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This is a hard question. One that plagues the heart of man. "Do I really believe all this stuff about Jesus?" "Am I just part of some cult?" Philosophers will wax eloquent about "cultural christianity" or "judeo-christian values" while avoiding the most basic and cutting question: "Do I believe?" What does that even mean?

By Grace are you Saved

For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, - Ephesians 2:8

Scripture tells us that our eternal state isn't based on our works, but the inverse: we love God and do good works after and because he has saved us. Justification is based solely on Christ's death on the cross, not through anything we can do. At the same time the Christian does not have the ability to say "I'm saved, so I can do what I want" (Rom. 6:15). With that context we can then consider how James 2:20 tells us that "faith apart from works is useless"

Your Fruits

Even a child makes himself known by his acts, by whether his conduct is pure and upright. - Proverbs 20:11 Beware of false prophets... You will recognize them by their fruits. - Matthew 7:15-16

What visible evidences should we expect of your faith?

• Discipline your whole body and mind to his service (Deut. 6:5)
• Be faithful daily and ready to do hard things ("take up your cross" - Luke 9:23)
• Build wealth that you may bless others (Eph. 4:28)
• Take care of your people (I Tim. 5:8)
• Be faithful to the body of believers (Heb. 10:24-25)

When Trials Come

Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing. - James 1:2-4

Scripture tells us not that trials might come, but that they will come. In fact, many passages tell us that trials and hard times are necessary for our good (1 Peter 1:6-7). Trials could look like the sudden death of a family member or close friend. Trials could look like the loss of a job, or a relationship turned abusive. Trials could look like having to do what we don't want to in order to faithfully follow Christ. True faith gives us perseverance, hope, and a reliance on God's grace to carry us through.

At CHALLENGE this past year one of my favorite moments was during a smoke session, where the recruits were struggling to keep up with the exercise and hold good form. Between his own groans and straining, one 13 year old recruit turned his head to another who was struggling harder and told him "pray to Jesus and ask him for strength". This is true religion realized: dependence on Christ, producing a fully committed faithfulness.

The Measure of Desire

As a deer pants for flowing streams, so pants my soul for you, O God. My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. - Psalm 42:2-3

What do you want most? That is perhaps the root question. Are your affections set on the eternal, or the temporary? What feels good in the moment, or how to live out your part in the great cosmic dance? Genuine faith involves a deep-seated desire for God and His kingdom. From that affection, all of our life is tempered:

• The food you eat
• Your daily habits
• What you do for rest (and why)
• How you view and execute work
• The words you choose to use and how you say them

For the believer, there is no separation between "spiritual" and "earthly" practices. Our spiritual disciplines (church attendance, prayer, bible study, etc.) and our daily walk (work, rest, relationships, emotions) are all alike dedicated to the King. (Matthew 6:33)

Conclusion

Is your religion real when it costs you nothing and carries no risk? Is your religion real when you fatten upon it? - Frank Herbert ...I will not offer burnt offerings to the Lord my God that cost me nothing. - 2 Samuel 24:24

So then how can we be saved, and how should we live thereafter?

• "...Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved..." - Acts 16:31
• "what does the Lord your God require of you, but to fear the Lord your God, to walk in all his ways, to love him, to serve the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul, and to keep the commandments and statutes of the Lord" - Deut. 10:12-13

Just as we train on a map and compass to find our path, the Holy Spirit by the word gives us clear direction on how we are to focus our lives if we would but study it out. If your faith doesn't lead you into challenges, you should consider if you are walking in truth. If your faith doesn't give you the means and the hope and the strength to persevere through them, then you should consider upon what you have actually put your hope.

If you want to learn more about persevering and maturing in the Christian faith, sign up for our mailing list and check out our CHALLENGE training event for young men.

When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things. - I Cor. 13:11

Growing up happens in stages. But there are some common milestones along the way. Puberty, first job, moving out, starting a family. Sometimes, when we're between milestones the road seems less clear. Settle into a routine, boredom settles in and we reach for a little fun. Every boy asks "when do I grow up"? Well that's the cool thing... (stay tuned)

When do I grow up?

