Why is there such a big difference from one church to another? Why are we content to put forth one hour every Sunday morning and call it good for the week? Why have we allowed the 21st century to skew us so far from the ideals we are called to as Christians?
These are all questions we should be asking ourselves as we pursue the ideas of biblical manliness and fatherhood. Each could be solved if we came together and shifted one key mindset: we are called to view the world through the lens of scripture rather than viewing scripture through the lens of the world.
We, as western Christians, have allowed ourselves to interpret the Word as if it can be related to modern societal norms and customs, rather than taking these words at face value as they have been handed down to us.
We've become so separated from the way of living and from the ideas that Jesus handed down to his disciples that adopting them in any form seems almost radical. All we have to do to see the difference is observe the behavior of the disciples throughout Acts and Romans, even as they were being actively persecuted.
We are blessed enough to live in a country where we don't need to worry about our safety for being Christians, so why are we still scared to spread the good news and live like Jesus?
It's become so easy to spend months or even years "church shopping," jumping around and searching for a place that ticks all the right boxes. Somewhere with volunteers to watch the kids, coffee and breakfast served in the fellowship hall, comfortable pews, good music, and the list might go on.
But even if a church does check all the boxes, as soon as a pastor stands up and says something people might disagree with, his or her inbox fills up with complaints, and people leave to find a new church.
We put pastors in an impossible position when we view scripture through a worldly lens, forcing them to choose sides or walk the tight rope of pleasing everyone. We have forgotten that the only way we should be viewing scripture and its teachings is through the lens of literality.
It's become commonplace to spin what the Bible says about all the hard topics and try to interpret them in a way that won't offend anyone sitting in the congregation. Yet, even when a church does everything right, the majority of people leave those teachings inside the door, live out the rest of the week without a passing thought, and pick them up again when they return the next Sunday.
But the church shouldn't be defined by four walls and a ceiling. We are the Church, and those buildings should simply be a starting point; a place of teaching, fellowship, and encouragement where we can gather with like-minded believers before going out into the world to spread and live out the good news of Jesus.
With all of that said, one more thing needs to be made abundantly clear. The only reason I can put these musings on paper is that I am personally guilty of being a part of the problem.
I've sat back, reflected, and came to the conclusion that I need help. I need a band of brothers. So here is my challenge to all men reading this: let us band together to pursue the ideas of biblical manliness and fatherhood.
It's time to grab a shovel, dig into scripture, and let the Living Word of God pour into our hearts and souls. We can use The Word as our guide to living our lives, following the example set by the manliest man ever to walk planet Earth: Jesus Christ.
We can use this group as encouragement, accountability, learned wisdom, and a shared desire to better ourselves as husbands, fathers, and leaders in the home. We can truly begin to change the world one Dad at a time, starting within our own homes.
Let us change the narrative and teach the next generation to view our world through the lens of scripture rather than scripture through the lens of a broken world.