up to this meeting a few times, “What’s this about?”

I’ve left most except for our leadership team hanging with they have asked this.

I’ve asked for you to be here tonight so that I can do three things. I need to first apologize. Second, I need to tell you how I believe God is leading us. Third, Im going to ask you to step up.

My apologies

have you ever been in a position where you know you are supposed to be but don’t feel like your the one qualified to do it? Ok, that’s a day in my life.

over the last 4.5 years as a new pastor, a pastor through COVID, and as a pastor who wanted to lift others up into leadership, I have neglected to faitfhully and consistently invest into the men of our church.

I’m sorry. That is an area of growth for me that I intend to work on this year. How I’m going to do that.

I’m going to seek to communicate with you directly at least on a monthyl basis through social media, email, and potentialyl text if we can get that sat up.

I’m planning to connect with each of you this year outside of these walls. Many of you don’t know me all that well. I’m gonna be honest, as a husband of a wife that works full time, father of three kids who all enjoy sports, pastor of the church, I can find myself quite busy sometimes.

I looked back at the last 4 pastors of the church and while I’m not too sure about the first one, I know the 2nd and 3rd didn’t ahve kids in the home when they started here, and the previous pastor had 1 or 2 that were older. All of those men were above the age of 40 something when they started as well. There was wisdom, life experience, and a greater amount of time on their hands throughout the week.

I don’t apologize for making my family the priority and neither should you. However, I bring this up to hopefully help give some understanding to some who are used to a more seasoned pastor and all that actually comes with that.

I had one man say to me this past year, Pastor I don’t do social media much but I got on the other day and I found you. I didn’t realize you do all that you do. I’m not braggin, Honestly in the fall of 2023 I was overdoing it. Now, I do have a full plate but it’s not spilling over.

And it varies by season. When sports are going on, as a family man, I’m busier than when they aren’t.

Over the last 4.5 years there is something I’ve learned that I thought I knew but God taught me in various ways that has really led to this moment here tonight. I cannot accomplish what He has called this body of believers to do alone.

I knew that, but I haven’t lead like that. I thought I was…but I wasn’t.

I believe God made me with the drive I have and ambition. Both can be negative when not used in the proper context. However, both can be wonderful for the advancement of the kingdom.

And thats my heart. To see the kingdom of God advanced here in New England. As long as I’m the pastor of this church that will be our goal. That will be oru main thing. That will be the identity we seek to live from. It’s pretty broad though. Right? We can say we are going to advance the kingdom but what does it look like?

<Pass out sheet>

How God is leading us

As you this sheet of paper is being passed around to you, I’d like to ask you to open a bible or your bible app and go to 1 Samuel 13:14 “14 But now thy kingdom shall not continue: the Lord hath sought him a man after his own heart, and the Lord hath commanded him to be captain over his people, because thou hast not kept that which the Lord commanded thee.”

here is Saul taking upon himself responsibilities that weren’t his. He offered a sacrifice to the Lord should have been done by the priest. Instead of recognizing his own finiteness and inability to fulfill every role and capacity, he did it himself.

I’m afraid I’ve been like Saul. But of course, we know the man who holds the claim to being called a man after God’s own heart.

Acts 13:22–23 “22 And when he had removed him, he raised up unto them David to be their king; to whom also he gave testimony, and said, I have found David the son of Jesse, a man after mine own heart, which shall fulfil all my will. 23 Of this man’s seed hath God according to his promise raised unto Israel a Saviour, Jesus:”

Being struck with this realization in the last year I’ve had to reconcile in my own heart the question, am I that man? Am I a man after God’s heart?

I want to be. how could I be? How did David puruse God’s hjeart and literally excpand His kingdom?

He didn’t do it alone.

2 Samuel 23:8 “8 These be the names of the mighty men whom David had: The Tachmonite that sat in the seat, chief among the captains; the same was Adino the Eznite: he lift up his spear against eight hundred, whom he slew at one time.”

This passage is speaking of the men that hlped David during his life. He didn’t do it alone.

Jesus had his 12 disciples, he sat the example. He even told them to go do the same and not do it alone.

He didn’t move when God wasn’t leading

Have you ever tried to discern if God was leading you to do something? I tell people all the time, can you do it by faith? Does it line up with scripture? Will you give God glory for it? OK, do it

1 Samuel 24:5–6 “5 And it came to pass afterward, that David’s heart smote him, because he had cut off Saul’s skirt. 6 And he said unto his men, The Lord forbid that I should do this thing unto my master, the Lord’s anointed, to stretch forth mine hand against him, seeing he is the anointed of the Lord.”

I’ve gotten it wrong before. David got it wrong here. And then he made it right. I can’t promise you I wont’ get it wrong again. I can promise you I’m seeking, I’m praying, and I’m desiring counsel and accountability from men that don’t seek the destruction of the ministyr God is doing here but are desirous to see God praised, to see God move, and to be apart of what God is doing in the hearts and lives of others.

He was a man of prayer and praise

While Daniel is often given the title “a man of prayer” becuase it was his prayer life that lead him to a lions den. David wrote many of the psalms where we find prayers and praise to the Lord.

You don’t write things like that and not have a private prayer and praise life.

