Commitment # 3 - Intentionality & the Holy Spirit

Living "intentionally" means living on purpose, not just "putting it out there" and hoping it all comes together some day in the great somewhere. Living and working intentionally is only possible with an objective purpose clearly in mind.

In order to live intentionally, a JourneyMan understands the need to embrace his own God-given purpose. He knows that vague living will not move him towards the sort of intentionality that makes a real difference, seven days a week. As he understands and embraces his God-given calling, a man can transform ordinary life into purposeful, intentional, Great Commission living.

Those who have undertaken the "on purpose" lifestyle find it immensely satisfying. They also discover that their own personal strength will take them only so far. Intentional living based on personal calling places a man in direct day-by-day partnership with the God who assigns, calls and equips him.

What could be better than living "on purpose", intentionally working out our personal calling each day, and depending on the Holy Spirit every step of the way? This approach will produce results, " 'Not by might nor by power, but by my Spirit,' says the LORD Almighty". (Zechariah 4:6)

Notice the balance between intentionality and reliance upon the Holy Spirit as exhibited by the shepherd boy David, who was assigned, called and equipped by God:

"David said to Saul, 'Let no one lose heart on account of this Philistine; your servant will go and fight him.' Saul replied, 'You are not able to go out against this Philistine and fight him; you are only a boy, and he has been a fighting man from his youth.' But David said to Saul, 'Your servant has been keeping his father's sheep. When a lion or a bear came and carried off a sheep from the flock, I went after it, struck it and rescued the sheep from its mouth. When it turned on me, I seized it by its hair, struck it and killed it. Your servant has killed both the lion and the bear; this uncircumcised Philistine will be like one of them, because he has defied the armies of the living God. The LORD who delivered me from the paw of the lion and the paw of the bear will deliver me from the hand of this Philistine.' " …(then, after a very brief fight)… "David ran and stood over him. He took hold of the Philistine's sword and drew it from the scabbard. After he killed him, he cut off his head with the sword. …" (I Samuel 17: 32-37 & 51)

See All Seven Commitments of a JourneyMan

Commitment # 4 - Challenging, Encouraging, Equipping and Serving our Families and Brothers in Christ

We JourneyMen take our vocations seriously. We understand that God Himself assigns, calls and equips us, and we know that all of our vocations are sacred pursuits.

Of all our vocations, none is more sacred than family vocations. We are called into families as husbands, fathers, brothers, sons, and so on.

The Bible has plenty to say about this. For example, we are instructed in the strongest terms to provide for our families. We are also admonished to love our wives as Christ loved the church, to honor our mother and father, and to raise our children in the training and instruction of the Lord. God intends for us to place high priority on our family roles and relationships.

Have we considered the fact that all of these instructions concerning the family can be applied to our church family?

The apostle John wrote: "… to all who received Him, to those who believed on His name, he gave the right to become children of God - children not born of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband's will, but born of God." (John 1:12-13)."

When Jesus said "I will build my church," He announced the establishment of our extended family!

Our family vocations and responsibilities do not stop on our own front porch. When we were "born again", we are adopted into a literal family, with God as our father and other believers as our brothers and sisters. We are called to be family men, not only at home, but also in the church.

God made us brothers, and as JourneyMen we stand together, side by side and back-to-back.

(Ref. I Tim. 5:8, Eph. 5:25-33, Eph. 6:2-4, Col. 3:18-25, Prov. 22:17, Matt. 20:25-26, Mark 10:43-45, John 1;12-13)

See All Seven Commitments of a JourneyMan

Commitment #5 - Godly Values, Character & Integrity

A dilemma may be defined as any difficult or perplexing situation or problem. It might also be described as a difficult choice between two alternatives.

JourneyMen face a dilemma.

On the one hand, we live and work in a competitive, “me first” culture in which it is considered normal to do whatever is best for oneself. It is customary to view truth and goodness as useful only if they advance our personal cause, viewing others as stepping stones to our own personal gain or success. One more for me, one less for you. These attitudes prevail in our social and work environments, and they characterize our culture.

On the other hand, we claim allegiance to a Savior and Lord who instructs us to love our neighbors as ourselves, forgive others and treat them as we would be treated, love our enemies and pray even for those who persecute us, and serve those whom we would lead.

