When Bart asked me to lead the teaching and discussions in our Men’s Breakfasts it occurred to me to name the men’s ministry at TBC “The Men’s Connection”. I was impressed to call it that because we all need connections. We were not designed by God to be solitary beings. We need and must participate in relationships. We all came to be through a relationship between a man and a woman. Following that, we are challenged to work out relationships with the world we are born into.

First, we are connected with parents and / or guardians who provide for us and help us in our early years. There are possibly siblings we group up with. There are also friends we make at school. For most men, life will include a relationship with a wife and probably children. But, for all we must relate to those around us and learn to do it in godly, healthy ways. You could say that relationships are what our lives are really all about.

Foremost, we need a personal relationship with God the Father in and through Jesus Christ. And, we need to grow in that relationship. Part of that is how we relate to others.

I remember as a child in church pastors would remind us to keep coming to church. A favorite verse that they would use was Hebrews 10:25. The part that they would always quote says “not forsaking our own assembling together, as is the habit of some.” I didn’t always want to do that and the pastors seemed to use that phrase as a cudgel to drive us into coming to church on a regular basis.

However, note that the quote above is only part of a sentence, a sentence fragment. The full statement is;

“ ²³ Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful; ²⁴ and let us consider how to stimulate one another to love and good deeds, ²⁵ not forsaking our own assembling together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another; and all the more as you see the day drawing near.” Hebrews 10:23-25.

The writer is encouraging us to press on, holding fast to our confession of hope in Jesus Christ; not to be tempted to give up and turn back. He is also motivating us to “stimulate one another to love and good deeds.” Wow. Isn’t that what we need? Encouragement in the journey to do what is right, that which is good and well pleasing to God and others? I know I need regular encouragement. And, I know I’m stronger when in the company of godly men.

So, let us continue to encourage one another by keeping in touch with one another and that “all the more as you see the day (of Christ) drawing near.”

I could write much more, but I think you get the idea. We need each other and we should encourage other men to get involved and connect. Each brother in Christ is a blessing. So, hang in there and blessings from God in Christ to you all.