 | HONORBOUND MEN'S MINISTRY |
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| THOUGHTS FROM GLENN SINGER, (Men's Ministry Director) |
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The Friendless American Male. Sound familiar? It’s the title of a book written some years ago. But maybe you’re thinking it should have been used as the sub - title of your life. I think each of us feels a bit alone some days. There are times when we want to be alone, times when we need to be alone, and some times when we need to be alone with God. But to be alone as a general condition of life? That can’t be good!
None of us needs to read the results of another study pointing to something we’re doing to shorten our lives or rob our health, but it seems that a good many indicators point to the health and longevity benefits of lasting and meaningful friendships. For some men the idea of a close friend means owning a dog, but that’s not quite the friendship I’m talking about. Can I pry a little? Are there a few men in your life whom you can honestly say are good friends?
Here’s how you can tell. Good friends are eager to spend some time with each other when neither needs anything of the other. Good friends are also willing, and even eager to give up some of their time for each other, some of their treasure for each other, and none of their judgment for each other. A good friend, as that well worn phrase goes, is someone who: Knows where you’ve been, Understands who you are, Accepts you as you are, and who won’t give up on you till you become who God intends for you to be. Most of us honestly WANT someone who knows us as we are and still wants to spend time with us and who has our back in a time of need. Most of us want that, and yet only a few have that. And very few go out of their way to offer that. Friendship is learned. Really. It isn’t instinctive. It isn’t picked up by accident. It’s carefully practiced and improved upon as we acquire wisdom and life experience. Many men have never experienced true friendship from another, or offered that gift to another. Yet something so priceless should be worth some extra effort to achieve. Don’t you agree?
This friendship concept is at the heart of real Men’s Ministry. Because Friendship is at the heart of being an authentic Christ-Follower. It begins with an offer of friendship given us by Jesus himself. “I know who you are, I know where you’ve been, I know what you think and feel, I’d love to help you with that and share life with you along the way.” That’s the offer of friendship extended by Jesus to men. All men. And we as men at Morning Star extend an offer as well. We don’t yet know where you’ve been, but it doesn’t matter. We’ve all been somewhere already. We don’t know exactly what you’re thinking or feeling, but we’ve all been somewhere, so we have a pretty good idea. We won’t be alone another day, and we extend that offer of not needing to be alone to you as well. When you’re tired of being along, going it alone, and finding very little satisfaction in the lonesome journey why not join us. You’ll be in good company. You’ll be in the company of real men. Men who have been places and done stuff. Men who don’t have spotless pasts (none of us does) and who won’t have spotless futures (none of us can) but men who are on the road with Jesus and with each other, and finding that a lot better way to live and travel than trying to go it alone.
Our men’s ministry offers stuff to do, and ways to fellowship, and opportunities to learn. All that “stuff” is important. But most of all, we offer friendship, acceptance, and the chance to help each other leave the past behind, and move toward the future God has for each of us. Your welcome to join us any time.
Glenn Singer
Morning Star Fellowship Men’s Ministry Coordinator
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