The two sets of standards – those of the popular culture and those of Christ – could not be more opposed. Not only that, each has its serious disadvantages. The marketplace takes a terrible social, psychological and physical toll on its constituents, who live under enormous pressure and stress, almost a continuous “fight or flight” scenario.

Christ’s way has its own disadvantages. That is why Jesus Himself taught us to count the cost. It is also why most do not gladly and wholeheartedly choose to follow Christ in life and in the workplace. It is, after all, costly. People will ridicule us. They will laugh. We will be passed over. Friends may forsake us. The guy who wants our job or promotion will get it, if we don’t bust his chops.

So we face a dilemma.

Most men drift along in life, making smaller and larger ethical choices as they go. Some might verbally endorse the Christ centered way of life, especially on Sundays if they are the churchgoing sort. But in work and in life the rest of the week, successive choices are made day by day, week in and week out, until they accumulate to reveal one’s true allegiance. In other words, actions and attitudes add up over a span of time to reveal our true allegiance to God, or to someone else.

JourneyMen understand there is another way. That way is to choose first and decide ahead of time, counting the cost and moving forward as purposeful men of Christ. In this way, our original choice will guide our actions all the time, as we ask God daily and hourly for the knowledge of His will and the power to carry it out.

Joshua said it this way: “…choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your forefathers served beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you are living.” Notice that Joshua did not say, just move forward, men, and pick your way through the details of life and work, deciding as you go whom to serve and how to live. No, he calls us to choose first whom we will serve.

Of course, once we have made our choice to serve God, or to serve ourselves and the expectations of others, our behavior will increasingly reflect the values, character, and integrity of whomever we have chosen to serve. If we choose to serve the culture around us according to its rules and practices, then we will look and act accordingly.

If, however, we choose to serve the Lord, then the values, character and integrity we live out day by day will increasingly resemble His. In fact, they will be His, because He will be working through us.

We simply cannot obey Christ in the workplace or anywhere else without first weighing the options, counting the cost, and making a definite choice up front. Any attempt to do less will ensure “play as you go” mediocrity, inconsistency, lack of influence for the Kingdom of God, and damage to the cause of Christ.

JourneyMen understand that it is foolish to claim allegiance to Christ without first making the choice that sets our course in obedience to Him.

See All Seven Commitments of a JourneyMan

Commitment #7 - Impact & Servant Leadership

Impact suggests we do not expect to slip in and out unnoticed. That doesn't mean we swagger, brag, preach or pontificate. It does mean we are intentional about our actions in the marketplace. We have a strategy. We intend to make a difference by influencing others towards Christ.

How will we do it?

First, we deliberately choose to be servant leaders. Jesus himself, the Great Leader, said, "the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve." He also said "Whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted." Do we have authority? We will exercise it wisely and prayerfully, with a servant's heart. Do others have authority over us? We will serve wholeheartedly, going the extra mile to add value. In doing this, we will lead the way in showing others Christ in the marketplace.

Second, we demonstrate our faith with work. Real work. Excellent work. When God, who first put us to work, finished His own work of creation, He said "It is very good." We strive for the same, and in so doing we worship Him with strength, creativity and a sense of purpose. Excellence and diligence is our celebration of His work in us.

Third, we favor hands-on delivery over religious-sounding platitudes and false piety. A job well and faithfully done is worth many flowery words. Neither will we settle for worldly attitudes that fall short of God's design for us. We reject victim mentality, defeated thinking, and a false sense of entitlement. These are all forms of negative faith, failure before we start, and a lack of trust in God. In no way is this any part of God's plan for His men.

Having intentionally and deliberately carried out these principles with God’s equipping, we thank Him for the satisfaction He grants to us in our vocations. Along with thanksgiving, we pray and look for opportunities to give a reason for the hope that is in us.

And we will be ready.

See all seven Commitments of a JourneyMan

Hot Rods & JourneyMen

It may not look like much yet, but you should have seen it when it was still part of Pop's old 1966 Chevy C10 pickup truck! There was rust around the edges, and it was well worn, to say the least. It wasn't worth very much on the used jalopy market, but it's still worth plenty to me and Pop.

Just like a few of us JourneyMen, don't you think? Our original Designer built all kind of style and features into us, and over the years we burned rubber, raced the motor, went too long between oil changes, blew out the speakers, and pushed ourselves until we looked a little like Pop's truck before they took it apart.

