Men's Summit Part 2

This is the Truth Network. Welcome to Man Talk brought to you by TAWCMN, talking and walking Christian men's ministry, where they're devoted to breaking down the walls of race and denomination and challenging men to take their God-assigned role. Here's our hosts, Will Hardy and Roy Jones Jr., a black guy and a white guy. Hey, welcome to Man Talk Radio. I'm Roy Jones, the white guy.

And I'm Will Hardy, the black guy. And you know, we have a guy on the phone because last week we were talking about the summit, men's summit coming up January 24th, 25th of this year. And we talked about great alignment of speakers that's coming up. And, you know, when we left off, we were talking about the cost and Ken was talking about that you're not going to find in his lifetime or going forward.

You're not going to find this, this, this group of speakers in this lineup for like 20 bucks. And we said, you know, and including lunch, that's the crazy thing. Exactly.

And so, you know, we said, what does 20 bucks mean to you as far as being blessed personally, being fed into from some of the men that you might meet, as well as the speakers information that's being, uh, ministered to you and then contacts that you might, you know, while you're there. So, you know, you can, we can just join hands and let God bless us to do things that, you know, with someone else that might, we might be thinking about, but they already have it established. Right. Well, Ken knows that the network, you know, you know, I'm a marketing guy. Of course. Yeah. So that I love marketing.

I love, I am best with good perversives. I just thought we were talking about the 20 bucks and I thought change for a 20. There's something. There you go. 20 bucks is going to change a life. There you go. Wow. It's already changed hundreds of lives.

It's going to change it again in a couple of weeks. Amen. That might be the theme for next year. Yeah. Hey, that's great.

Ken. We need to, we need to get that pushed out there now. I mean, yeah.

Hey, exactly. Hey, give me $20 and buy a ticket with somebody to change. Give me 20 bucks. Change for 20. I'm not borrowing.

Give me $20. We're going to, we're going to invest in somebody for change. Exactly. That, well, that's, that's, well, I'm just feeling the spirit right now for that. Oh, wow. That's great. So on this, on this show, we want to talk about from the pastor's perspective, you know, how has the summit as a pastor, and if you're a pastor listening today and you know, pastor, sometimes I think that they feel overworked and underpaid and most of them are, you know, but I think you, you also have that group that's out there that they are not totally dependent on God to work in their lives.

They're dependent more upon themselves, but from that, from the standpoint of pastor, and I'll just start it off being one myself, that the men who have come to the summit that I have talked to and I have prayed with at the summit, I have found that, um, if we, if we were to look at all of the men I talked to and say, Oh, 70%, 65 to 70% of them have really improved their walk with Christ. So it, it can be more solid, you know, and they've talked about what a great time they've had. You, you remember Roy, when we talked about the guys who were part of the prison. Oh yeah. You know, I mean, these, these are, these are guys listening audience who are locked up. Yeah. In fact, we've got another group coming this year from one of the prison camps and see these guys, they come in there. They're hungry.

Yes. And, and I remember I was standing by the door, Roy, when they were getting ready to leave because they couldn't stay for the whole thing. They could only be out for so, for so long. And the guy was telling me, he said, he said, brother, I sure wish we could stay for the whole thing. He said, I was so tremendously blessed. Now here's a man who has his personal, physical freedoms limited. And he was talking about how blessed he was. Sure. So think about that man who is out there, who is not in prison physically, and he's not taking advantage of the opportunity.

Oh, I know. And then, and I'm going to step on a few toes here, but not being mean, but out of love, you know, pastors, there's no reason for you to be afraid to bring your man to this event. This is not about first Christian or host site or grow in their church. Granted, if a man shows up and doesn't have a church home, he's welcome to be there or any other church.

We encourage them to seek the body. But pastors, if you're listening, this is a time to strengthen your man, to get them off the sidelines, to get them close. Cause we've got two pastors on the radio here.

Well, I guess there's three of us now since officially, but, uh, two very, very active pastors sitting on the line with us. And they'll tell you that that's what they need their men to do is start stepping forward. And, and, and as they get engaged with these types of things, they start to make that move. So don't be afraid to bring your man pastors.

And, you know, I'll call it what it is. Sometimes pastors say, well, I don't want anyone else teaching my men. You know, that's part of it.

They're afraid someone's going to say something or say something, or that may not be philosophically or theologically in line with what they may say or do, but here's what that pastor needs to come. Cause that's a control. Yes. Yes. Yes.

Yes. Thank you, pastor Ken. And, uh, and then I'll build on top of pastor Ken's comment. If it's, if you've got a control issue, then you're not trusting the man you're serving. You're not trusting the Lord you're serving because he, he can control the intake or the outtake from any of those people that are there.

