As I pray and dream about Re:Train Nashville, three things stand out:

1. Gospel men

For all our religion here in the South, relationships don’t work. Smiling niceness cannot bear up under reality. But a growing army of gutsy, cheerful men, who aren’t out for Self and who love one another intensely for the sake of Christ—our region will be unable to withstand their living witness. I want to be that kind of man. I want to be among such men. Re:Train Nashville is one place they will gather, to spread a manly culture of grace to our mission field through church planting.

2. Gospel doctrine

Our challenge in this region is to fly in under the radar of Bible Belt Religion, so that the gospel gets past the defensive facades and explodes in life-altering ways. Around here, nearly everybody loves Jesus—or so they think. We need to spread a biblical message of such extreme grace that many thousands begin thinking, “No way do I believe that.” God is providing Re:Train Nashville for young men in the South who love the truth more than nominal appearances.

3. Gospel power

Maybe the primary sin of the church in our region—I include myself in this—is that we settle for the concept of God’s power without pressing by faith and repentance into the experience of God’s power. Our poverty, with big talk but small outcomes, leaves many people secretly despairing and even angry within. If we will humble ourselves and take new risks for Christ, I believe God will visit us with apostolic power for unprecedented gospel impact. Re:Train Nashville is for men who are reaching by faith for more of God than they’ve ever known before, more than they’ve ever dreamed of knowing.

Applications for Re:Train are due June 1. Learn more at retrain.org.

Re:Train

If you want to be in missional ministry, you need training. World-class theological and practical ministry training at four strategic locations: retrain.org.