Go Beyond

In 2019, Kingsland’s missions and men’s ministries collaborated to write a series of discussion guides based around the theme of calling men to embrace God’s vision for biblical manhood. On the day we presented Men of Courage, our first discussion guide, we gave away one-thousand copies to the men of Kingsland.

Later that year we traveled to Uganda to do our first Men of Courage Summit in collaboration with our valued partner, Pastor Robert Nabulere. It was a smashing success as more than 300 men met and made a commitment to do life in community with other men because alone is dangerous.

We then set dates to do four summits in 2020 — the first of these in Nepal in the month of April. As we were making final preparations to travel to Nepal, Covid shut down the planet. And now, four years later, we were finally able to travel to Nepal to do our Men of Courage Summit.

Nepal is a land of take-your-breath-away kind of natural beauty. The magnificent Himalayan mountain range defines the northern border of the country. The jagged snow-covered peaks look down on the clouds as they proudly rise up to close the distance between earth and outer space.

Toward the eastern end of the range, the iconic Mount Everest stands just a bit taller than its neighbors. Named after George Everest, a Surveyor General of India at the time its height was calculated, it has a an imposing magnificence all its own.

The Nepali people have always known this mountain as Sagarmatha, the Goddess of the Sky. Sagarmatha’s siren call summons adventurers from all corners of the globe. And so they come, each driven by a powerful determination to stand at the highest point where earth gives way to sky.

The Nepalese people reflect both the beauty and the ruggedness of the magnificent slice of geography they call home. Life, especially in mountain villages, is hard. But, the people have adapted to the altitude, the cold, and the challenges of doing life in the clouds. They persevere with stoic resolve. They are an amazing people.

We had our first meeting in Kathmandu where 350 men gathered at Bethlehem Church. Seated on the floor, the men packed the room. We provided each man with a copy of our first two discussion guides — Men of Courage and Men of Character. These guides are designed for men to use in weekly small group settings.

Worship was amazing as the men stood to their feet to sing praises to God. The energy was palpable as the men raised their voices and hands. Our partner Pastor Ishwor Sunuwar welcomed the men and also served as one of our translators.

We spoke to the men about what it means to embrace God’s vision for biblical manhood, to stand firm against culture’s efforts to redefine manhood, and the importance of doing life in community with other men. A resounding theme throughout each session was “alone is dangerous.”

And indeed, alone is dangerous. Satan is a pirate looking for a vessel without a fleet. Men are most vulnerable to the attacks of the enemy when they do life alone and apart from the safety and accountability that comes from doing life in community with other men of like faith and interests.

On our second day we drove eight hours into the Himalayas to a place called Jiri. This is the town where Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norway started their trek toward Everest in 1953, the year they became the first men to stand at the top of the world.

We met at a new church located adjacent to the Himalayan Leadership Development Center, the beautiful facility that was funded by gifts to the Cooper Potts Memorial Fund. Two hundred and fifty men from mountain villages attended this two-day summit. Once again, the energy and anticipation were high.

At the end of our sessions Gil Harris, Kingsland’s men’s ministry director, called the men to commitment. Every man in the room committed to either starting and leading a small group or to participating in a small group. The men committed to shared study, shared service, and shared adventure. This was a powerful moment as every man in the room dropped to his knees to pray.

We concluded our time in Jiri with a hike in the snow to the top of Hanumante, a 10,000+ foot peak a short drive outside of Jiri. Standing atop Hanumante was a great way to end our time in Nepal — a shared adventure with our Nepalese brothers.

We returned home with grateful hearts for what God had allowed us to experience in Nepal. We forged new friendships, encouraged one another, prayed for one another, and deepened our commitment to do life in community with our brothers in Christ because alone is dangerous.