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TechnoratiThe men whom God uses work together. That’s why it has been so important at Saddleback for us to band men together in small groups. The men of our churches can do more together. Snowflakes are pretty fragile, but if enough of them stick together they can stop traffic. That’s true with us. By myself I can’t do a lot. By yourself you can’t do a lot. But together we can make an impact.
4. Commitment: God is also looking for men who put the cause of Christ before comfort. Honestly, most men do just the opposite. They’ll say, “I’ll live for the Lord when it’s convenient. I’ll go to church as long as there’s not a good game on today.”
But James says, “In the same way, faith by itself – that does nothing – is dead” (James 2:7 NCV). God wants men who are committed to doing his work in the world – not just living for themselves.
5. Courage: God is looking for men who put courage in service before security. He wants men who take risks for God’s kingdom. In Philippians 2:29-30 (HCSB) Paul says, “Therefore, welcome him in the Lord with all joy and hold men like him in honor, because he came close to death for the work of Christ, risking his life to make up what was lacking in your ministry to me.”
Scripture says we’re to honor men like that, those who put service before security. The word in this passage for “risk” is literally a gambling term. It means “hazarding.” It’s the same word used in a crapshoot, staking everything on the roll of the dice. Paul says that’s what this guy did for Christ.
We need to develop that kind of commitment in the men of our churches. God wants men with enough of a commitment to risk their time, their reputation, and their finances. Jesus says in Mark 8:35, “Only those who give their lives away for my sake and the sake of the good news will ever know what it means to really live.” We have many bored, frustrated, unfulfilled men in our churches. Why? They’ve lost the spirit of adventure. They have nothing significant to live for. Pastor, Jesus wants to offer those men something to live for – him. Life is more than just career and recreation. God never meant for us to use all our time and energy just on that.
I’ve long said that men are the greatest sleeping giant in the church. If you can waken that giant in your congregation and build compassion, consistency, cooperation, commitment, and courage, your community will never be the same.
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Rick Warren is the founding pastor of Saddleback Church in Lake Forest, Calif., one of America's largest and best-known churches. In addition, Rick is author of the New York Times bestseller The Purpose-Driven Life and The Purpose-Driven Church, which was named one of the 100 Christian books that changed the 20th Century. He is also founder of Pastors.com, a global Internet community for ministers. Copyright 2005 Pastors.com, Inc. Used with permission. All rights reserved.
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