Men of a Certain Age...

I've been watching the new TV series called "Men of a Certain Age". If you are a man and you are not watching this show...start. I am not saying its a Focus on the Family show...it's not...but its the first show on men's lives that I actually think is wrestling with a lot of truth. I am thinking about using it for a men's group. Watch the show...and then talk. I think this weeks show about marriage, cheating, failure and faithfulness was some of the most enlightening tv I've seen in a real long time. These are the conversations men should be having.

Are men better...?

Well here we go, another chapter in our 1 Corinthians series that should be a firecracker! We will tackle all kinds of challenging issues surrounding the place, role, position, function of women and men in home, church and culture. If you are unaware of the debates that take place between Complementarians and Egalitarians than you might be surprised as we delve into this little nugget of church splitting drama.
Issues like:
1. Do men and women have different ways for being saved?
2. Are men and women designed to come before God in prayer in a different way?
3. Are there lists of spiritual gifts that are listed for only men or only women?
4. Do men and women inherit spiritual “sonship” in a different way?
5. Is the command to make disciples given only to one gender?

I think that if our positions on these subjects affect 50% of our community...it's an important issue to unpack. Trust me there is a load of baggage surrounding these issues and people get pretty weird, uptight, confrontational and quick to tie people to the stakes when these subject are discussed. So stay tuned it might get interesting around here.

Where did the man path go?

Here is my new blog project:
http://wildmanpath.blogspot.com

It's based off the work I am doing on developing ideas about men's ministry, boys and the path towards manhood.
It will be unashamedly manly, not politically correct, safe or sanitized or spirutally saccharine or too churchy.

It will be multi-generational: meaning content is meant to engage men and boys.

Men's ministry....???

da-vinci-man
Originally uploaded by ericblauer.

I am currently spending time working out some of my thoughts about men's ministry. Most of what I have experienced with men's ministry has been hit and miss. It seems often to be irrelevant, formulaic, tired, forced, overly religious and disconnected generationally.

I have often felt that all the supposed role modeling that is pushed becomes yet another burden on my overworked, under-empowered man mind. Some men;s ministries and material try to harness men's love of working with their hands and building and turn the ministry into another part time job of do good projects. Is service to community worthwhile? For sure but not as a crowbar being used to force men into some vision of manly ministry.

Then there is the sin issues. Somehow a quest for genuine relationships get turned into some form of strange potty policing...called accountability partners and groups. This becomes suffocating, intrusive and strangely emasculating. Instead of teaching men how to live with the drive of stallions we are browbeat into religious forms of castration. Geldings we become in the hands of some men's ministries.

Is potty policing the pinnacle of what the church has to offer men?
With these thoughts running through my mind, I realize that ministry that further takes men away from family & home has to really be thought through.
I am putting together a ministry plan that explores 6 archetypes of manhood:

Warrior.
Lover.
Craftsman.
Bard.
Seer.
King.

Each of these archetypes speak to the different parts of a man's life. Each symbol represents an area to grow in, explore and understand.
In the context of a multi-generational pursuit through various adventures that are both external and internal.
All in relationship with older men, brothers and rising sons.

Man Moment: Kick Butt Stuff Ahead...

Blur
Originally uploaded by ericblauer.

This studio produces stuff that blows me away.
Go here: www.blur.com and watch the three trailers for:
-Warhammer Fantasy
-Empire Earth
-Hellsgate: London
They are located under the title: work/animation
Simply stunning visuals, storylines and the computer animation is well, freaking cool...I wish they were full length movies.

Early morning screams

the_stranger__by_darksplashes
Originally uploaded by ericblauer.

I was awakened by the repetitious cry of some young woman Sunday morning at 5am. She was wandering down the street crying out:

Mommy...Mommy...mommy...momm...mom...mo....m....

What do you do.

I didn't do anything.

Shame on me.