Setting is the key...Team Ironman works on the principle that if you put men in the right kind of environment then they will open up and talk about spiritual things. Typically, a couples Sunday School class is a very intimidating place for a man. So we take advantage of opportunities while hunting and fishing to talk about spiritual things. We may have conversations in the pickup truck or in the boat, but the focal point of the weekend is the manhood discussions.
Straight Talk for Men
We are very intentional about setting aside at least 2 sessions during the retreat when we can have a manhood discussion. Ironman Outdoors relies on some very gifted speakers to join us for the manhood discussions. This is not a Bible Study and this is not a worship service. It is opportunity for men to talk about the struggles we all face and the God who gives us victory.
In fact, we have found that men are tired of the surface level chatter that takes place on Sunday mornings...."so did you see the game last night?" A manhood discussion is an authentic and transparent discussion about what it really means to be a Christian Man.
Manhole Covers? As Robert Lewis (www.mensfraternity.com) describes it, a manhole cover is a large and heavy shield that keeps the insides of our city streets from being exposed. The workers who maintain our city streets have a special tool to take those manhole covers off. In the same way, men also have manhole covers that they use to cover up their hearts. Team Ironman uses the outdoors as the tool to take off that manhole cover. We find all it takes is one man to take off his cover and usually the rest of the group will follow. And when we begin talking at the heart level, that is when the iron-sharpening is truly happening!
