What Really Happens at Men’s Bootcamp
By Deacon Tuttle
Each spring, our churches set out for a men’s boot camp in the wilderness. The goal is to display God’s desire for masculinity and how we are called to walk with the Lord as image bearers. In addition, we need to build up a brotherhood of believers convicted to share this truth with ourselves and others. Recently, Moscow, Missoula, and Pullman all gathered for the weekend to learn and apply these principles. Kadin Coddington, a staff member at Moscow, attended and was able to provide his insight and the heart behind the trip. Encompassing the weekend and its content is this one sentence: to become men “gladly bearing responsibility in Christ’s kingdom”.
At men’s boot camp, three aspects of masculinity are honed in on: leading, protecting, and providing. Kadin says the content used to showcase this as biblically rooted as possible. For this reason, two prominent examples can be found in Genesis 1 and Ephesians 4, both of which illustrate God’s primacy and creation of the universe, as well as the relationship between God and the church, which is meant to serve as a mirror and reflection of how we ought to imitate that imagery.
“The weekend is a good mix of both calling us up to a higher standard as well as[communication that] with every strength there is a weakness that men are susceptible to,” Kadin shared. Men tend to break down into two camps. The first is passivity. An example of this would be shirking responsibility. Men are called to be leaders and initiators with others. For some, this would be as a husband is called to lead their household (Ephesians 5:22-33).
Another excellent example of this can be found in the book of Titus. Leaders should not be passive or apathetic towards goodness, but rather be honest and self-controlled. When men do not reach this standard, let alone seek it as a virtue, they are failing not only their calling but others around them. It takes a conscious effort for some who lean into passivity to pray and ask for God’s guidance to stay away from traps that convince someone away from thoughts like these, “Someone else will do it, why should I?” or “Why does a man have to do this, it would make more sense if a woman did it.” This is a form of grumbling that we are warned to avoid in Scripture, specifically in Philippians 2:12. There is an element of much-needed humbling and submission that's necessary to overcome these thoughts, which often breed passivity. While it is often a sacrifice to put leadership into action, it is God’s good design that ensures that we will be more fulfilled as we trust in Him over our desires. Instead, we should walk into these opportunities of service to others with contentment and gratitude.
“Aggression is the other side of the spectrum for men’s common weakness, which is strength misplaced. “God has uniquely gifted men in strength, physically and emotionally, and when that strength is abused, you’re not building up the world around you but tearing it down. ”
A good portion of the weekend is dedicated to reinforcing this idea and asking for transformation. This idea is founded in scripture itself.
8 But now you must put them all away: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and obscene talk from your mouth. (Colossians 3:8)
When men use anger for their own gain and do not consider its impact on others, it is not only detrimental to building community, but it also sets a poor example of how Christ has made us new creations as Christians. Continuing improper behaviors can give the impression of a wrongly placed identity when we should focus on Godly traits and the Lord Himself.
An interesting idea to think about is how culture influences our thoughts and approaches regarding masculinity. According to Kadin, our church years ago was often guiding young men who would swing too far into aggressive behaviors. At the same time, recently, it’s been the case that more men are becoming passive and not desiring any responsibility. In response to why this is the case, Kadin said, “Culture is teaching being a man is bad, and there’s no difference between men and women. We should suppress our masculinity.” Because of this, if we are not actively fighting against the tidal wave of negative influences that reinforce incorrect ideas of men's and women’s roles, we can neglect God’s word or His purposes. Kadin refers to the notion that we are forgetful people and can be quick to forget what God teaches. Men’s boot camp has stayed consistent in reminding and providing a space for young men to wrestle with these concepts and learn how to put them into practice. This experience is not often a one-stop solution as well. Many times, it looks like having follow-up conversations with people who may need further instructions and understanding of what Biblical manhood looks like.
At the latest men’s boot camp, there was a freshman who had been assigned to grow in assuming more responsibility and leadership in the church. He has identified that he can share his faith with others; however, he has wrestled with wanting to wait for his comfort. A common visualization of men carrying responsibility often involves carrying a brick. Each person is given a brick to carry, which represents responsibility. Carrying this around serves as a physical reminder to take on a responsibility, which can be a multitude of things. Whether it is leadership, bearing another person’s struggle, or taking the challenge to accept more tasks for the sake of growing in sacrificial understanding in the world we live in. Kadin’s friend was passionate about taking up the physical brick and committed to the activity, not putting it down for a week until he was able to go through the process of ownership for his church. Kadin says his posture was, 'Why do I get to put this down if I haven’t taken any other responsibility from this weekend?’This was such an immediate transformative response to what God asks young men to commit to and seek after.
Men’s boot camp can be a challenging and convicting environment for several reasons. Diving deep into scriptural teaching, baring your heart, being humbled by others and the Lord, and going through physical challenges. “It’s shaped the way I read scripture. Seeing how God talks about men and women in scripture and how that plays out in real life,” Kadin said. It is a humbling experience to understand that there are initial tendencies and wants that can be misaligned with what God has set as the only true example. In light of these lessons, I encourage you, if you’re reading this as a young man, to consider God’s design for masculinity and what that means for you. These building blocks are the beginning of a lifelong journey in faith, as we strive for our higher calling: to be leaders, protectors, and providers. At many times in life, these will come to fruition differently, yet the principles remain the same. Coming to men’s boot camp, whether it is your first time or your fifth time, is meant to encourage and remind you that being a Christian man should reflect, “Gladly bearing responsibility in Christ’s kingdom.”
