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What does it actually mean to be a man in today's world? In this conversation, Pastor Joby Martin joins Chad Robichaux to confront what they call a growing manhood crisis inside the church and across culture. From biblical masculinity to responsibility, leadership, courage, repentance, and love, this episode challenges the modern caricatures of manhood and calls men back to their God-given role as providers, protectors, servant leaders, and spiritual anchors for their families.Drawing from Scripture, personal stories, and real-world leadership, Joby explains why strength and tenderness are not opposites and why passivity rooted in fear is devastating families and communities. Whether you're a man searching for direction or someone who wants to understand how strong men shape healthy families and cultures, this episode delivers truth without compromise.Get the book Stand Firm and Act Like Men: https://a.co/d/9ZA1zoELearn more about Church of Eleven22: https://coe22.comFollow Joby: https://www.instagram.com/jobypmartinRESILIENT:Live Resilient Store: https://shop.theresilientshow.comJoin Our Patreon: https://patreon.com/theresilientshowFollow Us On Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/resilientshowFollow Us On Twitter: https://twitter.com/resilientshowFollow Us On TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@resilientshowFollow Chad:https://www.instagram.com/chadrobo_officialhttps://www.x.com/chadroboChad's Jacket is from: https://thenormalbrand.comChad's Jeans are from: https://devil-dog.comSPONSORS:Smith & Wesson: https://www.smith-wesson.com/Vortex Optics:https://vortexoptics.comGatorz Eyewear: https://www.gatorz.com/Allied Wealth:https://alliedwealth.comBioPro+: https://www.bioproteintech.com/CHAD30BioXCellerator:https://www.bioxcellerator.comThe Holy Waters:https://theholywaters.comGet The Resilient Show x Uncharted Supply Co Bag: https://shop.theresilientshow.comSLNT: https://slnt.comTRS is a proud supporter of military & first responder communities in partnership with Mighty Oaks Foundation.
Welcome back to another episode of the unSeminary podcast. We're talking with Sarah Hooley, Executive Pastor at City Church in Fort Wayne, Indiana. Founded in 2016 by Lead Pastor Chris Freeman, City Church is a young, rapidly growing, intentionally multi-ethnic, multi-economic, and multi-generational church. Since moving from a setup/teardown environment into their renovated 60,000-square-foot facility, the church has experienced explosive growth—reaching 2,500–2,600 weekly attendees, baptizing nearly 500 people this year, and engaging a high percentage of unchurched and new-to-faith individuals. Is your church reaching people far from Jesus but struggling to disciple them well? Are you navigating the complexities that come with rapid growth? Tune in as Sarah shares how City Church reaches, welcomes, disciples, and mobilizes people who often arrive with little to no church background. Reaching the unchurched at scale. // From the beginning, City Church planted itself intentionally in one of Fort Wayne's most racially diverse neighborhoods. Many guests arrive with no church vocabulary. Many don't know the difference between the Old and New Testament or famous biblical characters. Teaching, therefore, is designed with zero assumptions, helping newcomers feel included while still deeply challenging long-time believers. Worship reflects the church's diversity, blending musical styles in a way that unites cultures rather than centering one preference. Many first-time attendees hear about the church through friends who aren't yet believers themselves—evidence that transformation is visibly taking root. Welcoming culture built by transformed people. // One of the most powerful forces shaping City Church is its culture of warmth and belonging. Their Connections Director, Victoria, came to Christ through City Church herself—giving her deep empathy for the unchurched experience and a passion for noticing people. Her team is trained not just to greet but to see people, engage them meaningfully, and make church feel safe and familiar. Serve teams are intentionally open to nonbelievers as a front door for community and spiritual curiosity—allowing people to “belong before they believe.” This relational warmth is often the defining difference-maker for guests who have never experienced church before. Discipleship for people with no foundation. // Rapid growth and a high percentage of new believers revealed a critical discipleship gap. In response, Pastor Chris launched Act Like Men, a 15-week, high-accountability discipleship course for young men covering identity, integrity, purity, humility, servanthood, and spiritual discipline. Women quickly asked for something similar, prompting the launch of Be Bold Women, a complementary course that includes teaching, mentoring, small groups, a women's conference, and topics like emotional health, community, and living as a godly woman. A volunteer-driven church with a tiny staff. // One of the most stunning aspects of City Church is how much ministry happens through volunteers rather than staff. With only seven full-time staff and roughly 2,600 attendees, their ratio is radically outside national norms. Staff serve as equippers, not doers. High-level volunteer leaders oversee major portions of ministry: shadowing, training, leading teams, scheduling people, and pastoring others. Leadership development is an essential form of discipleship, not an operational necessity. Leading from abundance, not scarcity. // Sarah encourages leaders to adopt a “loaves and fishes” mindset – the question is not what the church lacks but what God can do with what it has. Simplicity, clarity, and focus keep the team aligned. Staff calibrate constantly, coaching one another to resist the pull toward doing everything themselves. Sarah also stresses the importance of relational support systems for leaders—cohorts, mentors, and peers who remind pastors that faithfulness, not outcomes, is the goal. To learn more about City Church, visit forthecity.com, or follow them on social media at @citychurchfw. Thank You for Tuning In! There are a lot of podcasts you could be tuning into today, but you chose unSeminary, and I'm grateful for that. If you enjoyed today's show, please share it by using the social media buttons you see at the left hand side of this page. Also, kindly consider taking the 60-seconds it takes to leave an honest review and rating for the podcast on iTunes, they're extremely helpful when it comes to the ranking of the show and you can bet that I read every single one of them personally! Lastly, don't forget to subscribe to the podcast on iTunes, to get automatic updates every time a new episode goes live! Thank You to This Episode’s Sponsor: Risepointe Do you feel like your church’s or school's facility could be preventing growth? Are you frustrated or possibly overwhelmed at the thought of a complicated or costly building project? Are the limitations of your building becoming obstacles in the path of expanding your ministry? Have you ever felt that you could reach more people if only the facility was better suited to the community’s needs? Well, the team over at Risepointe can help! As former ministry staff and church leaders, they understand how to prioritize and help lead you to a place where the building is a ministry multiplier. Your mission should not be held back by your building. Their team of architects, interior designers and project managers have the professional experience to incorporate creative design solutions to help move YOUR mission forward. Check them out at risepointe.com/unseminary and while you’re there, schedule a FREE call to explore possibilities for your needs, vision and future…Risepointe believes that God still uses spaces…and they're here to help. Episode Transcript Rich Birch — Hey friends, welcome to the unSeminary podcast. So glad that you’ve decided to tune in today. This is going to be a jam-packed episode. You’re going to want to buckle up. We’re talking about a lot of stuff today that applies to your church that I know will be super helpful. I’m excited to be talking to Sarah Hooley. She is the executive pastor at a church called City Church in Fort Wayne, Indiana. This is a church you should be tracking with. If you’re not, they were founded in 2016 by lead pastor Chris Freeman. It’s a diverse church in a city that is for the city with multi-ethnic, multi-economic, multi-generational community. It’s really, God’s doing some incredible things here, and you’re going to want to track along with that. And we’ve got Sarah on the show to help us. Sarah, welcome to the show. Sarah Hooley — Thank you so much for having me. It is a privilege to be joining you today. Rich Birch — Oh, this is going to be wonderful. I’m really looking forward to learning from you. Why don’t you tell us a little bit of the City Church story, kind of set up. Tell us a little bit about it. What’s going on Give us a sense of what’s happening at City Church. Sarah Hooley — Yeah, so we are a nine-year-old church plant. We were a set-up, teardown church for the last eight or so years ah seven and a half. We’ve move we bought a grocery store in 2020. Rich Birch — Good year. Sarah Hooley — Great time to buy a building, and and it was being used as a warehouse. And so we bought it and then the pandemic happened and we’re like, well, we still have a warehouse occupying the space. Maybe at some point it’ll become a church. We don’t know. And then it was just about a couple years ago that we then started a capital campaign and went to develop the the space. It’s 60,000 square feet. We developed about 40,000 square feet of it for our church. Rich Birch — Wow. Sarah Hooley — I’m thinking, man, that’s going to, we’ll be set for a good long time. And we are out of space already. Rich Birch — Yes. Sarah Hooley — And so and we moved from two services to three. And now we’re just, excuse me, trying to figure out what do we do? um God has just been moving in incredible ways. Like we have from the from the start been very intentional about wanting to be a multi-ethnic, multi-economic, multi-generational church. And where we planted has been very intentional. Sarah Hooley — So even where we were for set up and tear down, and we were right in the heart of the city where it was the most ethnically diverse within Fort Wayne. So Fort Wayne is roughly about 66% white in the city as a whole, but in our neighborhood specifically, it’s more 40% African-American, 20% white, 20-ish percent Hispanic. And so it is a much more racially diverse area. Rich Birch — So good. Sarah Hooley — And that is has been very intentional from the beginning. And so our location now, is it’s just been beautiful to see how God has really drawn people from every background. And, you know anyone who’s been a part of a multi-ethnic church knows that that that’s a messy process. It’s It is incredible to see, though, the the beauty and of what God can do when we are are not just attending a church together, but really in community with one another, and with people who come from radically different backgrounds um and and how that can really bring about a lot of healing in our stories and in our in our relationships. Rich Birch — So good. Sarah Hooley — And so um we have grown since moving into the building, we were about 800 people um when we were set-up/teardown. And then once we moved into the building, it has just been um exponential growth. So we we have grown very quickly and just tried to keep up with all of it. Sarah Hooley — One of the things that I’ve i’ve just loved about City Church is it’s very intentional about um reaching those who don’t know Jesus. And so the that really comes from our our lead pastor, from Pastor Chris Freeman, his heart for the lost. So a lot of our growth has not been transfer growth. It’s not just people moving from church to church, but really those who’ve never set foot in a church, those who are, or who ah are really far from Jesus. It’s been a long time. Sarah Hooley — And the greatest evidence of that, that we’ve seen is we are on track to have 500 baptisms this year. Rich Birch — Wow. Oh my goodness. Sarah Hooley — That has just blown our minds. Rich Birch — That’s incredible. Sarah Hooley — Like we, We had to move up ah the frequency of our baptisms to every six weeks because we just could not keep up with all of the people who wanted to get baptized. Rich Birch — We’re not baptizing enough. That’s amazing. Wow. That’s incredible. Sarah Hooley — But we we’re about 430 right now, and I have over 70 people registered for this next upcoming one in December. Sarah Hooley — So it has just it has been a wild ride… Rich Birch — Yeah, that’s great. Sarah Hooley — …of um seeing God move in such phenomenal ways, and and just try to be faithful along the way. How do we steward these people well? Rich Birch — So good. Sarah Hooley — How do we continue to point them to Jesus? How do we encourage them to grow in their faith and to take those next steps of what it looks like to follow him? So it’s… Rich Birch — Yeah, that’s so good. There’s a ton we could we could unpack there, and maybe we’ll have you on in the future to talk. I um, you know, we’ve said it in the past on the podcast, every zip code in the country is more diverse today than it was 10 years ago, and 10 years from now, it will be more diverse, and our churches need to continue to progress towards reflecting the kingdom of God and being, as you’re saying, multi-ethnic. Rich Birch — And so there’s a ton we could we could learn from you on that. Maybe we’ll have you back in the future to talk about that. Cause I, that is definitely a thing I think we all can, can learn from, but I’d love to kind of key in on what you were talking there about. Hey, your church has a heart for, which I think lots of churches do have a heart for reaching people, who don’t know Jesus, but it’s like actually happening at your church, ah which is incredible. Rich Birch — So what were some early signs, you know, that you realize, or what are some of the signs that you realize, oh, this is actually happening. Like we’re actually reaching people. Baptism is one of them. Can you think of any other signs that were like, oh, we we’re reaching people who, who this is a brand new thing for them? Sarah Hooley — Yeah. So I mean, baptism was definitely a big sign of like, wow, these are, these are people who are, are new to following Jesus and taking that, that first step. And in our conversations with people who are preparing to be baptized, um, that, that was a part. It’s so funny, just, just this last week, uh, somebody posted on their Facebook page, uh, City Church choir is better than the club for real. Rich Birch — I love it. Love it. That’s great. Sarah Hooley — And they didn’t, like we don’t have, we didn’t have a choir. It’s our worship team, but like they don’t even know the words for what that worship team is. Rich Birch — Yes. Yes. Yeah. They don’t know the words yet. Sarah Hooley — And, and the comments after that, like it, it truly was showing that we, we are drawing and attracting people who, who like, they’ve they’ve never really considered going to church. And then in our conversations with people, as they’ve realized, like, man, I do want this. I want to follow this Jesus. Like, this makes sense. This is incredible. But you just can’t assume anything. Rich Birch — No. Sarah Hooley — Like, they there’s no foundational understanding of what that looks like. There’s no, and and I think even just, there’s no understanding of even like what some sins are. Like, there’s just not like, oh, I didn’t even, not even realizing that like, that’s not a good idea to continue. So we’ve had, we have people who are like, yes, I want to follow Jesus. And then they’re still sleeping with their girlfriend. They’re still, you know, like it’s and it’s like… Rich Birch — Yes. Yeah. 100%. Sarah Hooley — …oh, I didn’t, I didn’t even know… Rich Birch — The thing. Sarah Hooley — …that that was something that you shouldn’t do. Rich Birch — Yes. Sarah Hooley — And so really being able to, to come alongside and say, okay, man, we have to go back to the basics. We can’t assume anything. It’s gonna… Rich Birch — That’s good. Sarah Hooley — And it really has set the tone, even in just the way that Chris preaches and and all of our our pastors preach that we don’t make assumptions when we’re talking about scripture. Rich Birch — Yeah, that’s good. Sarah Hooley — So allowing um there not to be any barriers or or anything that would create a place where people would feel like, man, like everybody else knows what he’s talking about, but I don’t. And so like just the way that you set things up and explain things and introduce people. So you don’t don’t just assume that everybody knows who Joseph is from the Old Testament. Rich Birch — 100%. Right. Sarah Hooley — Like you have to be like, Hey, this is this guy. And so I think that that has led us to like, Chris does such a great job on Sunday mornings, but man, there’s, there’s so much more that we need to do as far as for people to truly learn what it means to follow Jesus when they don’t have much of a background. Like it’s going to take some more intentional discipleship that, um that we do. So that that has been really a process of of recognition that we even people who are coming on a Sunday… Rich Birch — Right. Sarah Hooley — …they’re excited about Jesus, there’s still some gaps there. Rich Birch — Sure. I’d love to talk. We’re going to get into the discipleship question, but I just want to pause just before we get there. And so um what do you think God’s using to help your church engaged? You know, in different circles of the Christian world, it’s called different things. Unchurched people, seekers, people who follow Jesus, people new to the faith, you know. So the teaching, I agree. That’s like a best practice around, um ah you know, taking time to explain. It takes three sentences to explain instead of just saying, well, you all know Joseph. Sarah Hooley — Yeah. Rich Birch — He’s an example, which is just lazy preaching. You should take a few sentences, explain it. But what else is God using you think to, ah you know, to help your church reach so many unchurched people? Sarah Hooley — Yeah, you know, so we we really have, the the teaching is significant. Rich Birch — Yep. Sarah Hooley — And that’s one of the things that I have just been blown away. So I grew up as a pastor’s kid, went to Bible college, went to seminary, like… Rich Birch — Yep. Sarah Hooley — …biblical, like good, solid biblical teaching is such a huge priority for me. Rich Birch — Yep. Sarah Hooley — And the thing that I think has been unique is that Chris has a way of communicating with those who have never been in church and and helping them to to see a clear picture of who Jesus is and challenging the deep disciples. Those who’ve been following Jesus their whole life. And yet, man… Rich Birch — Yeah, it’s so good. Sarah Hooley — …the way that he brings light to scripture and, and even just like points out some, like, this is what it means to live this out. Rich Birch — That’s good. Sarah Hooley — That has made such a big difference. And then, so we really have had this, this drawing of, of those who have been followers… Rich Birch — So good. Sarah Hooley — …who then can invest in those who are new believers. But also we have, and it and it is beautiful, like a really dynamic worship time that is incredible. And one of the things that’s unique about it is it’s because we’re multi-ethnic, you can’t just go in one kind of genre of music, like it really is a blend. Rich Birch — Yeah, that’s so good. Sarah Hooley — And so there’s something about it that um it it’s not all of anyone’s preferences, but you’re like, oh man, like I love this part of it. And then, well, this part’s new and different, but okay, I can I can get on board with it. And so I think those that combination, um but there’s there’s another factor and that’s, that really is in the culture that’s been set in how we are a welcoming church. Sarah Hooley — And so our connections director is somebody who came to faith in our church. So she she started following Jesus, like she had no church background whatsoever, started following Jesus, um started really growing in her discipleship. Her name is Victoria. And it it has been such a beautiful thing to see how she has has such a heart for Jesus and heart for others. And so she’s continued to invest in her team… Rich Birch — It’s great. Sarah Hooley — …in like, how do we make people feel welcome from the beginning? How do we not just say hello and let them walk by, but like really see people? Sarah Hooley — And she has really invested in her connection team on like, how is that an opportunity for discipleship? And so one of the things is you can you can join our greet team. You can join our parking lot team. You can join our coffee team and not be a believer. But the heart behind it is like, is you’re still investigating who Jesus is. Like we hope that you’re rubbing shoulders with someone who is following after him. Rich Birch — Yeah, make some friends, right? Yeah, absolutely. Sarah Hooley — And you have those conversations and that relationship has grown um through that. And you’re you get a picture of of who Jesus is. Rich Birch — So good. Sarah Hooley — And so um like there there it’s just this multifaceted thing that has happened um that really is like when you come, you’re like man, I want to be a part of this. And so we have like, that’s the crazy thing. We have people who are not followers of Jesus inviting their friends, Rich Birch — Yeah, 100%. That’s great. Sarah Hooley — …like new church is better than the club for real. Rich Birch — Yeah, yeah, yeah. Yeah, that’s great. Sarah Hooley — Like they’re inviting their friends to come and… Rich Birch — So good. Sarah Hooley — …and be a part of this because there’s just something happening here. Rich Birch — Yeah, that’s good. Okay, let’s talk about the discipleship issue. So ah you didn’t say this, I said it, but one of the problems with the church in general is a lot of our discipleship systems assume a fairly high level of actually understanding of scripture. And our church shares a similar heartbeat. We’ll normally see, one of the