“The most critical need of the church at this moment is men, bold men, free men. The church must seek, in prayer and much humility, the coming again of men made of the stuff of which prophets and martyrs are made.” ~ A.W. Tozer
Have you noticed how anorexic we, the body of Christ, have become? The need for breakthrough in the church today begins with the men. We need courageous men of God to take their responsibility as Christian men more passionately.
Dennis Rainey, an American author, preacher, and founder of FamilyLife, says it perfectly: “One of the tragedies of our day is that too many boys are growing up without guidance of a father, or another man, to show them what it looks like to do away with that boyhood stuff. As a result, they often move into adolescence and then adulthood looking like men but still speaking, reasoning, and behaving like boys.”
Would the men of God please rise up? The body of Christ, needs you to step up.
Years ago, the Lord impressed on my heart that there is a fierce spiritual battle going on in the body of Christ (hence how The Red Sea Road Prayer Ministry was birthed). Satan is trying very hard to stop the next generation of Christians from being fruitful. We see it clearly in the actions of our young adults today. Many of them, although raised in Christian homes, are not attending church. Christian men are living with their girlfriends, thus invalidating the value for marriage. Others are choosing to live a worldly lifestyle, fulfilling their own earthly desires. The truth is our sons and daughters may call themselves “Christians,” but they are more self-centered than Christ centered.
As Christians, we don’t look much different than the world.
What is going on? In my opinion, the men in the body of Christ need to take their roles as spiritual leaders more vigorously. Our young boys are being raised without guidance or godly role models. They, therefore, do not have a clear understanding of what it means to give up their lives to follow Christ. They are spiritually stunted because they haven’t been mentored, or taught, what it means to be a man of God.
“The Church is looking for better methods; God is looking for better men.”
~ E.M. Bounds
Recently, I sensed the Lord whisper to me:
The need for breakthrough in the body of Christ is through the men. Christian men are falling away from their role as men of God. The enemy is no fool. He cuts off the head (the men), because without the head the body is impaired.
I’m not talking about the fatherlessness in the body of Christ, although that is definitely a concern too. The need for breakthrough in the body of Christ is for Christian men to begin walking in the fullness of their calling (Ephesians 4:1). I speak to the young adult Christian man that doesn’t know how to pursue God with all his body mind and soul. He’s never been taught what it means to “walk worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to Him, bearing fruit in every good work and growing in the knowledge of God” (Colossians 1:10). I’m calling out to those men that will say they are a Christian, but they aren’t willing to live Christ’s way-in sacrificial love for another, laying down his life for a brother.
Consequently, the body of Christ is suffering. Our daughters are seeking, hoping,and waiting for godly men to pursue them in a god honoring manner. Many have been waiting a long time for a strong man of God to cross their path. Some have lost hope, walking away from the faith. Our Christian men are still boys, not strong and courageous men after God’s heart. They need encouragement.
A commitment to being a bold and courageous man of God is the breakthrough the body of Christ yearns for.
The solution? Strong godly men in the body of Christ seeking out men who are younger and weaker in their faith. These men of God starting to mentor other Christian men. After all, Jesus mentored His disciples (Luke 9), Barnabas and Paul also mentored (Acts 9-15). Our pastors and elders mentor by leading by their good example (1 Peter 5:3). We were never meant to live the Christian life alone. We need each other to be iron sharpening iron and to build up the body of Christ.
Of course, the disciple has to want to be discipled. Yet I wonder what would happen if strong, godly, mature men were more relentless in their investment of the younger generation. They would need to be more intentional in reaching out to the younger men. They could call, text or even invite them for coffee or into their homes for fellowship. These men of God don’t need to wait to be “asked” to be mentored.
The men of our churches must deliberatelhy fill in the gap for our Christian young adult men. I know women need discipling too, but I feel it’s the men in the body of Christ that need it more. Ezekiel 22:30 says “I looked for someone who might rebuild the wall of righteousness that guards the land. I searched for someone to stand in the gap in the wall…”
Men of God-are you willing to stand in the gap and serve the body of Christ through the act of mentorship?
I pray the answer to this call of action is a resounding yes! Us women of God can do our part by fasting and praying for breakthrough in the body of Christ. Look around and take notice of how anorexic we are becoming. Let’s each do what we are called to to rebuild the church, for Christ and His kingdom, for generations to come.
My brothers in faith, I’m asking you to take an action step in the days ahead- either ask someone to mentor you, or offer yourself up to be a mentor. May the Lord give you compassion, determination and motivation. We need you to strengthen the body of Christ so that we can truly be the salt and light to this broken world.
“As iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens [and influences] another [through discussion].” ~ Proverbs 27:17
Thank you for the courageous call of men to lead our young men in the in the body of Christ. As a mother I cried and prayed for this often while my son was growing up. There was one man that spent some time mentoring my son during an especially hard time in middle school. I believe it was critical to get him through a rough patch but he really needed a Godly Father in the home to show him The Way. It is one of the deep regrets in my life that I didn’t marry well because I didn’t date well. This is a topic that needs to be addressed. I will be sharing this. Thank you!
What a powerful article Tweeny! You hit the mail on the head! Praying with you that the Lord will raise up courageous men of faith!
I continue to pray for my husband to know God.