So if something just inadvertently got said that shouldn't have been said, then our heavenly father who created everything can certainly filter that if there was a mistake made and certainly amazing. And that's where we've got to trust that. Amen.

That's right. Because we're, we're not out to steal men from, from congregations. This is about fellowship bonding and walking in the unity of the spirit and the bond of peace. Just like the scripture tell us to do. We have an obligation to the God. We say, we believe trust and we want to serve.

That's right. So, so Ken, what, from your perspective, uh, how as a pastor, how has the summit affected the man that you have seen? Oh, it's been huge.

Um, and I mean that literally. I, I came into a situation that I'm not, you know, ashamed to say it, but I realized that, uh, the men, they had kind of left the building, but they were there in the service in my church, my local congregation, but there were no men at all serving in the children's department. Um, there was a choir at the time. There still is, but there was one man and 95% women. I guess. And so I began to look at the situation. I thought, where are the men in my church? Other than a workday, uh, where they got to come and bring tools and use their hand.

There really wasn't a huge presence as far as leadership. I can say after three years, I have had a good, strong number of men say, what's next? Okay.

I get it. Um, I'm not going to sit like we talked about in the last segment. I'm not going to sit on the sideline. What's next? Um, how can I, how can I go to that next place? And I said, well, first thing is I just need you in discipleship. I want you to show up for more than a Sunday message. That's not where real discipleship is happening. Um, it's, it's, it's actually engaging with other men. And so I've really, uh, I've told Roy, uh, I've seen since we started this journey and there was a lot of inspiration that came out of the summit, uh, we have grown threefold, maybe closer to fourfold with our men's, um, time on Wednesday evenings, um, to the point now where we we've brought back in some accountability and we've got some small groups forming out of that. We've got new men's leaders, uh, coming forward in the church as far as wanting to serve, uh, new positions. And that's not because we've added positions because we've added men. And so I really, I have to attribute not so much by plea from the pulpit, I have to attribute a lot of that to the last three years of getting men exposed, um, to the mountaintop, to the summit, um, where they've heard the word, uh, they've, they've caught fire and our, our job as pastors is what do we do with them once they catch fire?

Um, then the work begins and that's like, I need you, um, now that you've caught fire, I need you, um, to engage in whatever that looks like. So let me help you find your place of not only service, but that's where our meetings on Wednesday, I can't even begin to describe, but that's like, um, I love Wednesday night being with the men of our church and I don't leave those. I lead several of them, but I love seeing men lead men, laymen leading each other and leading these emotional times.

This is amazing. So it's been huge to me. It's made a difference in our church. Um, a lot of people looked and said, Hey man, your church, something's going on in your church. You've increased numbers, a couple of churches. That's all great.

But I think I have to really believe in my heart and spirit. It's really because, um, we begin to invest in the men come alive again, get off the sidelines, get involved. Um, and, uh, this has been great. I just, I, I can't thank God enough.

Thank the summit enough for, uh, for just finding a flame or maybe taking that small little ember that's been down there and just bringing it back into a play. And, uh, but there's more, uh, still got a lot of head as a pastor. I still got a lot more ahead, but at least we've got men engaged. So we'll have three men meeting with me on Wednesday night, having 15 guys that are passionate and coming and serving. And, uh, that's just the group that comes on Wednesday. They're all the groups meeting now, but started with three.

And, um, and so I'm pretty excited about that, obviously. But I've had the pleasure and honor to be there with Ken, with his groups on a couple of Wednesday nights, and they are very special group of men. And if you, if you don't have a church home and you're listening to this program, you're anywhere close to the Greensboro area would like to be a part of that. It's, uh, it's on South Holden, was it 2400 South Holden Road, Ken, is that right?

Yeah. 2400 South Holden Road, Christ, Christ Wesleyan Church, right across from Smith High School, Wednesday nights at seven there at the year. It's exciting too, Roy, because, uh, so many of the nights I realized I'm, I'm a minority now within my group. And what was, what was traditionally, what was in the past, uh, a white church in, in, uh, in that community. Um, I love the diversity of having Hispanic men and black men and white guys all sitting together, learning together, praising together, discovering together. Um, I really, I'm going to be honest with you guys, uh, you will and Roy, I really had almost given up hope years ago that I would ever see that in my church.

And see that old, young, rich, poor, white, black, and everything in between, um, to come together, uh, in worship and learn and grow. And, uh, but again, I'm going to attribute a little bit of that to the fire that, that got caught up. Well, we coming up on a break, uh, right now, Ken, I want you to hold that thought and we will be back to Man Talk Radio right after this. Well, welcome back to Man Talk Radio. This is Roy Jones and, uh, we were just finished up with Ken. He was talking about what a special blessing God has provided him with his men there and the diversity and, and, you know, and in our society, we're, we're very polarized right now with, especially within America that, uh, whether you're Democrat or Republican or whether you're Christian or non-Christian or you're straight person or different lifestyle.