things a new year guest come through in our church. We don’t ask them a lot, but one of the questions we do ask is for them to describe their kind of faith background before they came. And we’re consistently above 50%. It’s usually 60, 75% of people would describe themselves as something that we would label as unchurched. Rich Birch — And so I understand the discipleship problem. In lots of churches it just you just assume people know stuff and they grow closer to Jesus, but that’s not the case. So how are you helping move people towards being fully discipled followers of Jesus? What does that look like for City Church? Sarah Hooley — Yeah, so we we do, we have loved using Alpha for for those who really still are in that questioning phase and like they’re not even sure. And like they may not, they might may not feel comfortable coming to City Church, but they would come to somebody’s house and walk through Alpha. So that’s been really great for those who are kind of trying to still discover who Jesus is. Sarah Hooley — But for specific discipleship, because we were realizing, man, there’s just some some gaps here, Chris decided to launch a 15-week discipleship course for young men specifically. Rich Birch — Love it. Sarah Hooley — And we really saw, like we are we are a pretty young church. I mean, always have been, but that there was some some pretty serious gaps in and not only like, what does it mean to follow Jesus, but even what does it mean like what does it mean to be a godly man? And so wanting to have, to bring alongside some intentional mentors and people who can invest in these young men. Sarah Hooley — So um he invited people, but it was a very high accountability, high expectation sort of class. They meet at 6 a.m. on Thursday mornings. Rich Birch — Yeah. Wow. Sarah Hooley — That is not something everybody wants to sign up for. It was… Rich Birch — Yeah, no, not every guy wants to do that. I can say that. Sarah Hooley — No, it is it is a huge sacrifice. Rich Birch — Yep. Sarah Hooley — And he said, this is going to require a lot of you. Rich Birch — Right. Sarah Hooley — And they actually have a crazy. Like if you are, if anyone is late, any single person is late, even five seconds, the whole group does pushups together… Rich Birch — Oh, no. Yeah. Okay, that’s cool. Sarah Hooley — …and not in a shaming way, but in a like, Hey, we’re inviting you to something great. Rich Birch — Right. Sarah Hooley — And part of, part of following Jesus is is it’s going to need incorporate discipline in your life. And so we have, we are called to have discipline. And so we’re going to really keep you accountable to this. Sarah Hooley — And so he does um he he talks through, like what does it mean to be a godly man? Talks about identity, talks about discipline, talks about integrity, purity, humility, servanthood. So he’ll do a ah teaching, and then they break off into groups with two leaders. So each group usually has about six six guys who are participants and two leaders who are older men in the church who have um that Chris has identified and recruited. And then they have a small group time. Sarah Hooley — So It has been so incredible to see how God is working, not only through his teaching, but really through that accountability… Rich Birch — That’s good. Sarah Hooley — …and like digging into what does this look like in our lives? And, and then those leaders are, are following up with them and encouraging them throughout the week. They, they do, they, they challenge, they come up with their own challenges. And as like, okay, we’re going to memorize this passage of scripture. And then they, then they like, all right, how did you, did you memorize this? Most of these guys have never memorized scripture in their lives. Rich Birch — Right. Right. Sarah Hooley — And so, even though some of those practices have been really incredible. And he he calls the class Act Like Men. And it really is so, and he makes it very clear, this is not about talking about what what is the difference between a man and a woman. This is talking about what’s the man and a boy. Sarah Hooley — Like we are calling you to be godly men and intentionally calling you up to to live out as godly men, not selfish boys. And so that, that has been beautiful. There was about, um, I think he had about 60 participants the first time he he ran it… Rich Birch — Wow. Sarah Hooley — …with 25 leaders. And then this next, um, this heat currently they’re they’re walking through it right now and there’s 100 guys and 30 leaders. Rich Birch — Wow. Sarah Hooley — It also requires, and they have to pay $100 and that goes right back into them. Like it’s for some resources that they are given. But again, it gives that like, hey, this is a high threshold. This isn’t just a casual thing. Rich Birch — Right. Sarah Hooley — They also cannot miss more than three sessions. If they do, they are asked to step away and if they can join again in a future time. Rich Birch — Take it again or whatever. Yeah. Sarah Hooley — So super high high high… Rich Birch — And is it the idea that it’s going to rotate like kind of a couple seasons a year or something like that? How what what’s the thinking on that? Sarah Hooley — Yeah. Rich Birch — Like how often are you going to run it or what’s that? What’s that look like? Sarah Hooley — Yeah. So, so what we’ve done so far is, um, the men’s course is in the fall. And then, um, after last, last fall, the first time that, that Chris did it, there was such an out, like lot of the wives and the girlfriends and the people who were just connected with these guys, they were like, man, this has been so incredible. Like, what do you have for women? Like, when are we going to have our, our course? Sarah Hooley — And so that really sparked. And I was like, I’m too busy to do this right now, but like, I can’t not do it. So, um my kids, pastor, and I developed Be Bold Women’s, which was a complimentary course for women. And so the men is in the fall and the women starts in January. And we go through the spring and do kind of a similar, we follow a lot of the same topics, although we did choose some different ones, a couple of specific one… Rich Birch — Sure. Sarah Hooley — …that we felt really convicted that, like we do one of our lessons is on emotions and like, what is a healthy, godly way to approach and process, and how are emotions a part of our life? We also talk about community. So there’s just a couple of different topics that we walk through with the women. Sarah Hooley — We also incorporated women’s conference as a part of it that we then opened up to the rest of the church. So everyone in the church could come to the conference. We had our own people speaking at it, our own worship team leading worship. And we had about 300 women at this conference. Rich Birch — Wow. That’s great. Sarah Hooley — And it was just, it was a great start, like jumpstart to our time together in the course, but then also with our larger community. Rich Birch — There’s a lot there I’d love to ask questions about. So my impression of City Church just looking in, don’t know your church well, but follow online. And, you know, I don’t get the vibe from you guys that there’s like, I don’t know, like an overly machismo kind of like, you know, ah like in a negative way. Like, you know, you know you know what I mean? There’s some churches out there. You’re like, okay, they’re like a little too much into the man/woman thing. Sarah Hooley — Uh-huh. Rich Birch — And, and I don’t know how to say that nicely and not like step on people’s toes. I don’t get that vibe from you guys, but this, but you’ve, you’ve obviously taken, taken a gendered approach. Can you unpack that a little bit? Help me understand how is that it’s obviously been super helpful. So, but just kind of talk through that issue. Help me understand that. What’s that look like for you guys? Sarah Hooley — Yeah, we really saw their there just was a need to have those intentional conversations um really of older men investing in younger men, and older women investing in younger women. Rich Birch — Oh, that’s good. Yeah, that’s good. Sarah Hooley — And so um there are things that, there are conversations that you can have when it’s just men, that you add one woman into that mix and it’s gonna change some of those conversations. Rich Birch — Sure. Sarah Hooley — And some of the things that, especially when it comes to kind of the harder accountability parts of of those conversations, it’s going it’s just gonna look differently. If if somebody’s trying to impress somebody else, like that’s going to be an issue. Sarah Hooley — But I think, I think really, even though we’re not a overly like machismo, there’s, that’s still a part of our culture. Rich Birch — Sure. Sarah Hooley — And so I think Chris really wanted to be sure that he, he tackled that kind of toxic masculinity approach. Rich Birch — Yep. Sarah Hooley — And, and like, that is not biblical masculinity. Rich Birch — No. Sarah Hooley — Like this, this idea of, you know, I’m the man. And we’re, but like, that’s not what, and and so really continuing to call them back to that, that being a true man is not the world’s version of, of power and money and having the beautiful wife or girlfriend. It really is about following Jesus’ example. He is the greatest example of what a godly man looks like. Rich Birch — Yeah. Sarah Hooley — So what does that look like? Rich Birch — Yeah. What’s that look like? Sarah Hooley — So that means humility and servanthood and sacrifice and laying down your life for others. And so how do we live that out? Rich Birch — Yeah, it’s good. Sarah Hooley — And then for our women, it it it has been so powerful to be able to have those those deep conversations and um and challenging them to live this out. Sarah Hooley — And you know when you have people who are coming from, like they they don’t have um maybe those older women or men in their lives who have been investing in them and showing them what it looks like to follow Jesus or to live this out. It’s still brand new. And so there’s still, there’s some some space to have those questions be brought. Rich Birch — Yeah, it’s good. Sarah Hooley — And um like, why shouldn’t I return to this abusive boyfriend? Rich Birch — Right. Yep. Sarah Hooley — Why shouldn’t I like, so like being able to deal with some of those really hard conversations in a really healthy way that that comes back to scripture and comes back to like, this is what God wants for you. Rich Birch — Yeah. Sarah Hooley — And um and it’s and it’s hard, like following Jesus is hard. Like there is nothing easy about that… Rich Birch — Yes, yes. Yeah. Sarah Hooley — But it’s so worth it. Rich Birch — Yeah. Sarah Hooley — And I think that being able to put that in front of people. But you know, those are two courses that we have. We have lots of small groups and mid-sized groups and groups that are that are mixed gender. And like there’s some beautiful things from that, too. These two courses specifically are just a little bit unique in in their approach. Rich Birch — That’s good. So as you’ve kind of watched this roll through as an XP, you know, go people go through these