PERFORMANCE BASED CHRISTIANITY FOR MEN
THREE STRIKES AND YOU'RE OUT OF THIS ELITE CULT CLUB!
SUCCEED AND YOU GET TO BE
A TOP DOWN RULER OF LESSER MEN!
As if John Eldredge's "Wild at Heart" men's "discipling" program to help Christian men discover their "true selves" wasn't enough psychoheresy for churches, (see our post: http://ratherexposethem.blogspot.com/2013/07/the-father-wound-psychoheresy-of-john.html),
we stumbled across yet another men's self-improvement plan structured to help males "man up" facilitated by a type of "boot camp" military basic training course. This so-called "discipling" program, birthed as a ministry of a Grace Brethren church called Grace Community Church, Goshen, Indiana, pastored by Jim Brown, has its own peculiar requirements, standards, and identifying characteristics, including, but not limited to, a "three strikes you're out" hurdle, secrecy, pornography free, community (collectivist) submission to group leaders, feats of strength and endurance, pie eating contests, bonfires, "Adidas" brand pullovers, bracelets with gold stars, and assorted badges of honor, etc.
Just what every Christian male was hoping for has come true, that is, if you are still an adult adolescent who hasn't reached maturity on different levels. What happens to you if you "strike out"? Do you go to hell? Lose your salvation? See a counselor? Seems like a new form of works based gnosticism to us, besides being psycho-heretical.
What we have here are the same carnal methods that return Christian men back to their fleshly self-centered former selves as preferable, and a clear repudiation of any Christ likeness they had or could have had by maturing according to Scripture, that we saw in John Eldredge's "Wild at Heart". It shouts that the church has failed men and the Word of God is insufficient to transform lives. This is just one more emerging pastor who arrogantly thinks he can improve on the already sufficient power of God to transform lives.
What a pity and shame to think that manly self denial, sacrifice and love could be better engendered in a cult-like club governed by the man made rules and regulations of a select few elitist leaders, than by the model of Christ and His followers. The church is not modeled after humanist socialist, communist, or collectivist ideology, but modeled after the body of Christ and its members.
Therefore, men having been blessed with various gifts and abilities are all different from one another and cannot be made to think, act, or behave alike. In Christ's church, NO ONE STRIKES OUT!
Ephesians 5:30-"For we are members of His body, of His flesh and of His bones."
Romans 12:4-"For as we have many members in one body, but all the members do not have the same function"
1 Corinthians 12:
12 For as the body is one and has many members, but all the members of that one body, being many, are one body, so also is Christ.
18 But now God has set the members, each one of them, in the body just as He pleased.
20 But now indeed there are many members, yet one body.
22 No, much rather, those members of the body which seem to be weaker are necessary.
23 And those members of the body which we think to be less honorable, on these we bestow greater honor; and our unpresentable parts have greater modesty,
25 that there should be no schism in the body, but that the members should have the same care for one another.
26 And if one member suffers, all the members suffer with it; or if one member is honored, all the members rejoice with it.
27 Now you are the body of Christ, and members individually.
See: http://www.gracecommunity-church.com/#/ministries/men-fight-club, described as quote:
"Fight Club is a men's discipleship and leadership development process.Fight Club is about men fighting for their families, their children, and their integrity. Today's culture makes faithfulness, purity and family values a challenge. If we are not purposeful about how we live, we can slide into a meaningless life we never aimed for. And our families suffer for it.
In Fight Club, assignments and expectations are given—a creed is signed that each person must live by or they will strike out of the group. The assignments have to do with strengthening relationships, getting in physical shape, and getting right with God. There is a fight going on every day. We can choose to ignore it or forfeit. Or we can fight. We can live with purpose. We can strive to become the men our world needs us to be. We can be leaders and lovers and fighters for our families."
FIGHT CLUB: http://www.fightclub414.com/, founded by pastor Jim Brown because:
"MEN HAVE BEEN DUMBED DOWN" VIDEO
(ALSO KNOWN AS A SALESMAN "CREATING THE NEED"):
BRANDED BY A MALE MANTRA COUPLED WITH THUMPING MALE CHESTS:
