There's no program or speaker. We just meet, greet, and eat. One of the young guys will usually offer a prayer over the meal. Very low structure.
An all-male environment is an interesting thing. As guys come in, they are greeted loudly by all the other men. There's a lot a hand-shaking. No one gets left out!
The talk around the tables gets loud. It's about anything and everything: sports, work, hobbies, family, and day-to-day stuff.
We order from the menu. Some eat oatmeal while others eat pancakes. Everybody pays their own way. A few guys pick up the tab for their friends.
This morning there were a couple sets of brothers there. Several dads brought their sons; two of the younger dads actually brought their young sons. A man brought his son-in-law. There were a couple sets of best friends there.
When we finish eating, we head off into our day. Some would say that nothing of value took place. I would disagree!
Men being with men is vital! A band of brothers is a powerful thing! Something formative happens when men get together.
When I was about ten years old, my dad took me with him to a Saturday morning men's prayer time at our church. I was the only boy there with about twenty men. We went to the altar to pray. After awhile, I felt empowered. I prayed out. The Holy Spirit fell on me and I wept and spoke loudly as His power swept over me.
When the praying was over, many of the men patted me on the shoulder or bumped me in an affirming way. I felt like I was one of them! It was a proud moment.
One of the best writers for men that I know is John Eldridge. In his book, The Way of the Wild Heart, he states:
A boy has a lot to learn in his journey to become a man, and he becomes a man only through the active intervention of his father and the fellowship of men. It cannot happen any other way. To become a man - and to know that he has become a man - a boy must have a guide, a father who will show him how to fix a bike and cast a fishing rod and call a girl and land the job and all the many things a boy will encounter in his journey to become a man.
This we must understand: masculinity is bestowed. A boy learns who he is and what he's made of from a man (or a company of men). This can't be learned in any other place. It can't be learned from other boys, and it can't be learned from the world of women. (pp.4-5)Every boy longs for a father who will teach him and show him the way! An all-male environment can be life-changing for a boy!
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