experiences, what what kind of changes have you seen in the broader church culture? Like, has there, you know, what have you seen that like, oh, hey, there’s something happening here that that seems to be having a positive impact or negative, I’m assuming there’s positive, that’s been kind of impacting the church culture. Talk to me about that. Sarah Hooley — Yeah, I I you really start to see um just that that growth, the idea that this is, you know, that that view of discipleship that’s a long obedience in the same direction. That is what we are are experiencing. You know, with so many people who are new believers, there are some great breakthrough moments and that is worth celebrating, but it is a long process. And so um I think really being able to come alongside and and watch watch those who are like, they were, they’re excited about Jesus. They’re pumped. They’re going lift their hands and worship. They’re going to be like, join the team. But to go beyond that to, okay, what does this actually look like in my life? And to see them begin to make changes in how they actually live that out. um That they’re not just, okay, this is my Sunday thing. And then I go and I do my weekly thing, um but truly changing. And that like that’s profound. It’s profound to see God work in such powerful ways. Sarah Hooley — And again, it’s not it’s never overnight, like there’s overnight breakthroughs, but it’s always a process. And I think that that like watching the the development of these courses is like there’s gonna be things you’re confronting in week one. And then you might still be confronting in week 10. You might still be confronting in week 15. But there’s there’s growth. And there’s um it doesn’t mean that they’ve been able to overcome everything, but you you can see that that change in them. And that draws people. Sarah Hooley — And so I think that we we’ve been able so to so clearly see even just the growth in the number of guys who who joined the course the first time and then the growth in the second second time through that people are hearing about it and being like, I want to be a part of this. Sarah Hooley — Like I saw what it did in my friend’s life. And like, that’s like, I know it’s 6am, but it’s worth it. I’m going to make the sacrifice. I’m going to be a part of it. And so I think that that that kind of invitation to discipleship where you see what the effect it’s having. And then that brings others in. And they’re like, I want what he has. Rich Birch — Yeah, that’s great. Sarah Hooley — Like, I, I’ve, I know who Jesus is, but I, Idon’t want it just to be a yeah, I know who Jesus is. I want to actually know Jesus. Rich Birch — Yeah, it’s fantastic. Friends that are listening in. I one of the one of the changes I for sure have seen in people who are arriving at our churches is, this is a problem when you’ve been at this long enough, like decades ago, 20 years ago, 30 years ago, people did kind of just stumble into church. Like that actually did happen, but that’s not happening today. Rich Birch — People, when they arrive, they’re they’re arriving with real questions and are looking for, they’re not looking for us, they’re not looking for our ideas, they want Jesus and they wanna know what that looks like. So I love this this idea of calling people to something That is a little more, you know, that’s, it’s not just the like, well, we’re going to to make it super easy. That’s not what it’s about. Sarah Hooley — Yeah. Right. Yeah. Rich Birch — I think makes a lot of sense. Well, I want to pivot to it just a totally different conversation. As we were getting ready for this, one of the things that caught my attention, and you’re a humble leader, Jesus has formed your life. So like you didn’t lead off with like your attendance numbers and all that. You talked about growth, but you didn’t really go there. What what are you averaging right now? Attendance wise, where are you at? Sarah Hooley — Yeah, we’re about 2,500 to 2,600 right now. Rich Birch — Okay. And how many full-time staff do you have as as a team? Sarah Hooley — Oh, we have seven full-time staff. Now, we do have some part-time roles that are high level… Rich Birch — Sure. Sarah Hooley — …but we are a skeleton staff. Rich Birch — Yes. Okay. So to put that in context, like, I, this is why want to hear more about this. How, how are you doing that? So to put make some context that people are listening in, um there’s a kind of a well kind of oiled benchmark out there that says churches should really shoot for 1 to 75 attendees and staff. And, you know, ah really great churches are maybe one to a hundred. Like that would be amazing if you could get that. I think the math on you guys is one to like 350 or something like that. Sarah Hooley — Yep. Rich Birch — Even if it’s like, okay, those those other equivalents, even if they end up being say you have another three full-time people in all those part-time. So you’re 10 full-time equivalents. That’s still like one to 250. So like, this is a significant lesson, friends. We need to learn from. Rich Birch — So it’s like, I really just want to say, talk. Like what systems and philosophies make that happen? Sarah Hooley — Yeah. Rich Birch — How do you, you know, how are you able to make that happen? Talk us through that. Sarah Hooley — Yeah. Well, we are trying to hire. So there are some roles that we definitely know that we need. Rich Birch — Yes. You got a long ways to go though. Even if you doubled your staff, you still would be like one to 125, which is still very high. You know, that’s great. Sarah Hooley — Yeah. And this has been one of the unique things about being a multi-ethnic church and a multi-ethnic church that’s reaching new believers. The the the financial support, it takes longer. Like financial discipleship, it’s a process. And and in a um you know within our community, there’s a significant like where we our church specifically is, there’s a significant number of people who are below the poverty line. And so that just means that where our budget is not going to be as large. Sarah Hooley — But so like we have always, and I think part of it is going from that church plant model to even having an established church. Like we’ve always had to be scrappy. Like you always have had to, like I started as a volunteer and I wanted to do a women’s conference. And then someone came and said, I heard that you’re leading the women’s ministry. And I was like, what? Like I didn’t, I just wanted to lead this women’s conference. Sarah Hooley — But just the the way that, um you know, we have continued to to philosophically want to equip the body to be the ministers. That it’s not just, oh, we can just hire somebody to do that. But for every staff person being so intentional about choosing staff members who can be equippers, who are not looking to just do ministry, but who are looking to equip others to do the ministry. And so those who can develop and be leaders of leaders. And that that really has been a part of our heart um in the beginning out of necessity. But also as we’ve continued to grow, um we’ve found there’s just been incredible fruit, because it calls the whole church body into being a part of what’s going on. Sarah Hooley — And so there is nothing more powerful and significant than saying like, yeah, I am I am a significant like participant, I am leading within this church in in a significant way that creates such buy-in. And so like that has really made a difference in in, I think, our church culture and and in just people so staying with us and saying like, man, there’s there’s there’s something happening here. I wanna be a part of it. And um being identified in like, given the opportunity to lead in those ways. And so um we are very, we are slow to hire because we’re kind of a unique, um we have a unique church culture and unique church body… Rich Birch — For sure. Sarah Hooley — …and we want our staff to reflect our church body and to to have buy-in. So I would, so the majority of our staff really are people who have come from the church body itself. So we we only have had very few outside hires um because we know that they understand who we are, they they understand kind of what we’ve been called to do. Sarah Hooley — And so that has been the most, like we have one full-time kids pastor… Rich Birch — Wow. Sarah Hooley — …for 400 children. And she has an associate who’s also very high level and she’s incredible too. Um, but they have done such an incredible job of identifying, okay, within our kids ministry, within our volunteers, who are those people who, who can lead others and who have a heart for developing others. Sarah Hooley — And so, um, so they’ve broken down the different areas and they have leads over each of those individual areas where they’re doing some of the scheduling. So like identifying those administrative skills, like people who have people skills as well as administrative skills. Rich Birch — Yeah, that’s good. Sarah Hooley — But so the role of our of our kids pastor is to you know set the vision and invest in our leaders. And then they are then the ones who are are working through some of those logistics of what it looks like when it comes to staffing or when it comes to volunteers um and being fully like, oh, it’s a whole lot of children. We have a lot of kids. Rich Birch — Yes, that’s amazing. I’d I’d love to double click on some of that there. So this idea of leaders of leaders does not surprise me that, um you know, I it’s like one of these when I heard this, I’m like, I don’t even know anything about this. But I know that you the only way you get to that kind of ratio is you’ve empowered volunteers to actually lead things. Rich Birch — There’s a humbling thing you could do. Church leaders that are listening in do it. Do a giant org chart. Spend two hours and do a giant org chart on a whiteboard. Like literally draw out who is who leads who all the way down to every role in the church and then circle the people that are staff. And oftentimes what you find is there are no leaders of leaders that are volunteers. And they’re just that that’s a that’s a key distinction. How do we get and and how do we keep our staff being Ephesians 4 leaders, people who equip the saints to do the work? Sarah Hooley — Yes. Rich Birch — So give me some of the telltale signs that you that you see in volunteers that, hey, this person is could lead at a high level. And what does the equipping look like? How are you helping them step into that? Sarah Hooley — Yeah, we really do view leadership as discipleship. And so, um, so even for our volunteers, we want to identify people, for them to step into a leadership role like that, that relationship with Jesus, that that’s strong connection to to him is is key. Sarah Hooley — So like that is first and for foremost across across all of our leadership teams. So even though I mentioned earlier that we have some of our serve teams that you can join the team and not be a believer, but for the people who are leading those people, we want them to be following Jesus. Sarah Hooley — And then just looking for those who also love people and have that heart for like, I want to have the conversations that, you