Let no one despise you for your youth, but set the believers an example in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith, in purity. - I Timothy 4:12

Paul writes to Timothy, instructing him in how to interact with people of different maturity levels around him. This is a necessary skill for all of us. It's said that respect is earned, not given and there's some truth to that. "Let no man despise" is an exhortation to set an example and to demonstrate that competence and honesty which characterizes a well-rounded adult.

We never really "arrive" at that level of maturity that we're always looking forward to. The truth is, everyone's "faking it" to one extent or another. That's part of the adventure. You have to just do the thing, and learn as you go. So in that sense, we never "grow up" but are always reaching for that next level of growth.

Why do we play games?

There's a pietistic attitude towards amusements that it's all a waste of time. Video games, books, movies, music. The reality is that art, aesthetics, and culture are all part of the world we live in and are not divorced from the influence of our worldview. As a matter of fact, western culture and the world as a whole owe much of its innovation to principles built from the principles of Christianity.

Games and entertainment applied well are merely another training ground for adulthood. Teamwork, perseverance, application of various skills are all things that may start in a playground, but are necessary to a functioning society. Be intentional with your choice of activities and then give it your full effort while you can.

Embrace the Boredom: T-Shaped Skills

Even with all our modern opportunity for knowledge and practice, we find ourselves bored at times. The default behavior is to reach for the next dopamine source like a monkey. Like fasting though, the deprivation can be instructive if we allow ourselves to be bored. Artificial scarcity can make opportunity for further learning and growth.

This can sometimes take the shape of working on a task or project outside our primary interest. Woodworking or plumbing for someone more intellectually minded, or balancing books for someone used to working with their hands. Having even a modicum of awareness and proficiency in multiple areas will both make the individual more flexible, but also enhance their particular specialty. Our church like many others needed streaming and recording capability when the lockdowns came, and because I had invested time learning such technology for video game tournaments I was able to help develop that ministry opportunity.

Understand your moods and motivations with the help of friends and mentors, and then leverage them to increase your effectiveness.

Liberty and Purpose

Seek freedom and become captive of your desires. Seek discipline and find your liberty. - Frank Herbert

In the western world we throw around terms like "liberty" and "freedom", but these words don't mean "license to do whatever we want". In the "old world" it wasn't uncommon for people to be persecuted for following their convictions. The new world was hoped to give an opportunity of liberty such that people could live as they should. There is no meaning in raw hedonistic pursuits. Chasing personal pleasure will never satisfy or grant purpose and meaning. Every man and woman needs to be part of something bigger than themselves, and serve a higher purpose.

"He that committeth sin is of the devil; for the devil sinneth from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil." - 1 John 3:8

"But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name:" - John 1:12

Which way, oh man?

Learn more about how young men can develop character and leadership through programs like CHALLENGE.

"Infantry wins battles, logistics win wars."
John Pershing - General of the Armies

Logistics: the aspect of military science dealing with the procurement, maintenance, and transportation of military matériel, facilities, and personnel.

The art and science of logistics is a fundamental and arguably paramount component of any successful military, civilian, or individual enterprise. A high-level assessment of those 3 activities (procurement, maintenance, and transportation) applied to those 3 categories (matériel, facilities, and personnel) is worthwhile to consider. Conduct your own assessment at every scope that applies to you as an individual, team, or organization.

Matériel

Procurement

People and organizations struggle to spend money well. On the one hand, you could overinvest in things you don't need (though this can be a learning opportunity), and on the other hand you might omit important items that could have made you far more effective. Costs also aren't measured solely in monetary terms. For every piece of gear secured there has to be a cost-benefit calculation as well as a risk assessment. As a practical example: this multicam ruck matches my uniform better, and costs 4x the ACU (ick). If the funds are available then fine, splurge on the vanity. However, on a budget you could just as easily buy whatever's cheap and throw some spray paint on it to match your environment.

