Category Archives: Men

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Accountability. Who needs it? (Part One)

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Every man needs accountability.  Not the “Gotcha! Now I’m gonna beat you up!” variety that we so fondly remember.  This variety leads to legalism and checklist spirituality.    Eric Reed, Minister to Men at Houston’s First Baptist Church stated it best, “Men need an accountability that is voluntarily entered into and focused on unleashing each man into the vision that God is calling him.”

The result is not being beat down, but being built up. The Bible calls this edification.

This accountability can be elusive.  Many men find accountability so frustrating because we have a tendency to cling to those individuals who flatter and rationalize our actions.  They tell us what we want to hear not what we need to hear.

Conversely, we find

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Advice to a Thirteen Year Old Boy

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 My youngest son is turning thirteen years old in February.

As a family, we perform a Manhood Ceremony for our boys.

Two years ago, we had a very intimate family gathering where we presented our oldest several items signifying his journey into Manhood.  These items are reminders of his role as a Man and some were challenges as he grows in adulthood.

The evening was amazing.  Parents and grandparents prayed and bestowed gifts to our oldest on his birthday.  As a father, I passed on the blessing to my first born.  I gave him permission to pursue Biblical manhood and I promised to be there to guide him.

One item I gave my oldest was

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Financier, Friend or Father — Part Two

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Friend - JumpWe recently looked at the role that we play as a financier for the family.  And that role is important.  But consider part two of this three part series.

Friend – “Hey, who is your buddy?”

One of the other traps we fall into is the trap of trying to be a buddy or pal to our child rather than being their father.  And the reason we do is fairly obvious.  It is much easier to be a friend than it is to be a father.  And besides, who doesn’t want to be a pal or to have a pal?  The problem is

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Financier, Friend or Father — Part One

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Money TreeAs Dads, we have a lot of roles to play as part of our overall responsibility to the family.  This is especially true when it comes to the relationship that we have with our children.  In a brief three part series I plan to consider three particular roles that we play in our children’s lives.

Financier – “What am I made of?  Money?”

I think one of the things that is the hardest for us to understand early in the life of our family is understanding what level of importance to place on the role of money within the family.  And one of the traps that young fathers fall into is the trap of

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Lead them to the manger today

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Baby Jesus in the Manger 2There are a lot of leadership topics that we have discussed so far since the start of Leadership Voices.  But today, I am focused on leading folks to the manger.  Something glorious happened overnight.

No, not Santa.  While the world slept, Jesus was born!

Ok, maybe not last night.  But He was born on a night like last night.  It was a night with lots of activity.  For Joseph and Mary it was the busyness of the census and travelling with the throngs of people as they all journeyed to their ancestral homes.  For many of us, it was the busyness of wrapping, cooking, cleaning and the mad rush to the 24 hour drug store as we realized that batteries really weren’t included.

It would be foolish of me to suggest or to try to eliminate all of the activities that accompany the modern Christmas season.  But I would speak to you men on this day.  I would speak especially to you husbands and fathers.  And if I am honest, I would speak to myself.  And what I would say is this:

Let’s lead our families and loved ones to the manger today.  Not literally, but figuratively.  Let’s lead our families to the manger in some form or fashion today to worship Jesus Christ the newborn king.

Don’t send them.

Lead them!

Merry Christmas Signature