Sights and triggers: the smallest definition of marksmanship. Rightly applied, these two things are all that's needed to put accurate fire on a target. That's not at all to say that's all that's needed... As soon as more than one round is required, principles of grip and stance become the most important thing to presenting and controlling that firearm. Each of these can fill whole books with nuance, variations, and context, and should be addressed to that level. In a similar way, theology can be summed up in carefully concise ways. Salvation (saving faith in Jesus Christ) could be described as 1: man's inadequacy (sin), and 2: the Savior, Christ Jesus. Sinner and savior: the sights and triggers of salvation. Man as a fallen creature incapable of saving himself from the just punishment for sin, and God's calling of salvation and redemption in his Son.

Similarly to our first example, while these two things are the fundamentals of the faith and a good summary... that's only part of the story. I pray that after you read this you would think on your eternal state. If you have professed faith in Christ, then good... but now the war begins: Seek out a faithful church and brothers and sisters to fight alongside you. Seek out the training you need to serve God's kingdom, and discipline yourself as a warrior for Christ.

We do! As far as payment goes, only a small amount is required up front to reserve your spot. The remainder is due when you arrive at CHALLENGE. Hopefully you've signed up early and have a few months between sign up and the event, during which time you can pull the remainder together. If the total amount is a concern, we encourage you to reach out to us. Our general process is to address the candidate on a case-by-case basis and see what they are able to pay or work off. If they come up short, we have sponsors who contribute in order to ensure young men are able to receive this critical training regardless of their financial situation.

Short answer - no! Although CHALLENGE: Basic was designed for young men ages 13-18, we have had much interest from young men outside those ages, as well. For eleven and twelve year olds, there is an "Intro" track where they can participate in the training and instruction, but their routine is slightly more relaxed. They receive a lot of benefit from learning spiritual lessons and teamwork from a young age, and they become more prepared to keep up with the rigors of CHALLENGE (and life) as full recruits when they get older.

This post, though concise, resonates heavily with our mission. Men were made to work, and struggle, and strive. If you want to hear about one option for a "rite of passage" for young men check out our CHALLENGE program.

Bodyweight training is great, and you can accomplish a lot with no equipment at all. However, there are more optimal ways to build strength and endurance, especially after puberty when you can recover much more rapidly from training. 3-6 months of a basic barbell program like Starting Strength is a very efficient path to lasting improvement in your physique and, more importantly, your health.

Interested in more training? Check out our upcoming events on the website or send us an email to see what we can do for you.