Brett
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wcironmen
Brothers in the Great Adventure
Mission
Building people in truth and love
Vision
We envision a day when every man in our church is growing towards maturity in Christ, engaged in an authentic Christ-centered relationship with one or more men from the church, serving God and building the Kingdom by being a spiritual leader in his family and a servant leader in this church, and reaching out to our community and the world to show the love of Christ.
Purpose
The purpose of Willow Creek Ironmen (wcironmen) is to help the men of our church become disciples – men who are called to walk with Christ, equipped to live like Christ, and sent to work for Christ. (1 Tim. 3:15-17). We will do this by helping men develop authentic relationships with Christian men that will help them:
1. Find the true meaning of the gospel through relevant teaching and shared experiences,
2. Become leaders in their households and in the church, and
3. Be living examples of the gospel in the marketplace, the community and the world.
Values (This area could use the most help!)
Spiritual Growth, Relationship, Servant Leadership, Service/Missions
Mark 12:30-31 (Great commandment) – We believe in helping men love God with all their heart, mind, soul and strength. We believe in the power of authentic relationships, that men need brothers to go with them through the journey.
1 Cor. 13 – We believe in confrontational grace. We will deal with conflict in a biblical manner. We believe that the gospel is bigger than our problems with each other. We will endeavor to be slow to anger, and quick to forgive.
2 Timothy 2:2 – We believe in leadership development. We will find faithful, available and teachable men to train up and support as they find God’s call for them in our church and in the Church.
Matthew 28:18-20 (Great Commission) – We believe in building disciples in our church, community and the world.
3 comments:
Relationship Building...wow is that hard or what? And I pretty much a people person...
"Men need brothers..."
I'm reading "No Man Left Behind"; the story of Pat's dad being burned out and pulling the family out of church is sad...its HUGE.
I agree that the church bears some responsibility. I'm trying to think of ways to not just keep men involved and accountable, but also related. Probably once we fall in love with Jesus (a key goal in discipleship), we'll allow ourselves to be someone's brother.
Men need friends and brothers. Friends to walk with you and brothers to challenge you. The thing is, ONLY a brother can challenge you. If someone who has not earned the right to do that gets in your face, it comes across as legalism or, at best, just plain obnoxious. That's why the concept of a 'process' is so important.
The book, Brothers, gives a great overview of this process.
As for wanting men to "fall in love with Jesus,"...It's funny, but language like that always gives me the heebie jeebies. I'm not sure a lot of men are comfortable with the concept of falling in love with Jesus (a man), but then they feel guilty about thinking it's weird. I want to love Jesus (with all my heart, soul, mind and strength), but I don't want to be "in love with" Jesus! :)
"heebie jeebies"???? ...well, all right. I can see that. No more falling in love with anybody whose not my wife!
My reference point was the story of Pat's dad being busy at the church and for the church, but never being truly discipled....then the burnout.
The discipleship process not only draws us (the discipled) closer to God, but also closer to other guys in the process with us. So maybe that is the way, discipleship, for us to be brothers.
btw...you are right on with "earning the right".
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