know, something is is going on in someone’s life and they’re having a hard time, I’m going to follow up with them during the week. And so um so that love for Jesus, that love for people in some of these roles, it it is some administrative ability. Like, can you handle scheduling people? Like there’s there’s just like, are you able to complete some of those things, some of the doing aspects of ministry? Sarah Hooley — But even within our within our high level leader volunteer leaders, like they’re actually then finding other volunteers who are are doing some of those roles as well. So I think that that has been a process. So it’s looking at who who do we have in front of us? Like who are the people who are like bought in? They see the mission. They’re they’re passionate about what we’re doing. They care about what we’re doing. um And then inviting them into that next step of leadership. Sarah Hooley — A lot of times it’s we kind of give them a chance to kind of test it out first before just throwing them to the wolves so that they can kind of see like like shadowing somebody who already is currently doing something like that to get their feet wet, to kind of understand the the scope of the role. We don’t ever want to ask somebody to to step into a role that they aren’t, that they’re like, I don’t have the capacity for this. And so, but there’s there’s lots of development still along the way of like conversations of like, of of our actual staff members, checking in with them and helping them to like navigate problems and helping them to to think through like how to process, um you know, that they even are invited to bring feedback of like, hey, here are some things that we’re seeing, like what’s a way that we can then approach that together? So like really they they have a great voice into into how things are being run. Rich Birch — That’s good. One of the tensions that happens in a lot of churches is staff, our staff start to think like the kind of important people are people who have full-time staff that report to them. There’s like this insidious pull towards, I’m going to build my little kingdom. And like this is really common, like lots of churches struggle with that. It can be difficult. Rich Birch — How are you developing your, particularly the the culture with your staff team to ensure that they stay focused on leading volunteers rather than, you know, just hiring people? Like, let’s just hire somebody. How do we, how do how are you what are you doing there? Beyond the like, well, we can’t afford it. There’s got to be something else you’re doing to try to help them, you know, develop that. Sarah Hooley — Yeah, feeling missed out on the budget is really helpful. Rich Birch — Well, because, well, and yeah, but the but my pushback would be friendly pushback as as one leader to another is like that resource things are going to get sorted out. And it’s going to come to a time where you have resources to be able to do that. And it could be very tempting to say, let’s just go quadruple the size of our staff. So how are you ensuring that the culture isn’t going to do that? Sarah Hooley — Yeah. And so much of that is through through our coaching, through the way that we talk about this. This is something like we have these calibrating conversations all the time of of this is who we are and this is what we’re about. And this is what it looks like to lead here. That we um and and that And to be totally candid, like that has been a challenge where we had a staff person and as we grew, um could not make that transition of from doing to leading others and and delegating. Sarah Hooley — And so like that that is a challenge of, and and just thinking like, oh man, all we need to do is just add more staff and then I would be okay. And instead of really recognizing like, no, our our heart behind this is inviting the church to be the church. That that, Letting them know that that priesthood of all believers, like we are all called um to do ministry. Sarah Hooley — Ministry is not just for those who have a degree or those who have a title. Like we are called into ministry. And so keeping that before our our leaders and our staff so that they are keeping it before the the people that they’re calling into these volunteer leader roles. Sarah Hooley — And I will say like those who are the volunteers, like they, they’re excited. They’re excited about like, man, like you just invited me into this position. Like you’ve asked, you’ve seen, you saw something in me and asked me to, um to lead in this way and to serve in this way. And it’s, it’s a privilege to do that. But it is also like continuing to put that before us. Like we we are investing in our people. Sarah Hooley — Now, some of our future staff members might come from those who are volunteer leaders. And like and like that’s a beautiful thing because we’re like, man, I already know, I can see how you would operate in this role and how you would fit on our team and how you would keep how you you do get the culture and what what we’re trying to do. And I think that that’s that’s really a beautiful thing. Sarah Hooley — But it is it is a lot of conversation, a lot of coaching, and just a reminder of like, and I think part of it too is is realizing like, we can’t do everything. And so being very intentional to not be overly programmed. To be very clear about, we’re going do these things, like these very simple. Rich Birch — Right. Sarah Hooley — And so that’s where it’s like, it seems so simple. It seems so basic, but we’re going do these simple, basic things and do them faithfully. And um and then, yeah, see what God does. Rich Birch — Trust God for the results. Yeah, that’s fantastic. Yeah. And listen, you know it makes sense that you’ll end up hiring some people because it’s like that’s a little bit of a crazy ah you know ratio. And you know I think that’ll be that’ll be a challenge ahead to keep that focused as you add those people. And it’s not unreasonable to say to your team like, oh, yeah, like we probably should add a few people. Rich Birch — But to still champion at the end of the day, I think that’s like there’s a key piece there that you mentioned. It’s like this idea of championing the people who have been able to make that transition. And I’ve like, I got us like hey, ah it’s about developing leaders and I want to make that happen. And I know that might be messy and there’s other problems with that, but that’s you know that’s good. Rich Birch — It’s been a fantastic conversation. For people who are listening in today who might feel that kind of like, oh my goodness, we’re under-resourced, we’re you know are outnumbered, we don’t have enough people. Help us think through, kind of talk to us a little bit from an even mindset or how we lead point of view to kind of lead from abundance rather than from scarcity. Because a part of what I don’t hear you saying is like, oh, woe is me. Rich Birch — Like you’re like, no, this is just what God’s called us to in this season. We’re going to make it happen. And God’s doing a great thing. So try to encourage us, yeah help us think that through. Sarah Hooley — Yeah. Well, I would, I mean, I would first of all say you’re not alone. So if you feel, if you do feel overwhelmed and outnumbered and under-resourced, like you’re not alone. And so I think that that is is helpful to be like, man, I’m not. And I think that’s where like even having podcasts like this, where you’re able to hear from others, we’re like, oh, man, OK, we’re in this together. We are all doing the mission that God has called us to. And there are challenges that come with that. And and that can be really discouraging and hard. And yet, like, I think when we can have that kind of. loaves and fishes mindset of like the disciples, they could not feed those people. Like they could not fit fill all the needs that were before them. But Jesus could. Sarah Hooley — And so if we can be faithful to say, okay, God, what do we have? What do we have? Like, what do we have in front of us? And how do we use that for your glory? And what what does that look like? What what are the things that we need to like have that laser focus on um so that we can then continue to see what you are going to do with with what we bring. Sarah Hooley — And and I think that there is that reliance on God to um to say like, you’re the one who does the work. Like this is not, and I think that helps us to like, it takes away that that pride and also that just overwhelming feeling feeling of sometimes failure when it’s, it’s not, when we realize that it’s not all on me… Rich Birch — Yeah, it’s good. Sarah Hooley — …like this is not like my responsibility is to be faithful and continuing to be faithful, to follow what God has called me to do. And that means, I mean, that means working hard. That means best practices. That means learning from others, but I am not responsible for the the end result. So how do I just be intentional and faithful with what God has given me? Sarah Hooley — And, and, and I think too, I think it’s really important to, to find others who are also in the journey with you. Rich Birch — That’s good. Sarah Hooley — That you can, that not that you just get together and complain, but that you can really come alongside each other and encourage one another. And that, That has been one of the most significant things that I have found in in stepping into this role. I got connected with a women executive pastor cohort of women all over the country who are leading in this in similar roles. Sarah Hooley — And being able to just ask questions of other church leaders, being able to say, will you pray for me? Like, I’m going through something really difficult right now. Will pray for me? That has encouraged me personally to be able to keep pressing on when it does feel overwhelming or it does feel like, man, the the task is too great for me. To be reminded and to have other pastors in like my corner and in my ear saying, remember who God is and remember what he’s called you to. Rich Birch — That’s good. Sarah Hooley — And so I think that that is just, it’s, if we can keep that in view and that in, in that mindset in view, that that God is so much greater than the most difficult person at your church who is louder than all of the others. And, um and God is greater than the the greatest problems that you are facing and the, the difficulties that you’re walking through. And, and so like, I think just looking for those, those things. Rich Birch — So good. Sarah, this has been such a helpful conversation. I really appreciate you being here today and investing in us. And it’s fantastic, super encouraging and lots of good nuggets in there. I got pages of notes here. If people want to track with you or with the church, where do we want to send them online? Sarah Hooley — Yeah. We I mean we’re on um Instagram and Facebook. We’re forthecity.com is our church website. We are not on TikTok yet. We’re not that cool. I don’t know. Someday we’ll we’ll get there. Rich Birch — Nice. That’s fun. Sarah Hooley — But yeah, that’s that’s the primary way. Rich Birch — That’s great. Thanks so much. Thanks for being here today. Sarah Hooley — Thank you so much.
