My Tuesdays are pretty long these days, but for really good reasons. I wake up at 4am to get ready for a Men’s…hmm I’m not sure if I should call it a class, conference, or gathering, I will go with class. So this Men’s class goes by several names, The Quest, Men’s Fraternity, Search for Authentic Manhood; the last is a good description of what the class purpose is. Lead by Pastor Robert Lewis, of Fellowship Bible Church, AR, each week the 40 of us guys at Westport Church gather at 6am and watch the DVD of Lewis’ class. The topics covered so far have been things like, “The Manhood Journey”, “Remembering Dad” and so far 2 of the 5 wounds men need to deal with to become real men. And when I say real men, I am talking about, a masculine identity that God has ordained us to have, one that balances manhood’s four faces, “King”, “Warrior”, “Lover”, and “Friend”. Want to find out more, well come join us at Westport Church, or go to the Men’s Fraternity website and get your church to start it. Continue Reading…

Ask most people off the street this question, and I am sure you would hear a nearly infinite number of responses. I’m guessing most Christians would respond similarly with the occasional “Jesus” or “Helping others”.

I asked myself this question, and its something that is tough for me to answer right away. I think a lot of the delay has to do with me taking inventory of all the things or experiences (pronounced “stuff”) I have had in my life. However I then subsequently realize that, calling myself a christian, I should probably not be espousing that material items and moments in time, are what is best in my life. In my hypocrisy I don’t want to appear to others (and myself) to be as fallen and “of the world” as I am. So I resort to a Sunday School answer akin to “That Jesus died for my sins so that I can go to heaven”. Oh wow, do you feel the gravity of that statement; its about as weighty as a piece of Styrofoam. I certainly don’t doubt the validity of that stock answer, because in of itself it is truly an amazing thing, but the position of my heart, that of feeling cornered rather than one of jubilance, is what takes the wind out of the sails. Continue Reading…