Editor’s Note: Every now and then, there’s a topic or moment that deserves its own spotlight. That’s where my One-Offs come in—special posts on current issues or timely conversations that don’t fit the usual series. You’ll find them here under One-Offs in the main menu. Enjoy the detour.
Opening Thought
Excuse my heresy for knocking bacon. Unfortunately, there are churches who have adopted what they consider a working formula to attract men—promise men anything including bacon, toss in a Bible verse, maybe a few dad jokes, and call it men’s ministry; using the tried and true idiom, “If you feed them, they will come.”
Hey, we’re not knocking breakfast. Men love bacon and biscuits. But is that really all it takes to disciple a generation of men? To raise up fathers, husbands, leaders, and warriors who can stand firm in a crumbling culture.
Here’s the thing—most men don’t need more events. They need meaning. They’re not desperate for more information; they’re starving for transformation. Life is punching them in the mouth—marriage tension, fatherhood fatigue, workplace pressure, silent battles with lust, anger, and loneliness. And if all we give them is fellowship and French toast, we’re not equipping them for the fight they’re already in.
What if we stopped assuming men won’t show up for depth? What if we stopped believing they only want light conversation with no strings attached? What if men’s ministry became a place where men are trained, not just entertained?
We don’t need a church where men’s faith is an inch deep—we need a movement of sharpened hearts. Men are craving something real. They want to know how to lead when marriage gets hard, how to battle temptation without shame, how to father when they never had a model to follow. They’re not asking for fluff. They’re asking for a fight plan that will leave their families a legacy any man would be proud of.
Scripture
“Fight the good fight of the faith. Take hold of the eternal life
to which you were called…”
— 1 Timothy 6:12 (ESV)
“Be watchful, stand firm in the faith, act like men, be strong.
Let all that you do be done in love.”
— 1 Corinthians 16:13-14 (ESV)
Men were made for more than passivity. These verses are spiritual battle cries — reminders that we are in a war not just for our souls, but for our families, our witness, and our purpose. Men’s ministry should feel more like basic training than brunch. A place where men aren’t coddled, but called up.
Application
Here’s what’s not being said well: we’ve mistaken activity for transformation. We think if men show up, eat, laugh, and listen, we’ve done our job. But showing up doesn’t equal showing growth. Jesus didn’t build His disciples with donuts and devotionals—He built them through calling, correction, and challenge.
If we want to disciple men, we’ve got to stop entertaining them and start equipping them. Men don’t want another pep talk; they want a purpose. They want truth that lands hard and hope that lifts higher. They don’t need another Saturday breakfast—they need a spiritual battle plan that translates into Monday morning.
This generation of men is quietly bleeding. They’re carrying shame, exhaustion, and unanswered questions about identity, purpose, and legacy. The problem isn’t that men don’t care—it’s that we’ve stopped calling them higher. We’ve lowered the bar, served the bacon, and wondered why they don’t grow.
The answer isn’t more events. It’s more engagement. It’s giving men the tools to fight the right battles—the ones inside their hearts. It’s showing them that surrender isn’t weakness and vulnerability isn’t failure. It’s teaching them to trade comfort for conviction.
Discipleship happens when men move from convenience to commitment. When they stop hiding their wounds and start healing together. When they stop watching others fight and finally step into the arena themselves. That’s when you see change. That’s when faith gets fire.
Today’s Challenge: shift from consumption to calling
Here’s how we start shifting men’s ministry from comfort to calling:
Serve the Sizzling Fare, but Bring Substance.
Yes, feed them—physically and spiritually. Bacon can break the ice, but what comes next should break strongholds. Preach truth with grit and grace.
Shift from Events to Equipping.
Ask yourself: “Are we entertaining or outfitting disciples?” Men don’t need more content—they need coaching, mentoring, and accountability. Start offering tools they can apply on Monday, not just lessons for Sunday.
Address Real Issues.
Talk about sexual desires, father wounds, failure, pride, identity, and legacy. Create a safe space for men to share the attacks they face daily. Don’t let silence win.
Foster Transformation, Not Just Attendance.
Men will come for food—but they’ll stay for fellowship that feels like family. Don’t let guys walk alone. Start small groups, 1-on-1 discipleship, or triads. Let men sharpen each other.
Issue a Call to Action.
Men thrive on purpose. They love accomplishment. Don’t just inspire them—deploy them. Call them to serve, to lead, to teach, to fight for their homes and faith. Every meeting should be a launching pad.
Then pray this:
“Lord, I confess my disappointment. I thought You would come through differently. I don’t understand why things turned out this way. But I choose to trust You. I choose to worship You, not because of what I see, but because of who You are. Be my joy when everything else is empty. Amen.”
Final Thought
The bacon is fine. The jokes are fine. But let’s be honest—bacon doesn’t build warriors. Men need more than a good breakfast; they need a battle plan. They don’t just need to be fed—they need to be forged.
If we want to see revival in our homes, churches, and communities, men’s ministry has to become more than a club for casual faith. It has to become a training ground for courageous men. Men who fight for holiness. Men who lead with humility. Men who love with strength.
This week’s step: ask one man to coffee—and go deeper. Get past the surface. Talk about the real fights: temptation, purpose, marriage, fatherhood, fear. Lead with honesty, not polish. Build the kind of brotherhood that doesn’t end when breakfast does.
Then ask him one question that could change everything:
“How can we sharpen each other this week?”