What if the most life-changing word Jesus ever spoke isn't one we pray, but one we've forgotten how to say? When Jesus called God Abba, He wasn't just using another name—He was revealing the very heart of God. In Week 7 of Stand Firm & Act Like Men, we look at how Jesus' relationship with the Father shapes our own identity as sons and our calling as dads. What would change in your life if you truly knew God as Abba?
What if the love you feel and the love God commands aren't the same thing? Love isn't just a feeling—it's the defining mark of spiritual maturity and the foundation of how men are called to lead. In Week 6 of Stand Firm and Act Like Men, Pastor Joby teaches through 1 Corinthians 13 in its true context: unity, leadership, and the daily life of the Church. Even the greatest gifts, achievements, strengths, or sacrifices mean nothing without love. Biblical love is patient, kind, humble, forgiving, enduring, and self-sacrificing—a far cry from the self-focused “love” most of us default to. Pastor Joby challenges men to look honestly in the mirror, put away childish ways, and leverage their strength not for self-protection or self-gratification but for the good of others. Because love never quits, and we can only love as God commands when we receive the love He first showed us through Jesus.
What if being a godly husband isn't about how you feel about your wife, but how you love her — even when it costs you everything? In Week 5 of Stand Firm and Act Like Men, we look at Ephesians 5 and what it truly means to be a godly husband. Biblical love isn't based on feelings — it's sacrificial, intentional, and action-driven, modeled after Christ and His love for the church. Whether you're married or preparing for marriage, this message calls men to lead with humility, pursue with purpose, and love like Jesus. Are you willing to love first, love fully, and love sacrificially?
What if being a godly husband isn't about how you feel about your wife, but how you love her — even when it costs you everything? In Week 5 of Stand Firm and Act Like Men, we look at Ephesians 5 and what it truly means to be a godly husband. Biblical love isn't based on feelings — it's sacrificial, intentional, and action-driven, modeled after Christ and His love for the church. Whether you're married or preparing for marriage, this message calls men to lead with humility, pursue with purpose, and love like Jesus. Are you willing to love first, love fully, and love sacrificially?
What if strength isn't what you think it is? In Week 4 of Stand Firm and Act Like Men, Pastor Joby Martin shows how Jesus redefines what it means to be strong. Strength isn't measured by status, control, or success—it's revealed in surrender. A strong man is one who rests in Jesus, perseveres through pain, walks humbly under God's authority, and uses his strength to serve others. When we stop striving for worldly greatness and start depending on Christ, we discover that real strength isn't about power—it's about purpose. When you are weak, He is strong. So what would it look like for you to become that kind of man?
We are not called to sit on the sidelines—we are called to stand firm. Week 3 of Stand Firm and Act Like Men calls men to rise up and hold the line—not in their own strength, but in the strength of the Lord. The enemy's mission is clear: to steal, kill, and destroy everything and everyone we love. But God has equipped us with truth, righteousness, peace, faith, salvation, His Word, and prayer—the full armor we need to fight for our families, our marriages, and the next generation. When you stand firm in your faith, you become the gatekeeper of your home and a warrior for God's kingdom. Are you ready to fight for what matters most?
What happens when the defender steps down from the wall? We are at war. Not against flesh and blood—but against an enemy who would love nothing more than to take men out of the fight. In this message, Pastor Joby calls men to be watchful, stand firm in the faith, and act like men as commanded in 1 Corinthians 16:13–14. From pride and worry to laziness, isolation, and lust—the enemy uses every tactic to destroy those called to protect and provide. But even when we fail, the gospel reminds us: failure is not final. God Himself restores, confirms, strengthens, and establishes His sons for the battle ahead. If you've ever felt distracted, defeated, or distant from your calling, this message is a wake-up call to get back on the wall and fight for what matters most—your faith, your family, and your future. Are you watching out, or have you let your guard down?
What happened to godly masculinity? In this powerful kickoff to the Stand Firm and Act Like Men series, Pastor Joby Martin challenges the cultural narrative and calls men back to their God-given purpose. From Genesis to 1 Corinthians 16:13–14, we see that manhood isn't about muscles, money, or machismo — it's about being a prophet, priest, king, provider, and protector. God designed men to work with purpose, obey with courage, and love with sacrifice. But sin has distorted that calling, leading to passivity, confusion, and brokenness. This message is a wake-up call to rise up, reject the lies, and return to the design of the Creator. If you've ever wondered what it really means to be a man of God, this sermon is for you. “Be watchful, stand firm in the faith, act like men, be strong. Let all that you do be done in love.” – 1 Corinthians 16:13–14
Shows Main Idea – In this episode, Rick Thomas talks with Pastor Joby Martin about his book Stand Firm and Act Like Men and the urgent need for Biblical masculinity in today's culture. Far from cultural stereotypes of passivity or toxic aggression, Joby explains how Scripture calls men to live as providers, protectors, prophets, priests, and servant kings—all under the lordship of Christ. Together, Rick and Joby unpack the traps that ensnare men—pride, anxiety, laziness, isolation, and lust—and the crucial role of accountability through what Joby calls “mat carriers.” They also address how women can encourage rather than correct, why technology is one of the greatest threats to family life, and how the Church must avoid softening or distorting masculinity. This conversation calls men to bend the knee to Jesus before they can stand firm in strength and love. Show Notes: https://lifeovercoffee.com/podcast/ep-559-joby-martin-stand-firm-and-act-like-men/ Will you help us to continue providing free content for everyone? You can become a supporting member here https://lifeovercoffee.com/join/, or you can make a one-time or recurring donation here https://lifeovercoffee.com/donate/.
In this episode, Dave takes on one of the biggest challenges Christian men face today: compromise. What happens when we trade our integrity for comfort? We live in a world that rewards convenience, but God calls us to conviction. Every time we lower our standard, something sacred is lost - our witness, our credibility, our peace. Listen in as Dave unpacks how to identify compromise, count its cost, and take steps to rebuild a life of integrity and strength.
Send Travis a Text MessageToday we are joined by Pastor Joby Martin of Jacksonville, Florida. Joby comes on and tells some awesome hunting stories and experiences. We also get to hear some awesome concepts from his new book that is coming out this week: Stand Firm & Act Like Men: Becoming the Man You Were Created to Be Instead of Who the World Says You Are. Awesome conversation! If you enjoy it please leave a rating and a review and share with a friend!To Purchase on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Stand-Firm-Act-Like-Men/dp/1546008217/ref=sr_1_1?dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.fXDVsLaDjGamzXp3iUyh1VaMgoupN6AJaEZw-ueLFiBS7pMZ5fUthfKOnXgIEI_2lync8DVH-Ao3q3x1ckxA1CaSblk3oFNLUNjVBsaulRrlXVsJeiE1rZO6LK-JuceSXwAQMtWTMDKzHgDE_C-XVAXS1-dLqDc8MJ5lJ0Wwc7kkbyPReqanQbRMT2TUnsS6ZFdN4TSmY5wi5V1-COUSV9YhUa_FUgGlX_Z9DphtfZc.etztzPE9i5MPxVobIk9ZKrolqOqL9_hlfqsxQJvhH-Y&dib_tag=se&hvadid=776837543957&hvdev=c&hvexpln=0&hvlocphy=9027716&hvnetw=g&hvocijid=2199489225058330021--&hvqmt=e&hvrand=2199489225058330021&hvtargid=kwd-2415907842199&hydadcr=22567_13821264&keywords=stand+firm+and+act+like+men&mcid=b76237eaaa623245b7b12f68d3bae140&qid=1759981051&sr=8-1
Pastor Joby Martin returns to The Lion Within Us for a profound conversation about what it truly means to be a biblical man in today's world. With disarming honesty and characteristic humor, Pastor Joby unpacks the core message of his new book "Stand Firm and Act Like Men," revealing why godly masculinity creates an atmosphere where everyone thrives.We're going live every weekday with our Daily Spiritual Kickoff—free and exclusive inside our community. Join us for a powerful Word, real encouragement, and practical ways to lead with faith at home and work. No cost. No excuses. Just truth, brotherhood, and bold leadership. Claim your free access now It's time to stop sitting on the sidelines.Step into the fight and become the man God called you to be. Join a brotherhood built on truth, strength, and action. Visit thelionwithin.us right now and start leading with boldness and purpose. Iron sharpens iron — let's go.
In this episode, we welcome Joby Martin back to the show. In this interview, we discuss his new book “Stand Firm and Act Like Men: Becoming the Man You Were Created to Be Instead of Who the World Says You Are”. Let's get into it… Episode notes and links HERE. Donate to support our mission of equipping men to push back darkness. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
In this powerful and sobering episode, we reflect on the recent deaths of Charlie Kirk and Pastor Voddie Baucham — two bold men who shaped our generation and challenged Christian men to stand firm in truth. Their sudden passing reminds us of life's fragility and the urgent call to live faithfully, boldly, and ready. What does it mean to be “ready” in our time? Spiritually, morally, practically, and missionally? This episode challenges Christian men to confront their mortality, examine their legacy, and rise to the calling God has placed on their lives.