And it's just, we're so polarized. And what's really beautiful about this is how God has taken Ken's heart and recognized his desire to serve him and has blessed him with such a diverse culture and a diverse congregation. And what I hope that you heard through the first part of the show is that, uh, right there at the end, Ken said he had about given up and it's, it's then when Christ comes along and does his greatest work, because you are at your weakest. And I'm sure Ken would be the first to admit that he had just basically resigned himself, that it just would never be.

And, and then God blessed him with that very thing. And, you know, folks, it's really important and I, those that know me know my heart, it's about breaking down the walls of race and denomination and wheels as well. And Ken's, he's part of the team and part of the board. And so when we talk, we have to, when we share these things, it's not about pointing out the fact that there are different colors. It's pointing out the fact that there's one body.

And I think it's important when you hear our message that that's what we're saying. We're one body, but that body's got many different parts. You know, how many times, how many times, Roy, have you heard me say, when we get to heaven, there won't be a black section, a white section, an Asian section, Hispanic, you know, it's not, we're not going to be sectioned off. We are all one in Christ Jesus. So if we, if we cannot fellowship in love, in this natural body, on this earth, then is there a place for us in heaven to where we still try to hold on to these same things?

And I'll tell you right now, no, it won't be. Word of God says that no liars, no backbiters, you know, no individuals or anything that does evil will be allowed to enter into the kingdom of God. And, you know, when I, when I listen to what Jesus said in Matthew 16, 33, he says that I tell you these things that you might have peace. And he goes on to say, in the world, he goes on to say, in the world, you will suffer tribulation, but he said, be of good cheer, for I have overcome the world.

We are overcomers. And, and you know, when I, when I start to get down and, and it's like, oh, things are not going the way I expect. I think about Matthew 6, 30, I mean, 16, 33, and it comes to me what Jesus said. And then it's sort of like just revitalizes my inward man and just won't, you know, cause me to gain additional strength to move forward in him. Because I realize it's never about me. See, I quit saying it's not about me. It was never about me.

And it's always been about him. So once we start looking at things, Roy and Ken, when we start looking at things through the eyes of scripture, then we won't be talking Democrat, Republican, white race, black race. We won't be talking these things because we'll be looking at things through the eyes of scripture and we'll be speaking the truth to these things in love. Amen. Well, that's true. That's so true.

It is. And I got to, what's neat about that, if you, anyone's listening to this show tonight that can relate to what I said, is I begin to wonder really realistically, is it ever going to happen? Are the worship wars going to start?

Can the traditional worship with the contemporary, can a senior worship next to a millennial, can a black worship in their culture in a way that they enjoy with whites? What's neat is if you really look around our last three, four, five years of the summit, you'll see all that. You'll see the old, young, rich, poor, black, white, Asian, Hispanic, millennial, the whole nine yards is in that room.

And no one's fussing about it being too quiet, too loud, too up, too down, too whatever. It's the way it was intended to be. So again, I just celebrate, if you need a glimpse of that, that can actually happen. If you don't believe it can happen, then you need to come and actually see what it looks like in a group of men. And the only reason that the gender, the female gender is there, there are some issues that we need to be straight up honest about as men that pertain to us. And that's why it would be very uncomfortable for women to be in the room. And it would also be uncomfortable for some men, as I've seen in the past, to respond to those messages in a proper way that if there were women in the room. So it's not to in any way disregard, disrespect the gender or female part of all this.

But on the other side of it, I will say this, when you get the old, young, rich, poor, black, white, Asian, Hispanic all together and worshiping the way that God intended it, and we get down to some real issues, it is an incredibly beautiful, wonderful, godly event. Darrell Bock So well put, Ken. It's basically, some people put it, you're rolling the sheets back.

You're peeling the onion back. Ken Jones That's right. Darrell Bock People are at their rawest, and their most transparent, and their purest after an event like this, and during the event, because the Holy Spirit moves through, you know, four or 500 men singing, 600 men singing. He moves through the worship of the leaders there.

He moves through the word of the leaders, and he also moves through the worship of the people that are beside him. Ken Jones Absolutely. Darrell Bock And folks, if you've never been a part of that, standing amongst four or five, six, seven, eight hundred men singing and worshiping together, and then it's angelic.

