The Leader Letter

The Great Adventure

Written by Nate Flynn | Sep 25, 2024 2:16:54 AM

Dear Leader,

President and CEO of Man in the Mirror, Brett Clemmer, often signs off on his emails "With you in the Great Adventure." The No Man Left Behind book speaks of this great adventure. It makes the claim that joining Christ in transforming the world is the adventure men's hearts have always longed for. The problem is most men have never heard this truth in language they can relate to. 

Too often men go to church without any real sense of purpose. They go through the motions, participating in activities because they are supposed to, or because someone asks them to, but they don't really know why they are involved.

It is possible that we have even cheated men by obscuring this incredible adventure behind programs and activities. We bury it beneath boring program announcements and fail to challenge men to a higher calling.

Jesus does not call us to an ordinary, easy, or comfortable life. He calls us into a vibrant life of mission that is far beyond a life lived for self. This is the start of the greatest adventure.

In Christ,   

Nate Flynn

Area Director

 

 

CAST THE VISION  

Convincing men to get involved can sometimes feel like a constant sales pitch. Instead of begging them to show up, why don't we challenge them to engage in the mission?

A compelling vision can communicate to men in language that resonates with their hearts for adventure. 

Show men where you want to take them and challenge them to take their next step on that journey.

Challenging every man to have a living, growing, vibrant relationship with Jesus Christ.
INTRODUCTION TO NO MAN LEFT BEHIND
Click to discover how this model, method, and mindset can transform ministry to men in YOUR church!

 

 YOUR ACTION STEP:

Re-Dream the Kingdom Dream

 

"Following Jesus is the adventure our hearts long for."

That is the premise, and as leaders, we likely all believe this in theory. But what happens when we don't feel it in practice?

Think about the greatest adventure you have ever experienced in your life. Does it involve your journey of following Jesus? If not, why is that?

Does it seem like your adventures are part of the dim and distant past, and life now is mundane, overwhelming, or disappointing?

The reality is, we all sometimes feel as though life is less like an adventure and more like drudgery.

There are a few reasons why we might find ourselves in a state of unremarkability.

    • Lack of Purpose - If we lose sight of the greater mission and the reason God created us, ordinary tasks are just that. But when we understand everything we do is an opportunity to glorify God and further his kingdom, we can have a renewed sense of purpose. If we are struggling with a lack of purpose, we must REFLECT HONESTLY about our lives and our surrender to God's call.
    • Isolation - This journey was not meant to be done alone. Men are particularly good about withdrawing from others, but we need each other if we're going to thrive in this life. Think of David and Jonathan in the Bible, the famous explorers Lewis and Clark, or Sam and Frodo in The Lord of the Rings. Without community, accountability, and companionship, we often lose sight of our purpose, struggle to overcome challenges, and fall into complacency. True growth and fulfillment come from journeying with others as we PURSUE GOD WHOLEHEARTEDLY.
    • Comfort - In Mark Batterson's book "All In," he discusses people he calls "rim huggers" - those who visit the Grand Canyon but merely observe from the top. They may have the same view as those who journey into the canyon, but they miss out on the transformative experience and adventure that comes from fully engaging. Many of us live our spiritual lives like this - choosing comfort and safety over the adventure of truly following Jesus. Real faith requires going beyond our comfort zones to experience the VIBRANT LIFE that God has prepared for us.

If you feel as though you have settled into a life of comfort, you have allowed yourself to slip into isolation, or you are lacking purpose, maybe it is time to re-dream the kingdom dream. Ask God to awaken a sense of adventure in your heart and renew the call he has placed on you.

May he deepen our relationships with one another and in Christ, so that we can truly say we are "With you in the great adventure."

 
 
 

GO DEEPER WITH THIS POST FROM THE MAN IN THE MIRROR BLOG

Vision: A Compelling Reason for Men to Get Involved

Every conveyor belt has a motor that provides power to keep it moving. The power for your discipleship ministry with men is the Vision – Create – Capture – Sustain engine. We’ll deal with these concepts in the next several posts. We begin with helping you instill a sense of mission and vision in the...

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