He was a man of war

1 Samuel 16:18 “18 Then answered one of the servants, and said, Behold, I have seen a son of Jesse the Beth-lehemite, that is cunning in playing, and a mighty valiant man, and a man of war, and prudent in matters, and a comely person, and the Lord is with him.”

He was a man of war that wasn’t afraid of getting in the fight. He wasn’t afraid of being involved. He made time for the battles God had called him to be apart of.

He loved his family

2 Samuel 12:16–17 “16 David therefore besought God for the child; and David fasted, and went in, and lay all night upon the earth. 17 And the elders of his house arose, and went to him, to raise him up from the earth: but he would not, neither did he eat bread with them.”

He made mistakes but his love for his children is shown in how he went to God for them.

I believe this is the type of man god was looking for. I believe it is the type of man that god is looking for today.

I’m seeking to be that man. I’m challenging you to be.

Will you be a man After God with me?

look at that sheet

We want to share the love of Jesus with 6000 people per year. I can’t do that alone

I cna’t lovingly lead the people in our church to do that alone.

God is looking for men after HIs heart to step up into service for Him. Men to step out of their comfort zones and be apart of what God is doing in and through LBC. Not just by sitting by and watching. Not men who are waiting to be asked so they feel important. Men who will be apart of His work.

I’m not perfect, but I want ot be that man.

I’m asking you to be that man with me.

Stepping up

This leads me to the last portion of the night. Me directly asking you to step up.

When I arrived here 4.5 years ago I was told it was a social club. I was told there wasn’t many efforts for evangelism except for a Christmas play. In 2017 there was a google review of the church being clicky and when I asked people about it, they told me it was true.

It was then I made it my mission to ensure we were not a clique type church, were were evangelistic, and we did not exist just for fellowship.

Did I go to the other side of the ditch? maybe. I won’t apologize for it though. Becuase I belive the greatest bonds are created not when you are around the table but when you are in the fight. When you are scrubbing toilets, when you are serving coffee to the community, when you are working on the property, when you are at the mum fest under the tent in the rain suffering for Jesus together.

Did you know that the majority of the work done around here is done by women?

Did you know when we have a mens breakfast there is rarely a big turn out?

Did you know on a work day we don’t have too many show up?

I don’t put the blame on you for that. I’m bear that blame. I didn’t communicate it early enough, I didn’t communicate it clear enough. I’m sure that happened.

However, can I ask you. Has there been a time when you’ve heard these things announced in church and isntead of making the note in your calendar or ensuring it’s going to be the priority for that day, you chose to not attend?

I’m not gonna ask for you to confess to me why. I’m sure you had a good reason. There is always a good reason not to do something.

I’m curious as to what type of reason I can give you, to make the work God has for us a good reason to miss something else.

I’m afraid excuses are rationalized in our minds.

I’m not needed, they’ll have enough help.

I’m not good enough I can’t do it. Well, Abraham was a sinner, Moses had a speech impediment, Elinah was tired and exhausted and asked God to kill him. I’m sure you have been in some of those situaitons. In each of those God used those men.

Not becuase they were great…becuase they were willing

They were willing to be inconvenieced, they were willing to be faithful when it was uncomfortable, they were will to be challenged and held accountable.

Men, I’ve been told I don’t think like other people and I’m ok with that. However, it causes me problems when I look at other people and the decisions they make and they cause a cognitive dissonance in my brain and heart. I don’t understand how men say they are followers of Jesus but don’t make time for the things of God in their life.

Idon’t understand how you can say your a follower of Jesus but don’t go to a life group, serve ina ministry, respond to a need. I’m not perfect, I’m sure there are times some of these thigns were true in my life, but when God got my heart and radically transformed me, I know I had a desire for his word, I had a desire to serve His people, I wanted my life to refelct who He is to me.

Jesus dies for the people in this ministry, but we don’t like to give up time because of this that or the other.

Men, I have no desire to not just pastor but to be apart of a ministry that doesn’t desire to pursue Jesus passionately by loving and serving others. I don’t want to be a part of a church that is just going through the motions trying to make it to the next week.

I beleive I am guilty of allowing some o that to creep in here from time to time. Consider this my public acknowledgement that the culture of the church is one I’m responsible for and will bee seeking to lead in a direction that makes an impact for Jesus for eternity. It’s also my public admittance that I can’t do it alone.

The culture of the church is a reflection of the culture of the homes and families represented in the church.

Have we become apathetic to the things of God? Have we become so consumed with what we have going on in life we have forgotten about what God wants to do with our life?

Do you believe there is a God? Do you believe He has a purpose in your life? Do you believe He can still work in the hearts of people? Do you believe you should be apart of that work?

Good.

There are some sign up sheets here. Before you leave tonight, if you are a man that believes he needs to take a step toward Christ through the local church, put your name on it. Serve on a team. We are working at getting the security team up and running. We are working at getting the usher team up and running. We need help. Craig adn I can’t lead them all. If you are interested in leading one of these teams, put a check or an X where the leader box is.

Want to help with maintenance? put it on here.

Ready to be apart of a lfie group and set the example to make time for the things of god on a Wednesday night to your wife and children, there are three sign up sheets for that. Mens, Marriage, and Apologetics.

Men, our God deserves our best. Are you like I have been from time to time and realized i”m not giving Jesus my best? This decide tonight to go after God wtih allyou’ve got. remove the excuses from your life and let’s move forward for Jesus together.