Here's the good news. Just like the '66 Chevy truck, we are all in restoration, as the Master Mechanic takes us "off the frame" for repairs and fine tuning. We can be sure of this: As we submit to the process of restoration, God can and will finish the job and put us back out on the road again, shining and running with purpose and style.

"I'm just an old chunk of coal, but I'm gonna be a diamond some day." - Billy Joe Shaver

"For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord." - Romans 8:38-39

JourneyMen ARE the Workers of Matthew 9:37-38

Jesus said, “The harvest is so great, but the workers are so few. So pray to the Lord who is in charge of the harvest; ask him to send out more workers for his fields.” (Matthew 9:37-38).

What do you think of when you hear these words? Who are "the workers"? Where are the "fields"? Was Jesus talking only about missionaries and foreign mission fields? Do you think "sending out more workers" necessarily means taking men from their jobs, trades and professions and re-deploying them to the church or the mission field?

What if we already ARE "the workers", and what if we are already IN "the fields"? If both are true, and there are millions of Christians already in the fields, then how can it be said that the workers are "few"?

Could it be that "the workers" think someone else is doing the work?

When it gets right down to it, how can we JourneyMen NOT be "the workers" of Matthew 9:37-38?

When we go to work, are we taking our calling seriously enough to really be operating as "the workers" Jesus spoke of? What does it look like to be the "workers" in the marketplace, in the office, and on the jobsite?

It is the calling and commitment of a JourneyMan to accept and carry out the Great Commission. A JourneyMan is not destined to conduct himself as a mere employee, employer, or business owner. He is not to merely "do his job and get out". Neither is he called to live a life of mediocrity, nor of "going through the motions".

On the contrary, a JourneyMan is called by God to a higher purpose of excellence, loyalty, prayer and service. He is to build Godly influence with those who are in "the fields". After all, a JourneyMan is SENT to the fields - God's fields - to cultivate them for the harvest. He is CALLED to pray for those in the fields, love them, serve them, lead them, and to set a living example.

A JourneyMan strives to be one of the best employees, employers, business owners, husbands, fathers and brothers “in the fields". His reputation should be such that others look to him as an example of Godly living and working, that he might have influence with those who are the living harvest of Matthew 9:37.

JourneyMen Require Margin

"Margin" (M) has been defined as the space between the "load" (L) on our lives and the "capacity" (C) we have to bear the load.

Margin = Capacity - Load

It's a simple enough concept, but not quite so simple in practice.

All we are responsible for doing, and all that we choose to take on, comprise the "load". Collectively, the load is much greater than it was a generation ago, and far greater than it has been for 99% of the history of mankind. We live in an information-soaked, constantly communicated, work and obligation-loaded, multi-tasked culture.

Each man's "capacity" is his own, and there are many physical, emotional and environmental variables. However, every one of us has 24 hours each day, no more and no less. We each need sufficient rest and exercise, mutually supportive relationships, reasonably healthy food, faith in God, knowledge of our God-given purposes and how to carry them out, and practical experience at effective living.

Depending upon capacity and load, margin can be positive or negative. When load exceeds capacity, margin has gone negative and has become "margin deficit". What does it look like? It looks like chronic multi-tasking. It looks like sleeping five or six hours a night to squeeze in evening activities and still beat commuter traffic in the morning. It looks like skipping our prayer and devotion time, or shortcutting family relationships to "get through" our paces. It looks like disheartenment, and even despair. It looks out of control, because it is. Many of us have been or are now in margin deficit.

Continuous margin deficit is hazardous to our health, our relationships, and our spiritual wellbeing. It causes and contributes to depression, fatigue, irritability, addictions, broken relationships, anxiety, sleep disorders and countless other maladies.

A positive margin is essential to a good life. Quality relationships with God and others are built "in the margin". These relationships suffer or die when margin goes negative. Many of us learn that our best creative thinking and planning is done "in the margin". We simply cannot be fully successful in living our lives as men of God - as JourneyMen - without some positive margin in our lives.

Once it has been given up, margin is difficult but not impossible to reclaim. Restoration of positive margin requires personal strategy and commitment, innovation and follow-through. We cannot reclaim margin by intending to do something about it, or by sleeping less. We must come up with specific, practical ideas to restore margin, then commit ourselves to implementing them.

Accountability is essential to progress: Once we have decided to restore margin in our lives, what are we doing about it?