Send us a textOn today's PoM podcast I sat down with Joby Martin, founder and lead pastor of the Church of Eleven22 in Jacksonville Florida and author of "Stand Firm and Act Like Men: Becoming the Man You Were Created to Be Instead of Who the World Says You Are." In this new book, Pastor Joby walks through what the Bible means when it says, ‘be watchful, stand firm in the faith, act like men, be strong, and let all that you do be done in love' (1 Corinthians 16:13). He guides readers through what scripture says about who men are, how they should act, and what it means to be a man in today's culture, and he asks tough questions about how God calls men to respond. To learn more about Joby Martin and this book visit: https://jobymartin.com/Support The Show: https://www.buzzsprout.com/110664/subscribeRegister for our next session of Tribe: https://www.thepursuitofmanliness.com/gear/p/tribe-xviiBuild your own local Tribe with Tribe Builder: https://www.thepursuitofmanliness.com/gear/p/tribe-builderThis podcast is sponsored by Dark Water Woodwork. Dark Water Woodwork is offering a discount code exclusively for the podcast listeners. Use the discount code "PSALM824" to save 15% off of your next beard oil purchase. https://www.darkwaterkc.comSupport the show
What does it mean that the Christian is called to be watchful over their faith, firm in conviction, yet living in their conduct? How do these imperatives come together in the Christian life? 1. Be Watchful2. Stand Firm in the Faith3. Act Like Men4. Be Strong5. Love Well
What does it mean that the Christian is called to be watchful over their faith, firm in conviction, yet living in their conduct? How do these imperatives come together in the Christian life? 1. Be Watchful2. Stand Firm in the Faith3. Act Like Men4. Be Strong5. Love Well
Email us at info@manupadventure.comIn this powerful episode, Pastor Joby Martin—founder of The Church of Eleven22 and bestselling author—unpacks what it truly means to “act like men” through the lens of 1 Corinthians 16:13–14. From his small-town roots in South Carolina to leading one of America's fastest-growing churches, Pastor Joby shares his journey of grace, calling, and conviction.He dives deep into the crisis of manhood in our culture, challenging men to reject passivity, embrace responsibility, and lead with love. With practical wisdom and biblical clarity, Pastor Joby explores:Why true strength begins with surrender to ChristThe dangers of cultural extremes—abdication vs. alpha posturing—and how the gospel calls us to a better wayThe importance of generational discipleship and raising sons and daughters in faithPractical steps for husbands and fathers: praying out loud over your family, leading with repentance, and living on missionWhether you're a husband, father, leader, or simply seeking to grow in your walk with Christ, this conversation will challenge, convict, and inspire you to step into the arena of biblical manhood with courage and loveWe need your help to get the Man-Up podcasts in front of more men who can benefit from this content. Here are three simple things you can do that would really help us accomplish that goal:Follow us on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/manupadventure/ Review us on Apple Podcasts https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/man-up-podcast Subscribe on YouTubehttps://www.youtube.com/channel/UC6VtdkcN7tKEn_K5OVrjc0g If this episode encouraged you, hit Subscribe, tap the bell icon, and drop a comment to let us know what you think!
We've lost the strong man. Kevin Swanson is holding the Act Like Men Conference to restore men to their God-given role. On the whole, men today are AWOL, having departed from the Biblical picture of leadership and love. 60% of Master's degrees are awarded to women. 57% of boys are born without fathers. So, what's the solution to this crisis? Hosts Scott Brown and Jason Dohm, joined by guest Kevin Swanson, explain that the right answer is not the “macho man” or the “wild-at-heart man,” but the biblical man who's strong in faith and who fears God. This is the focus of the upcoming Act Like Men Conference, to be held Oct. 29-Nov. 1 in Elizabeth, Colorado. Rather than fall for the pseudo-visions of masculinity found in the “Manosphere,” we must look to God's Word to understand what it means to be a faithful man. That's the goal of this gathering — to teach 12-year-old boys to grandfathers to “Be watchful, stand firm in the faith, act like men, [and] be strong” (1 Cor. 16:13 ESV). Click here to learn more and register.
JOBY'S BOOK:https://jobymartin.com/books/stand-firmCOE 22:https://coe22.com/about/OUR NATURAL BENDWHY A SIN NATURE IF WE ARE CREATED IN THE IMAGE OF GOD?WHY DO WE NATURALLY AND MORE EASILY GRAVITATE TOWARD BAD HABITS?GENESIS 3 OPENS THE DOOR FOR SIN AND FOR THE SERPENT. IS THE ANSWER JUST AS BASIC AS THOSE TWO THINGS? BARRIERSAND MENTAL HEALTHBIGGEST BARRIER FORMEN ACTING LIKE STRONG MEN?PAST WOUNDS OR FAILURESCULTURAL NARRATIVE EMASCULATED CHURCHSUCCESS & COMFORT MENTALHEALTHSUNDAY SERMON ON MENTAL HEALTHWHAT ROLE IN PREVENTING MEN FROM STANDING FIRM AS STRONG MEN?LINE BETWEEN CHEMICAL IMBALANCE AND POUTY PARTY? HOW TO DIFFERENTIATE? BOOKSTAND FIRM AND ACT LIKE MEN: Becoming the Man You Were Created to Be Instead ofWho the World Says You Are1 CORINTHIANS 16:13 INTRODUCTION |MANHOODWHERE HAVE ALL THEGOOD MEN GONE? Main problem with men.YOU SAY “EVERYBODY WANTS TO BE STRONG NOBODY WANTS TO BE SORE”BOYS WANNA BE MEN BUT NOBODY WANTS TO BE MOLDEDHOW COACHABLE ARE WE AS MEN TODAY?NOBODY WANTS THE HARD TRUTH OR SOMEONE TO HOLD UP THE MIRRORBIGGEST UP HILL BATTLE FOR YOUNG MEN BECOMING BIBLICALLY MASCULINE LEADERS?HOW IS GOD MOLDING YOU PERSONALLY? CH 1WHAT IS A MAN?IMAGO DEIIN GODS IMAGEPROBLEMTHEN:ADAMEVIL PREVAILS WHEN GOOD MEN DO NOTHINGAPATHETIC PASSIVITYPROBLEMNOW:MANS BIGGEST ENEMY IS COMFORT AND APATHYQUOTE:“This is classic manhood move: duck, cover, blame.” Ch2: BE WATCHFULDOMINION GUARDS & PROTECTSA WATCHFUL MAN IS ON OFFENSE ENEMY CHUMS THE WATERSKILLERS OF MEN | #1 PRIDEPrideful people have two options: Be humble or get humbledQUOTE: “Humility is not a feeling. Humility is a posture.” #2 WORRY/SCARCITYMINDSETWork to enjoy, along with the command to subdue and cultivate.WHY DOES WORK DEFINE AND CONSUME US?MORE STUFF? FRIENDS & FAMILY PLAN FOR VALIDATION?WHY COL 3:23 IS LOST ON US? #3 LAZINESS/AVOIDANCEFOSTER VOLUNTARY HARDSHIP BY BEING COMFORTABLE WITH DISCOMFORT AGE OF MODERNITY PARENTAL PARADOX | WORK HARD TO BE SUCCESSFUL AND GIVE OUR KIDS A GOOD LIFE BUT WEAKENS THEM FOR ADULTHOOD. #4 ISOLATIONPRISON ANALOGY: SOLITARY CONFINEMENT HIGHEST FORM OF PUNISHMENTCHURCH HURT | FULL OF IMPERFECT PEOPLE HURT PEOPLE HURT PEOPLE ENEMY ISOLATES THEN DEVOURS #5 LUSTKEEP AS A PET AND FEED PERIODICALLY FLEE NOT SET ASIDEIF YOU HATE SOMETHING ENOUGH, YOU EVENTUALLY QUIT IT | GOTTA HATE IT ENOUGHWHAT CAN MEN PRAY DAILY TO CONQUER THAT PROCLIVITY? CH 3 STAND FIRMARMOR OF GOD Ch 4 BE STRONG: A STRONG MAN IS A SABBATHED MAN,A PERSEVERING MAN,A HUMBLE MAN, A SERVING MANWHY PERSEVERING NOT RESILIENT?INTERCHANGEABLE OR INTENTIONAL? SABBATHED:QUOTE: “A STRONG MAN IS A SABBATHED MAN”RE-CENTER & RE-CALIBRATEREST IN THE WRESTLEPRACTICAL STEPS FOR MEN DURING A SEASON OF WRESTLING WITH TEMPTATION, CONDEMNATION, OR DIRECTION?MYTH ABOUT REST?WHAT'S THE BIGGEST BARRIER TO ENTRY TO BECOMING A SABBATHED MAN ?HUMILITYHOW DOES A LEADER STAY HUMBLE WHILE MAINTAINING ASSERTIVE AUTHORITY? HUMILITY & FAMILY: YOU SAY “MEN SHOULD BE THE CHIEF APOLOGIZER” WHEN DOES AN APOLOGY CARRY LESS WEIGHT? FOR THE SAME THING MULTIPLE TIMES? NOT TRUE REPENTANCE SERVINGSERVE NOT BE SERVEDFIRST WILL BE LASTWHY DO SOME ALPHAS SEE SERVING AS WEAK OR COUNTERINTUITIVE TO TIP OF THE SPEAR? CH. 5 LOVE IS..QUOTE: Love is your joy in the Lord expressed toward others at great expense to yourself. LAST CHAPTER LANDS THE PLANEA SON RECEIVESA AN INHERITANCEA SON'S STANDING BASED ON POSITIONA BONDSERVANT EARNS ACCEPTANCE THRU PERFORMANCE A BONDSERVANT OWES A DEBTKEY TO PARADIGM SHIFT WHERE WE FULLY UNDERSTAND SONSHIP?
