June Champions Newsletter
June 3, 2022
Dear Men in the Arena Champion,
Ten years! Can you believe it? On June 3, 2012 (ten years ago to the day) we left two decades of local church ministry to launch Men in the Arena. We stepped out in obedience to God’s call, but (on paper) there was no way this fledgling ministry would survive. With 15 men meeting in a coffee shop, a deep conviction that I had heard God’s call to reach men, along with my fierce warrior wife, we went for it—all in. No regrets. No looking back. Do or die.
*image above* (Jim with Granddaughter Naomi and Son James)
Ten years later we have an Amazon #1 bestselling book, Strong Men Dangerous Times, more than 2 million video views on TikTok after only two months on the platform, we are the #1 ranked podcast for Christian Men on Spotify and have nearly 20,000 followers on Instagram. Thanks to champions like you, this year’s fundraising banquet raised double our previous highest amount at over $105,000!
Here is one of the many stories we receive from the lives you are helping impact. This one is from Japan:
“I'm active-duty military, currently stationed in Japan. The past 2 years have been some of the most insane of my life. Months after getting married, my 3-year-old stepson passed away, the military moved me overseas, and I confessed my porn addiction and infidelity to my wife. We are currently separated. The Men in the Arena Podcast has been life-changing. Finding the podcast this year has been, without exaggeration, one of the most pivotal things that turned my life around. It's helping me find who I am again, not just as a man, but in Christ.
Thank you so much for this ministry. I may not be where I need to be yet, but this ministry has been nothing short of life-changing for me. I looked for months trying to find something geared towards men. I was tired of being told I was toxic because I was not being soft enough. I just needed a group of people who would be the iron to sharpen me. There's a time for love and a time to get punched in the face because you're not doing the right thing. I found that with your podcast. From a man who has jumped into the Arena from the stands, thank you!”
Yes! With conviction, I believe it is because of champions like you. Thank you. I believe prayer moves the hand of God, which is why we send our prayer updates quarterly, trusting that you are praying for Men in the Arena daily.
We have had a great year and our team is fatigued. We have a summer’s worth of excellent new podcasts combined with our best, repurposed episodes. I will be offline from mid-June to mid-August regaining strength for the fall. If you have any questions please contact my Executive Assistant, Tatjana.
When a man gets it…
Jim