———————————————————————————
There is some stuff I just cannot comprehend. Try as I may to get it…it doesn’t make any logical or Scriptural sense. Here is a partial of things I do not understand.

1. Folks that show up to church only a few times a year but expect the pastor to drop everything to provide them with his undivided attention.
2. People that put nothing in the offering plate but still have the stones to expect that their opinions on the church should count.
3. Parents who ground their children from church or the youth group…the very things that could help them with their behavior, future and afterlife.
4. People that expect the pastor to tolerate their political views…but leave the church because of his.
5. The occasional volunteer that expects the church to throw a parade in their honor just because they finally did what the Bible commanded.
6. People that have basked in the grace of God…but fail to give grace to anyone else.
7. Pastors that leave one church for another…for better pay.
8. The need for church growth plans, programs, books, conference, seminars and resource kits…when we already have the Bible
9. Women that tolerate their husbands having multiple affairs…”for the sake of the kids”.
10. Pastors that would rather be political pundits or civil rights leaders…instead of just preaching the life-saving message of the Word of God.
11. People that have one spiritual standard for their pastor…and another for themselves.
12. Folks that think the word ‘disciple’ is a noun…and not a verb.
13. People that make comments about needing to go “deeper” in God’s Word…as if there is a Scripture in the Bible that isn’t deep.
14. Pastors that think accountability means never asking them the tough questions or taking the hard line when it comes to their failure to follow Scripture.
15. Men that think being the head of the household has something to do with the amount of money they are bringing in or the title they acquire at work.”
———————————————————————————

Again – I don’t necessarily sign off on all of these. But they made me evaluate some things. What about you?

What resonated with your spirit? What did you disagree with? Did this make you think?

This message hit on gender roles, but more than that, it really targeted the core issues that most men struggle with. Mark takes the truth of the Bible and expounds on what a real man should look like.

I’m really glad he wasn’t shy to preach on this – especially in his context and the size of his church. It isn’t a popular perspective. This is a huge issue in the world today, and we’ve really messed up God’s design for masculinity and marriage. Take a few minutes and check it out…

Watch the message here.

Hat tip: The Resurgence.

This weekend, our church hosted its first ever marriage retreat. We had an absolutely incredible time! We laughed a lot together, but it was more than just entertainment.

Dr. Chuck Hannaford was our speaker, and he delivered some powerful stuff! Many, if not all, of the couples that attended were greatly impacted by the teaching.

It is hard to summarize a weekend at the “fire hydrant”, but I want to share some quotes here that impacted my life and worldview as a husband. Some may seem obvious, but a reminder was definitely necessary. Others were like taking a slap to the side of the forehead. Here we go:
_______________________________________________________________

“Loving my spouse well shows my maturity in Christ.”

“God doesn’t hold me responsible for what others do to me. He holds me responsible for what I do with what they do to me.”

“What God intends to be confluence we turn into conflict.”

“God created marriage for my sanctification, not my satisfaction!”

“God created marriage for my holiness, not my happiness!”

“The Bible doesn’t teach us to fall in love but to walk in love.”

“We can only overcome that which we confront.”

“My relationship with my wife is more important than being right.”

“Husbands, submit yourselves to the needs of your wife and use all your resources to meet those needs – to the point of death.”

“I can’t be in fellowship with God if I’m not in fellowship with my wife. In order to effectively worship God, I must love my wife.”

“Marriage is NEVER about control – it is about influence! The most controlling people are usually controlled by fear.”

“Forgiveness is the canceling of debt, not the approval of sin.”

“When we have problems in our marriage, they are spiritual problems. You can’t solve spiritual problems with a carnal weapon.”

“We have two choices in life: we can base our self-worth on our experiences and what others have done to me OR we can base our self-worth on who Christ is and what He has done FOR me.”

“When I do marriage God’s way, I become more like Christ.”

_______________________________________________________________

Needless to say, this was a very introspective, spiritually awakening time. What quotes or concepts stand out to you? I’d love to know…

You can view Dr. Hannaford’s bio here.