Men’s Ministry

Men's December Prayer Breakfast

Join us for our monthly men's gathering for a time of solid Bible teaching, prayer, connecting with other guys, and chowing down a hearty breakfast, on Saturday, December 13 from 8:00 to 9:30 AM at Grace Chapel.

Saturday, December 13 @ 8:00 a.m.

Becoming Like The Tribe of Issachar

I have always been fascinated with various American Indian traditions and ceremonies, partly, because I grew up in Tucson, Arizona. Tucson is a community rich in Native American tradition and culture. When I was 12 years old I was initiated into a Boy Scout fellowship or “tribe” that was known as The Arrowmen.

I’ll never forget sitting around a campfire that night in the Santa Catalina Mountains of Southern Arizona when various “tribesman” (older college-age guys who were clothed in traditional American Indian dress) suddenly burst unannounced into our camp.

As they entered from the perimeter of the darkened forest shrouded in silence, they began to circle many of us younger teens who were sitting around the fire. As adrenaline was pulsing through me, I was unsure of what was to happen. Within seconds, I was “tapped out,” which was the initiation process into the tribe.

Even though we had been pre-warned of The Arrowmen’s possible nighttime visit, it was still quite unnerving to have stronger men grab you, stand you up, blind fold you, and tell you to follow them out into the dark recesses of the forest.

About 30 minutes later, we arrived at our destination in the black of night and in the middle of what seemed to be nowhere. The tribal leader then told us to take off our blindfolds. We were then told to spend the night alone in the middle of the forest with no flashlight and to sleep on the ground. In the morning, when the sun arose in the eastern sky, you could then use only a compass to navigate your way back to the main camp through the barrage of trees, rocks, and valleys. If you could arrive at the camp by the pre-assigned hour, then you were considered an Arrowman, and could join the tribesmen.

This story reminds me of another tribe in the Bible: the men of Isacchar. I Chronicles 12:32 (NLT) says, “From the tribe of Issachar, there were 200 leaders of the tribe with their relatives. All these men understood the signs of the times and they knew the best course for Israel to take.”

I have always admired this tribe of guys. They were a small band of brothers, yet the Bible says “all” of them were a united, smart, discerning, and focused group of leaders.

I’m sure they were physically strong, but their unique strength was in their ability to understand the times they lived in and they knew what to do and how they should live. This “tribe of men” understood their culture. They were not paralyzed by it. They were special guys. They knew how to order their lives and households. This knack for “understanding” and for possessing “knowledge” was a valuable asset. It set them apart from the other tribes of their day.

I believe God wants to do something similar in spirit with the men of Grace Chapel. Great local churches are always built upon godly men. The influence that God has given men in the lives of their spouses, children, and community is staggering. That’s why I truly believe in the old axiom: "As the men go, so goes the church."

Men have been charged with significant responsibility in the provision, protection, and care of their families, church, and community. As men, we need to seek God as a tribe of brothers, in such a way that we understand the times and know how we should live, too. We need to surround ourselves in a “wisdom community” and share with each other the things we are learning.

That’s one of the things I believe God is going to do here at Grace Chapel. He wants us guys to connect in honest relationships with each other and with God. As we do, we will create together a “tribal” culture, under the leadership of the Holy Spirit that will share wisdom, strength, encouragement, compassion, and strategy about the times we live in and how we should live as Christ followers.

I am deeply committed to serving the men at Grace in their manly, husbandly, fatherly, and brotherly responsibilities and challenges. God has called us to live a life bigger than ourselves. We have a heroic assignment and others are counting on us. I believe that we are to become an unstoppable force for God and for good in our community. It is a great vision, but we serve a great God.

Shakespeare said, “Be not afraid of greatness: some are born great, some achieve greatness, and some have greatness thrust upon them.” I believe this is our hour. This is our time. We are called to be men like those of the tribe of Issachar.

We live in a time where God has thrust greatness upon each of us. We have one life to live. One of the hallmark qualities of true manhood is that men of God are not passive. Rather, they are fully engaged in their pursuit of God.

God is building a unique tribe of men at Grace Chapel. I encourage each man to have the courage and the commitment to “walk out of the forest” and into the company and camp of a band of brothers. Our “tribe” is called to be and do great things for the sake of others and in the name of our hero, Jesus Christ.