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SPRING 2018 HOMESCHOOL IOWA 19
ly brave. They don’t accidentally do what they do. They do
what they do because it’s the “manful” thing to do. Or, as the
Christian would understand, they do it because it is the“Jesus”
thing to do. It’s the way that The Man would do it.
The Man, Jesus, showed us manful living. He lived life with
the gusto of love and faced death with the grandeur of cour-
age. He boldly took the lowest seat and humbly served those
around Him. He suffered every indignity that others may re-
ceive deliverance. He sacrificed His very life to ensure life for
others. He was the epitome of that whichmakes a manmanful.
So, as you and I gather together in early June, that very
same Man Talk is waiting to be delivered to you.
Imagine yourself at Ellerslie and in the flickering candlelight
of the decorated chapel. It’s banquet night and anticipation is
hanging in the air like a dense cloud of glory.
Imagine that you are on the Ellerslie chapel stage with fifty
other men. But instead of measly old Eric Ludy walking up
onto the stage to address you, imagine that it is Jesus Christ
Himself that strolls up onto the stage and stands before the
onlooking, awestruck men.
Imagine that His voice is serious and grave. And out of all
the fifty men standing there beside you, He singles you out.
He says, “You!” With a bit of panicky shock in your voice, you
respond, “Me?”“Yes,” He responds gently as He affectionately
enunciates your name. “Come forward!” As you walk forward,
your legs feel like Jell-O and your heart is beating every sane
thought out of your head. As you position yourself in front of
the Risen King of Kings, He tenderly looks you in the eye and
says, “Dear one, it’s time for you to become a man!”
Now imagine you were to say, “Yes, Lord, I agree whole-
heartedly!”
You were called to live manfully, just as The Man, Jesus, did
while He was here on this earth. You were called to live with
the thunder of Andrizomai in your heart just as Moses, Joshua,
David, Peter, James, John, and Paul did in their day. You were
called to have the war cry of Rak Chazak in your chest, Holy
Spirit thunder in your soul’s fists, and nuclear propulsion in
your spiritual heels. You were called to live manfully – to do
the work of The Man.
Imagine that this isn’t your imagination, but it is very real.
And God is saying this to you right now. He’s beckoning you
to take a step forward in being made into a real honest-to-
goodness man of God.
If you are game, I know for certain He is.
Let’s do this thing!
Eric Ludy serves as the President of Ellerslie Mission
Society. He is also a teaching pastor at the Church
at Ellerslie and the lead instructor in the Ellerslie Dis-
cipleship Training. Eric is the bestselling author of
eighteen books and a highly respected voice in the
Church today, especially on the topics of Biblical sexu-
ality, manhood, prayer, and the deeper Christian life.