Go Beyond

In 2019, our missions and men’s ministries came together with a shared burden—to call men back to God’s design for biblical manhood and to remind them that following Christ was never meant to be done alone. We challenged the men of Kingsland to step out of isolation and into meaningful community, because alone is dangerous.

From that burden was born Men of Courage, our first small-group discussion guide for men. What began as a simple, local step of obedience soon grew into global Men of Courage Summits, as we partnered with leaders around the world to carry this call to biblical manhood to the nations. To date, we have hosted Men of Courage Summits in Uganda, Brazil, Nepal, Cambodia, Colombia, and most recently, the Philippines.

Several years ago, as I prayed and looked ahead to future locations for our Men of Courage Summits, I began reading about the Bataan Death March in the Philippines—one of the darkest chapters of World War II. Filipino and American soldiers stood shoulder to shoulder against overwhelming odds, united in their resolve to resist a common enemy. Tragically, just over four months after Pearl Harbor, these courageous men were ultimately forced to surrender.

Their surrender, however, was not a failure of courage but the result of exhaustion, starvation, disease, and isolation—conditions that slowly eroded even the strongest men. As I reflected on their story, I was struck by a sobering truth: when men are cut off from support, strength fades, hope weakens, and survival becomes a lonely fight. That reality formed a powerful bridge to our mission—calling men today to stand together in faith, to walk in brotherhood, and to pursue biblical manhood in community, because isolation has always been dangerous.

Along with Steve Hyde, our ministry partner in Cambodia, Gil Harris and I traveled to the Philippines to plan for a Men of Courage Summit on the island of Luzon. Gil serves as our men’s ministry director at Kingsland and has been a faithful steward of this vision from the beginning. Steve grew up as a missionary kid in the Philippines and, as a Boy Scout, once walked the Bataan Death March Trail—a formative experience that left a lasting mark on his life.

Over the years, Steve’s work as a publisher, church planter, and evangelist has taken him throughout the region. His deep relationships, cultural understanding, and trusted reputation proved invaluable as we planned and prepared for the Men of Courage Summit in the Philippines. Through Steve and his childhood friend, Garvic Garcia, we were introduced to Bishop Frank Santos of Tarlac First Baptist Church—a thriving congregation with several thousand members and a strong influence throughout the region.

Bishop Frank is a highly respected leader who has guided his church to have broad and lasting impact throughout the Philippines and beyond. He shares our deep passion for calling men to embrace God’s vision for biblical manhood and for strengthening the home as the foundation of the church and society. With great generosity and enthusiasm, he agreed to host our summit, gather pastors from across Luzon for a pre-summit leadership meeting, and invite men from his congregation and men from other churches to take part.

Our team arrived in the Philippines several days ahead of the summit to walk the Bataan Death March Trail. Each step along that path forced us to slow down and reflect on suffering, courage, sacrifice, and the true cost of freedom. The trail has a way of stripping away distractions and exposing what really matters.

By the time we reached the final kilometer—where countless survivors were forced into rail cars bound for POW camps—our legs were weary, but our hearts were fully awake. It was a holy kind of preparation, the right posture for what lay ahead.

Prior to the summit, we hosted a special dinner for pastors and ministry leaders, where we shared the vision of calling men to embrace biblical manhood. During that evening, our friend Steve Hyde gave a sobering report on the recent fighting along the Cambodia–Thailand border. While many fled the conflict, Steve chose to stay and serve those in need.

Steve’s testimony became a powerful challenge to every man in the room—to stay, to stand, and to thrive when life grows hard, both in our own lives and within our homes.

On Saturday, more than 2,000 men—fathers and sons, students and laborers, pastors and leaders—from across the Luzon region and beyond gathered for a full day of worship and teaching. Brad Flurry, Kingsland’s Executive Pastor, opened the day by reminding us why alone is dangerous and why men were never meant to walk with Christ in isolation, but in community.

Following that message, Brad interviewed Dean Rush, who shared about the training he received in the Philippines prior to his deployment to Vietnam, where he served as a reconnaissance pilot. His story underscored a timeless truth: the battles we face today still require preparation, discipline, and intentional training.

Pastor Ryan delivered a compelling message on why men must go first. God calls men to lead with courage in their homes, not with passivity. Passive men do not lead well. Instead, God’s design is for men to remain alert—to the needs of their families, to the threats that endanger them, and to the responsibility of leading with both compassion and courage.

Pastor Ryan also extended an invitation to those who had not yet placed their faith in Christ to respond to the gospel. More than 200 men stepped forward in faith. Bishop Frank then prayed over them, offering encouragement and reminding them that following Christ is the beginning of a new life of courage, responsibility, and hope.

Gil spoke about what it means for men to be made in the image of God and highlighted three things the Lord has placed within the heart of every man: a beauty to rescue, a battle to fight, and an adventure to live. As part of his message, Gil—a three-time Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu World Champion and recent black belt recipient—and Brad stepped onto the mat for a live BJJ demonstration.

The men loved the demonstration and responded enthusiastically to the challenge to step into the arena—to move beyond passivity and actively engage in living for Christ with strength, discipline, and purpose.

Dennis Turnipseed, Executive Director of Eyes On Me ministry and a valued Kingsland partner, spoke about the growing fatherlessness crisis in both the United States and the Philippines. He challenged us to look beyond statistics and consider the real lives of boys growing up without fathers—and to step into that gap through intentional mentoring. His message was a sobering reminder that biblical manhood is not only taught, but lived out through presence, consistency, and love.

I was the final speaker of the day and shared the story of my Band of Fathers core group. I explained how the group was formed around three simple objectives: shared study, shared mission, and shared adventure. Walking in community with these men for more than a decade has shaped me into a better husband, father, and follower of Christ.

Every man needs to surround himself with men who are stronger than he is, wiser than he is, and who love him enough to wound him when necessary—to keep him from falling prey to the enemy’s schemes.

Gil closed the summit by issuing a final challenge—calling men to make a clear commitment to do life in community. More than 1,000 men responded, pledging to either lead or participate in a small group. After the summit, many approached us with gratitude, assuring us that they would no longer walk alone and expressing a renewed desire to become the men God is calling them to be.

As I reflect on the Men of Courage Summit in the Philippines, I am reminded that God honors simple obedience. What began years ago as a burden to call men out of isolation and into biblical brotherhood continues to bear fruit far beyond what we could have planned or imagined.

Our team returned home encouraged—not by numbers alone, but by lives changed, men awakened to their calling, and leaders committed to walking together for the long haul. The work continues, the harvest is ready, and we remain grateful to play a small part in what God is doing as He raises up men who will stand firm, lead well, and finish faithfully.

I am deeply grateful to Bishop Frank Santos for his visionary leadership and his willingness to host and champion the summit. Apart from his help, this gathering would not have been possible. His far-reaching influence throughout the Philippines enabled us to reach men from across the country—some of whom traveled as many as eighteen hours to attend. I am thankful for his faithful leadership and his partnership in advancing the gospel.

Special thanks to Pastor Garvic for his selfless service and tireless support in planning and logistics throughout our stay. Our hike along the Bataan Death March Trail would not have been possible without his help. We are also grateful to Andrew Probstfeld, Director of Kingsland Films, for faithfully capturing the entire journey on video.