Ken Jones It is. Darrell Bock It's angelic, and it's just amazing. Ken Jones You know, I've seen in Summit Number Three, Roy, when we first had it at First Christian, and there was a guy, he was in that middle section at First Christian, and he was probably fifth or sixth row back in the middle, and I remember he was, the worship was going on, and he was so overcome with worship, he just fell on his knees and raised his hands, and then immediately, this is what I like about it, listening audience, that there was five or six men who just came over, didn't even know the brother, and just started laying hands on him, and praying with him, and worshiping with him, and just crying out to God, and it just brought chills to my body to know that men have no, there's no apprehension, you know, you just come and let the Spirit of God lead you, and they laid hands on this brother, and when I saw it, I just threw up my hands and started worshiping and praising God, you know, because you can't, you just can't stand there or sit there if you are calling yourself a person who is a child of God, and a citizen of the kingdom of God, you just can't sit there and have all this going on around you and not respond. Yeah, oh yeah. I love, my moment last year, guys, was, well you can help me with this speaker, the guy that was talking, and he had the altar call with the salvation, he was one of our war heroes. Oh yeah, Dave Reaver. Dave Reaver, he gave an invitation, and the exchanging of the rags, for the riches of the kingdom, it was so cool to see this huge group of guys come forward, I mean, I'm talking men's men, you know, and man, they came up and they lined up across the front of that auditorium, and there was nothing except just this exchange of saying, I want Jesus Christ, I've known about him in my head, but I want to cross the bridge into my heart, and it was, man, you talk about an event, at that moment in time, and it was just so cool to see, like Will was talking about, there must have been at least a hundred men come forward to just surround those guys, and say welcome to the family of God, and you've been forgiven, you've been made clean, and wow, that was a glorious moment, I mean, that was crazy. I mean, that was crazy. My associate pastor, he's teaching me a new language, you know, because I'm a white guy, and I'm an older white guy, so I've got a younger black dude that works with me, and he's an incredible pastor, but he uses the word stupid a lot, he said, dude, that's just stupid crazy right there, and I'm learning that stupid now is a good thing. So I can say, last year, it was stupid crazy, when those guys came up front and dedicated their heart, gave their heart to Jesus, it was a stupid crazy event, man, awesome. Well, you know something, Ken, and Roy and I, you know, we're brothers in the Lord, and you know, when we talk about white guy and black guy, you know, I don't know if people listening, they will be offended over this, but it's no offense when you're in the body of Christ.

That's the beauty about it, you know, because some people may hear term black, and they might become offended because it's not politically correct, and you should be using African American and all this other stuff, but again, when you are looking at things through the eyes of scripture, it takes away all ambiguity. Now there's a word that I don't use, Ken, too often, but you know, there it is, I'm just throwing it out there, but see, it takes away all of that because it's like Roy said, when the onion is peeled back and you start getting to the meat, if you will, of that onion, now you are actually seeing the heart of that man for exactly who he is. Amen. Yeah. Amen. Yep. Yeah, we don't, nothing we're doing here is intended to offend anybody, and the point we want to make when we say the black guy and the white guy is that, hey, we're here as brothers. Exactly.

Brothers in Christ. Exactly. We want you to know that it's coming from both vantage points, but we're sitting here talking as one body, and it's, you know, folks, let's just get, let's just relax.

No need to get upset about that because it's, be happy and proud that you're listening to a show where two brothers that don't look alike are sitting there celebrating one father. Because we look at things through the eyes of scripture. Yes, we do. And we don't look at color. But it's funny because a quick little joke here, not joke, but just a quick little fact. One of the brothers that doesn't look like me, which would be a guy that looks more like you, Will, had somehow that guy's text and that he had how he had me labeled in his phone.

And it was brother Jones, big white, bro, Roy, for those who haven't seen me personally, I stand six, two, six, three, and about 280. So working on getting down to the moderate to 55 or next six months. But we are running down to you know, and of course, you go ahead and tell them how to be safe. Yes, folks, if you're listening, you haven't made a commitment to follow Jesus, just admit being a sinner, repent to the father and say, I accept the fact that Jesus died for me, goes again on the third day and ascended to heaven, that he died for me personally, say, Father, I accept you as my personal savior, get within the body fellowship and start walking with Jesus. Amen. Amen. You will not go.

You will not go wrong. So thanks again for listening. Thank you, Ken, for being on the phone with us. And so we'll see you next time on Man Talk Radio.

God bless. As we wrap up today's show, be assured that TAWCMM talking and walking Christian men's ministry is building a community of men that are Christ followers with the desire to be servant leaders in their homes, communities, churches and work environments. Check out our website for upcoming events and regularly scheduled meetings. Drop us a note for topics that you would like to have us visit in the future. Thank you for joining us on Man Talk today. Visit us at www.tawcmm.com. Men, walking the talk.