Article
Leading Men to Hunger for Depth
Men’s ministry needs to serve as a parental influence of sorts, to introduce men to these new, rich biblical and theological flavors.
Anyone who has raised kids has had the experience of trying to introduce them to new foods.
“I don’t like it!” they exclaim.
“You haven’t even tried it!” you respond.
You try to get them to take just one bite. “I promise, you’ll like it,” you encourage them. Sometimes they tentatively, skeptically try it, and their eyes light up with delight–this is the best-case scenario. Sometimes they plug their nose, choke down a bite, and insist they hate it. Even then, though, you know they will probably like it someday. Sometimes they have to try something over and over again before they develop a taste for it.
That’s how taste works; it develops with maturity. Things that were unpleasant when we were children become delicacies as we grow. Things we gagged on are now the first thing we order at a restaurant. And the same is true of spiritual taste buds.
Spiritual Tastebuds
Men’s ministry needs to serve as a parental influence of sorts, to introduce men to these new, rich biblical and theological flavors. Many men in your church plant have never tasted deep spiritual and theological truth. If they have only ever been fed spiritual cotton candy and processed foods–the dino nuggets of theology, if you will—and you try to introduce the rich, savory flavors of deep spiritual thought and Bible study, they will respond with skepticism and reluctance.
“I don’t like it,” they tell you, but not in so many words. It’s more like “This is dense” or “How is this applicable?” or “I just want to learn something practical.” (That’s the spiritual version of “Can I just have mac and cheese?”)
In 1 Corinthians 3, Paul describes feeding the church with “milk to drink, not solid food, since you were not yet ready for it” (v. 2). He is describing infantile tastes and appetites, an inability and unwillingness to chew and digest great truths. Like children, many men in your church have never been asked to try the “meat’ and they need to keep tasting in order to develop a taste for it. Why? Because our theological and spiritual taste buds will develop with maturity over time. And as their taste buds develop, their appetite for deep truth grows too.
Leaning into theological depth in a church plant is especially vital because it becomes the foundation, the standard. Will you be a thinking church? Will you be a church of depth?
A.W. Tozer once said, “What comes into our minds when we think about God is the most important thing about us.” If this is true, then thinking deeply really matters for the kind of church you are and the kind of believers you are developing. Theological depth becomes the foundation for discipleship–you are inviting men into the wonders of God, the ocean of blessings, and not settling for the kiddie pool. This shapes all of your ministry because if you are a deep-thinking church, you will have deep roots for evangelism, kids’ ministry, community, and every other area of the church.
Some men will push back or be uncomfortable. Thinking deeply doesn’t come nearly as naturally as optimizing action. They would rather think about strategies for the Christian life, focus on the spiritual disciplines, walking in the way of Jesus. Make no mistake, these are all good things. But they are all good things in response to thinking deeply about the truths of Scripture and theological principles. Show the men in your church how thinking translates to action, how absorbing rich truth changes the manner in which you take action.
Menu of Milk to Meat
For example, help them see that a profound understanding of justification by faith alone in the accomplishments of Jesus on our behalf completely shifts the burden and transforms our motivations when we take up spiritual disciplines. Instead of being disciplined in order to please God or earn His approval, we are disciplined out of gratitude and from a desire to know the grace of God more.
Or, show them how a rich understanding of the sovereignty of God and the work of the Holy Spirit to enliven dead hearts removes the burden of being perfect evangelists in order to save others. Instead, we evangelize in freedom, introducing people to the beauty and saving mercies of Jesus, knowing that the results do not depend on us. These are deep theological truths that shape practical action. They are strong flavors that men must grow into as they mature.
It can be intimidating and stretching to lead men in this direction. It can be tiring because maturity doesn’t always come quickly, and tastes don’t change easily. But be consistent and raise the bar, church planter. Stretch your men in what you read and how you study. Take them to the great thinkers, maybe not a tome at a time but a chapter at a time. When you’re studying Scripture, allow great commentators and preachers to inform your discussion. Wade into your own church’s doctrinal statement and consider together the significance of each point and why they are emphasized.
In time, you will see men light up at theology, not in an intellectual or arrogant way but at the wonders it conveys. They will no longer be satisfied by the “milk” and will demand the meat instead. As they ingest and digest deep truths, they will deepen in faith and worship. This diet of rich theology will strengthen and mature them into mighty men of God who will serve and lead your church.