Maintenance

Ongoing costs should also be considered. How much ongoing support is needed? Are we capable of keeping up with it? The cheaper car is appealing on the surface, but if the money is going to come out in repairs and hassle anyway it might've been better to spend a little more up front (especially if those repairs are outside your own skillset).

Transportation

In the field "ounces equal pounds and pounds equal pain" as they say. How mobile are my resources? How mobile do they need to be? In finance the term is "liquidity". Do I need a rack of 5 personal rifles or should I have one or two that cover the right bases and move on?

Facilities

Procurement

Whether for housing, operations, or training everything needs a place. A point in time and space to appropriately conduct whatever mission you're called to for whatever timeframe is necessary. Often renting or borrowing space is appealing since it offloads much of the risk/liability of ownership and leaves greater mobility to the team. Sometimes this even makes more economic sense than owning space, and it's worth making a thorough assessment. Purchasing can also open up long-term economic opportunities (home ownership can be a type of forced investment, and real estate besides personal housing can also be a major investment vehicle).

Maintenance

Counting the cost should include longer term factors than the purchase price or monthly payment. What are utility costs like? Taxes? Repairs? What improvements will need to be made to support future objectives? A large part of these ongoing concerns should be your own capability/skillsets. What work can you do yourself, and what will you have to contract out? Sometimes you can save a buck by doing it yourself, but the return on hassle may not be worth it.

Transportation

What happens when a change of location becomes necessary? Do you have a contingency plan for if you needed to relocate to another state/country? An emergency fund can cover much of this, as well as generally taking thought for essential infrastructure and resources you'd need were you to move housing or operations.

Personnel

Procurement

Building a team is hard. Sometimes your own personality can be your biggest blocker to building the right community. Start by finding support/leadership you can learn from either locally or by remote study and develop into your mission. Then, as you develop you'll gradually have opportunity to bring others along by sharing what you've learned to the next generation as it were.

Maintenance

"A man that hath friends must shew himself friendly..." (Prov. 18:24a KJV) It's easy to take relationships for granted, but to remain effective we have to invest in them like everything else. Find ways to serve your people and look for opportunities for mutual support as you grow in your Christian walk.

Transportation

In some ways people are the easiest thing to move. With the right motivation they'll mobilize on their own and get from a to b. In a pinch, locate housing, employment, and a church and a body is pretty well set. In a tactical context, we now get into speed vs stealth, dismounts, mobile firepower and the like. In either case, understand the mission and then you can grasp your mobility options.

By God's grace we held a sold-out Armed Defender course in February, a growing CHALLENGE: Basic, and relaunched our staff selection course and CHALLENGE: Extreme. With all of this, we've been blessed to stay cashflow positive as we continue to build on the legacy of the Timothy Group and the lessons and people that name represents.

For 2024 we're focusing on growing our Basic program while also running Armed Defender & staff selection. As of today dates are confirmed for all 3 events and registration will open shortly. Expect to see Extreme again in 2025.

Behind the scenes we're investing time into new training resources, mentoring up new staff, and expanding our digital marketing efforts. If you know young men in the 10-20 year age range that would benefit from CHALLENGE, send them our way!

Armed Defender: Tactical Carbine

In 2017 we developed an intense, 3-day training event including classroom, flat range, and force-on-force sections meant to be a "sampler platter" introducing many essential skills to intermediate shooters seeking to improve themselves. Since then we've updated the material, incorporated new technologies, and grown in size. Last year we sold out the pistol version, and expect to have to limit slots this year.

Citizen training can make it hard to see the categories of different skillsets around firearms, and how they interact with each other. Things like low light, team communication, working structures, medical skills; all of these things take an individual investment to master, but layering them together (as would occur in a real-world scenario) is even more difficult.

Additionally, the ATF in all their wisdom has begun to arbitrarily limit our access to key training materials and we may not be able to offer this format quite the way we should like in the near future. Take advantage while you can.

If you're interested in attending send us an email or reach out on our socials.