In developing Knights of the 21^st Century, a program that helps men achieve their potential from God’s perspective, we have seen men’s lives changed—leading to a ripple effect across their lives: marriages are restored, challenges are met and their relationship with Jesus, the Ultimate Man, is strengthened. There are three essential ingredients which contribute to the success of Knights21. First, God is honored as men pursue an increasingly intimate relationship with Him. Second, men are encouraged as they become aware of their individual giftedness, experience being valued by others and make a commitment to preparing themselves for God’s purpose. Third, a sense of community is established as men talk with other men about what really matters and consider God’s will regarding their life choices, their leadership within the home and their influence in the world. Through the intricate intertwining of the Knights concepts, which are centered on Godly manhood, men can achieve these goals. Men are welcomed, valued as key participants in a spiritual war and prepared for being God’s change agents wherever He leads them. Anything short of being God’s best leaves us empty, passionless, bored, lazy, aimless and essentially useless.

Knights21 is not simply a curriculum for men; for those of us who have traveled this road, it has become more than a lifestyle—it’s an all-encompassing attitude that affects every part of our lives. We are dedicated to following King Jesus in ways that stand out among the status quo definitions of a male. It defines how church is done and what we expect of ourselves and each other. We want to live full-out, on the edge, all-in, asking God to do the miraculous by directing our expression of our full potential. Our passion, a gift from God, must be applied to a diversity of circumstances, as doing what God wants in each moment of life is our priority. Our satisfaction throughout life is measured by how well our actions fulfill His plan. Let’s review the attitude changes that can be achieved by men who complete the challenge of a 24-week Knights program:

Knights of the 21^st century do not attempt to retro-fit God into a convenient “Christian compartment” in our lives. He must be present everywhere, making us fully aware of how often our human will does not align with His. We ask Him for strength to do what is right, rather than focusing just on what we want to do (Luke 22:42).

As knights, we are aware of our sinful nature. We know we can’t hide the sin within us. We discuss our sin with other Godly warriors, as talking about our imperfections with each other limits the negative effects of our sins (James 5:16). We are often like the son in Matthew 21:28-31, who doesn’t get it right at first—but, with God’s grace, forgiveness and empowerment, he eventually succeeds. We don’t run from the stories of our imperfections. Instead, we try to understand our flaws and use them as reference points for humbly seeking God in the present and offering grace to the lives of others. As we own our struggles, we understand our constant need for God’s intervention.

A knight knows that he needs other men in his life to provide support. He does not accept Satan’s lie that a man who is isolated is better off. Knights choose to do life with others who, although imperfect like us, are a necessary requirement for living life well (1 Thessalonians 5:11).

Unless we are praying or physically limited, sitting on our butts is not a manly act. As knights, we must continually resist passivity, the curse of all males, to achieve our goals and fulfill God’s purpose for us (James 1:22). God created us for action; we must act according to His will. When someone has a spiritual, physical or emotional need, our natural response is to step toward their need and offer help (Isaiah 6:8).

Knights take the first step in initiating Godly action by “being” with God. Following the Knights motto, “Let’s get it done with God,” is only possible when we complete the thorough preparation that leads to a successful outcome. We actively pursue a relationship with God through prayer and reading the Bible because we have learned that our spirit is strengthened as we submit to God’s Spirit, which empowers us to apply His principles to our lives (2 Timothy 3:16-17).

God values us as knights; we base our confidence in ourselves on this fact. Because our God-given design is complex (Psalm 139:14), we respect ourselves. God expects us to act with honor, limit our sinful choices and self-destructive tendencies, and apply our capabilities to all that we do. The culture’s simplistic view of males, defining them as merely aggressive and sexual, is incompatible with our God-inspired view of ourselves. To whom “much is given, of him shall be much required” (Luke 12:48 KJV). God has blessed each of us—it’s our job to do something with His blessings.

Knights express their anger as God would (Ephesians 4:26). We want what God wants—we want widows and orphans (James 1:27), children, women and other men to feel safe, valued, respected and cared for. We are cultural warriors who willingly fight, and sometimes die, for any assault on God’s values and for anything that destroys the people He loves. Whether a hypocritical church belief, ungodly education system or another spiritual threat, we seek God’s direction as we take action as positive change agents.

Knights are willing to get dirty—reaching out to serve others requires it. Without excuse, we step up and follow the mandate of Jesus to love others (Matthew 22:36-39). Respecting the differences of others does not limit us from sharing our faith—in word and deed. God calls us to sacrifice financially, emotionally, spiritually and physically, as we reach outside of ourselves to express our love to others. God puts specific people in our lives, and through our service, His work is perfected in their lives. We use our spiritual discernment, God-given wisdom, emotional IQ , giftedness and physical energy to invest in and strengthen our relationships. Our faith in God helps us step into the unknown, as His power is manifested in our decision-making.

In Philippians 2:5 (KJV), we are reminded to “Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus.” As knights, we band together, applying our collective strength to defeat what would destroy a single man. Through our understanding of God’s design, we are able to apply ourselves fully within our home, work and community environments. We follow God in all we do as we give our relationship with Him precedence. We welcome you to join us by beginning one of our “Men Meeting Regularly” programs. Let’s talk about what matters together—with attitude!