I mentioned how there were good times of community building and team formation.
Here, I want to take some time to share with you one of the most impactful experiences.
Men’s Bonfire Night
One night, the 11 guys from my squad got the privilege to meet together with Seth Barnes and some other wise and experienced AIM staff men. But that wasn’t even the best part (No offense, Seth, although I’m sure you understand). What those AIM staff men did for us was to provide for us an opportunity, just simply an invitation. The presented us with a choice to start to be open and honest–vulnerable–with each other, to start to build authentic Christian community among us guys. After that, the men took their leave, and we were left sitting at the bonfire with nothing but time and the choice laid before us.
Slowly, one by one, each of the guys started to open up their hearts to each other (the way that is so uncommon among men, especially in this culture, and sadly even within the Church). We started to share all of our crap, sharing our deepest secrets of hurt, pain, failure, insecurity and sin. And that is when it began; that is when we began to truly love each other. We were now exposed, now vulnerable. But now, we are truly able to love each other for who we truly are, not trying to hide behind a mask or facade. By doing so, we disarmed the Blackmailer, who no longer had the power of guilt or shame over us, for we willingly chose to step out into the light.
This has served to start the process of healing, restoration, and redemption for us in those areas of our personal lives. But this has also allowed us to dive so deeply already into a place of deep, authentic, Christian community, creating a safe space among us men for God to work. Now, we can allow each other to speak into each others’ lives, and hopefully by doing so, God Himself speaks to our souls.
But finally, is is also just the starting place, the starting place for God to work in us, for us to grow more deeply in relational intimacy with Him, but also to start to allow God to work through us for the sake of having the same thing be born in others. And hopefully, that can start with the women of our squad, seeing that us men have started to trust each other and bear each others’ burdens, perhaps this will give the women a chance also to do the same and foster healthy healing, restoration, and redemption in Christ.