At the Act Like Men Conference, Pastor Joby Martin delivered a bold and challenging message calling men to rise into their God-given roles as leaders, protectors, and spiritual anchors in their families and communities. With a mix of biblical authority and practical application, he urged men to reject passivity, pursue holiness, and model Christlike courage in every sphere of life. His message ignited a call to authentic manhood grounded in faith, responsibility, and the transforming power of the gospel. Tedi, Felix, and I thank you for tuning in and SHARING!
In this episode, Lance and Dante talk with husband, father, pastor, and author Matt Chandler and discuss his soon-to-be-published book and 30-day devotional "Find Your Fire Again." In this latest work, Matt invites readers to reignite their passion for Christ, rediscover spiritual vitality, and pursue a faith that burns bright in a distracted and weary world. Listen in and go get your copies when they publish in October! Learn more about Matt Chandler here: Matt's Website For more about Legacy Dads, click here: Legacy Dads Website Legacy Dads Facebook Group: Legacy Dads Facebook Legacy Dads Instagram: Legacy Dads IG
Legacy Dads podcast is entering its tenth season. In this episode, the guys discuss what it looks like to reset as man, husband, and father. Listen in and see where you can apply what they talk about into your lives today! For more about Legacy Dads, click here: Legacy Dads Website Legacy Dads Facebook Group: Legacy Dads Facebook Legacy Dads Instagram: Legacy Dads IG
Send us a textIn this episode of the FORGE Truth Podcast, Pete Alwinson and Jayson Quiñones sit down with Pastor Joby Martin of The Church of Eleven22. Together they talk about the challenges facing men in today's culture, what it means to “act like men” according to 1 Corinthians 16:13–14, and why the church needs to focus on developing strong men. Joby shares insights from his book Stand Firm and Act Like Men, the dangers of isolation, and the importance of having brothers who will carry you when life knocks you down. This is a straightforward conversation about biblical manhood, leadership, and following Christ without compromise.
The post Act Like Men! Maleness, Masculinity, and Patriarchy appeared first on Straight Truth Podcast.
True masculinity is defined not by cultural stereotypes but by Scripture. This episode explores biblical headship, authority, and the calling of men to act with courage, strength, and Christlike humility. Rejecting both feminization and abusive authority, we highlight God's design for manhood in the home, church, and society, rooted in Christ as the perfect model of leadership.
True masculinity is defined not by cultural stereotypes but by Scripture. This episode explores biblical headship, authority, and the calling of men to act with courage, strength, and Christlike humility. Rejecting both feminization and abusive authority, we highlight God's design for manhood in the home, church, and society, rooted in Christ as the perfect model of leadership.
A new MP3 sermon from Founders Baptist Church is now available on SermonAudio with the following details: Title: Act Like Men! Maleness, Masculinity, and Patriarchy Subtitle: 01 Straight Truth Podcast Speaker: Richard Caldwell Jr. Broadcaster: Founders Baptist Church Event: Podcast Date: 8/29/2025 Bible: 1 Corinthians 16:13; 1 Corinthians 11:3 Length: 27 min.
The guys were lucky enough to sit down with Jim Daly, the president and CEO of Focus on the Family. Jim shares his insights on fatherhood and marriage, and talks through how to lean into God when our circumstances lead us further away from Him. Listen in and go check out Focus' resources today! Go here for more information: Focus on the Family Website For more about Legacy Dads, click here: Legacy Dads Website Legacy Dads Facebook Group: Legacy Dads Facebook Legacy Dads Instagram: Legacy Dads IG
August 24th, 2025 | Fortify | 1 Corinthians 16:13-14In this bold message, Pastor Todd Kaunitz continues the Fortify series with a deep dive into what it truly means to "act like men." In a culture that's confused about masculinity, Pastor Todd brings clarity through Scripture, calling men to embrace biblical manhood rooted in responsibility, strength, humility, and love.Drawing from 1 Corinthians 16:13–14, we explore four key commands that define godly manhood: Be watchful, stand firm in the faith, be strong, and let all you do be done in love. This message isn't just for men—it's for women who want to pray for their husbands, raise godly sons, and recognize the traits of a man worth marrying.This isn't a call to passivity or domination—it's a call to Christlike leadership. Men who follow Jesus don't just flex muscles—they carry burdens, lead with integrity, and love sacrificially.It's time to stop settling for cultural manhood and start pursuing the kind of strength that changes generations.Do you know JESUS?: https://www.nblongview.org/do-you-know-jesusNeed PRAYER?: https://www.nblongview.org/praySUPPORT through giving: https://www.nbbctx.org/giving
August 24th, 2025 | Fortify | 1 Corinthians 16:13-14In a time when culture is confused about what it means to be a man, Pastor Matt Darby brings clarity through God's Word in this powerful message from the Fortify series.From Genesis 2 and 1 Corinthians 16:13–14, Pastor Matt unpacks a compelling and convicting call to act like men—not according to culture, but according to Christ. This episode explores five biblical commands that define godly manhood: Be watchful, stand firm in the faith, act like men, be strong, and do everything in love.You'll discover:Why manhood is rooted in identity, not just biologyThe five roles God designed for every man: Prophet, Priest, King, Provider, ProtectorHow sin distorts manhood—and how the Gospel redeems itThe difference between cultural strength and Christlike strengthHow godly men lead with love, not controlWhether you're a man pursuing spiritual maturity, a wife praying for your husband, or a young woman seeking a Christlike man, this message is full of truth, challenge, and hope.The world doesn't need less masculinity—it needs redeemed masculinity.It's time to rise up and act like men.Do you know JESUS? https://www.nbgilmer.org/do-you-know-jesusNeed PRAYER? https://www.nbgilmer.org/praySupport through GIVING: https://www.nbbctx.org/giving
Act Like Men | 1 Corinthians | George McGovern by GraceChurchNJ
Max Lucado is one of the most well-known pastors and authors of our time, and he joined Dave and Dante on the Legacy Dads Podcast. Listen in as he talks through some of the points of his new book "Tame Your Thoughts: Three Tools to Renew Your Mind and Transform Your Life." In Tame Your Thoughts, Max explores three key thought-management tools and then applies them to the most common thought problems: worry, guilt, anxiety, and other types of mental quicksand that threaten to trap us. God loves us too much to let us lead a life marked by poor thinking. He made our brains; he can retrain our brains. God has not left us alone in this battle of the mind. You will likely walk away encouraged and inspired! Go get this book and get one for a friend today! For more about Max, visit his website here: Max Lucado For more about Legacy Dads, click here: Legacy Dads Website Legacy Dads Facebook Group: Legacy Dads Facebook Legacy Dads Instagram: Legacy Dads IG
Legacy Dads was proud to welcome General (ret.) Stanley McChrystal onto the podcast to talk about his new book "On Character: Choices That Define a Life." Listen in as Dante, Dave, and Lance talk through what it means to have character, and get some high-value pointers from one of our nation's top military commanders. Click the link for more information: McChrystal Group For more about Legacy Dads, click here: Legacy Dads Website Legacy Dads Facebook Group: Legacy Dads Facebook Legacy Dads Instagram: Legacy Dads IG
This message is from our second annual Act Like Men Conference, recorded on June 14, 2025. The Act Like Men Conference aims to define, understand, and live out biblical manhood. To register for next year's conference, visit https://www.actlikemenconference.org/________Crosspoint City is one church in multiple locations and we exist to relentlessly pursue those far from God to help them know and follow Jesus. To help support this mission and work, visit https://mycpcc.com/giveSTAY CONNECTED:Facebook: https://mycpcc.com/facebookInstagram: https://mycpcc.com/instagramTiktok: https://mycpcc.com/tiktok
Need a little spicy to liven things up a little bit? Listen in as the guys discuss how to get a little more fire in the proverbial kitchen - and keep the marriage fire burning. Enjoy! For more about Legacy Dads, click here: Legacy Dads Website Legacy Dads Facebook Group: Legacy Dads Facebook Legacy Dads Instagram: Legacy Dads IG
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