[If you haven't read parts I and II yet, I strongly encourage you to read those first.]This part is just as important as the man, and the message. It is the mission. If you were to take a soldier, tell him we're at war, and ask him to do the best that he can without giving him a mission, you've set him up for failure. Most men do not have a clearly defined mission, so their passion for battle, adventure, and beauty get misplaced. Next thing you know, he gets taken out.
Here's the mission of Rally Point. The objective is simple. Restore men to their proper place in the world as image bearers of God. It was Jesus' mission and has now become ours. Luke records it in an important story from his gospel.
"God's Spirit is on me;
he's chosen me to preach the Message of good news to
the poor,
Sent me to announce pardon to prisoners and
recovery of sight to the blind,
To set the burdened and battered free,
to announce, 'This is God's year to act!'" (Luke 4:18-19 The Message)
The words come from a pivotal passage in Isaiah 61. They were words that when he read them before the local synagogue they would be easily recognized. Then, he says to the people, guess what? This has just come true! All of Christ's work, His death, resurrection, and ascension, were meant to complete this mission. His miracles were pictures of what it would be like for the Kingdom of God, His kingdom to come upon others. The work was about restoration, not just to make life easier for us, but to renew and recreate mankind into what it was originally meant to be, turning it back to its original glory. You can bet, its still the work He's trying to accomplish today, and he has chosen to complete it through us, those that love and serve Him.
How, then, do we do this? Every Christian organization, church, or group has a mission. Our mission ought to be the same and many times it is, however, we have different means of going about it. Rally Point is about reaching men, and this is our strategy:
First, we want to wake a man up and pull him out of his matrix he has been connected to for so long. There was a time in that man's life (usually as a boy) he enjoyed a life of carefree, innocent fun. He was daring and would try things he'd never done before. He was a fighter, even if you tried to take away toy guns from him, he'd carve out little pistols from his graham crackers. That little girl that caught his attention, would help him find a strength and an ability he never knew he had. Then, his life took a devastating turn. Somewhere along the way the little boy was wounded and taken out. Fear set in. Confidence waned. Resignation became his only way to deal with his plight. We want to tell that man the desires he had as a boy are still there. We want to wake that up, stir him up a bit, and let him know that he can have that glory back, but it must be fought for.
Second, is to come alongside him and offer a place of fellowship where he can commune and grow with other men fighting the same battle as he. This life cannot be lived alone. We were not meant to be alone. Jesus himself called out twelve to be His disciples. They were not just students, they became brothers, companions along His journey. How far could he have gotten without them? I shudder to think about the answer to that question. The fact is, He chooses us to complete His mission. It sounds ludicrous for the God of creation to need us...but He does. If Christ needed others, how much more do we need others to come alongside us, encourage us, and help us grow.
Finally, teach him how to fight for his wife, his kids, and others. This is what Nehemiah said in chapter 4, verse 14:
"Put your minds on the Master, great and awesome, and then fight for your brothers, your sons, your daughters, your wives, and your homes."(The Message)
The man must be taught that strength is for others, especially those whom he loves. He does not find his strength just so he can kick sand in the little guy's face on the beach. He is to fight for others who cannot fight for themselves. Those fellowships will become places for him to exercise His strength. His home will be the primary battlefield of his life. His work will take on new meaning as he receives the life God has for him. What are we protecting others from? Christ tells us in John chapter 10 verse 6:
"The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full." (NIV)
Jesus knows what He has to offer, but he recognizes that there is one who comes to take life away. It is this evil one and his kingdom that we must make our stand against and the only way is by the life we have received through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Thank you for taking the time to read our three part description of Rally Point. These are truly exciting times for all of us, and I hope you've been able to pick up on our excitement. I want to personally invite you to become a vital part of this ministry. Take time to become a follower of this blog and stay connected to the action. Soon we'll be announcing some exciting news, and you'll want to be around for that. We are in desperate need for intercessors. If you would, email us at rallypnt@gmail.com to become an intercessor. Just type "sign me up" and we will send you updates and prayer needs for the ministry.
Again, thank you for the time spent reading these blogs these past couple of weeks. Keep coming back for more, because there is so much more to share. You can look forward to my next post coming soon which is the vision for Rally Point. I'm really excited about this one. Have a great day!
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