Authentically Adam: Restoring God's Original Design for Men

In Part One, Wayne and Cory Waddell, local preacher for the Bear Valley Church of Christ, discussed some of the tensions that can develop between elders and preachers. In Part Two, the conversation turns toward solutions.

What can elders and preachers do to build trust before problems arise? How should disagreements be handled? And what happens in a congregation when its leaders genuinely respect, encourage, and trust one another?

Wayne and Cory discuss the importance of clear expectations, honest communication, mutual encouragement, healthy disagreement, and developing relationships that extend beyond meetings and ministry decisions.

Elders and preachers will not always agree—and healthy leadership does not require them to. But they can learn to disagree without damaging their relationship.

Different responsibilities. Different roles. But the same Lord, same church, and same mission.

Episode Resources:

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Few relationships have a greater impact on the health of a local congregation than the relationship between its elders and preacher. When trust and communication are strong, the church benefits. But when tension or mistrust develops, the effects can reach far beyond the men involved.

In Part One of this two-part Authentically Adam conversation, Wayne is joined by Cory Waddell, local preacher for the Bear Valley Church of Christ, to examine where tension between elders and preachers comes from.

How do preachers sometimes contribute to the problem? How can elders unintentionally create frustration or uncertainty? Wayne and Cory discuss expectations, communication, differing perspectives, and the challenges that can develop when relationships are neglected.

Elders and preachers have different responsibilities and roles—but they serve the same Lord, same church, and same mission.

Episode Resources:

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What are the things every father wants his daughters to know?

In this episode of Authentically Adam, Wayne shares ten lessons he hopes his girls will carry with them throughout their lives. From recognizing that they are blessings from God and refusing to let fear or criticism hold them back, to choosing friends wisely, staying close as sisters, and learning the power of forgiveness, these are lessons that reach far beyond childhood.

Above all, this episode is a father’s reminder that success and happiness are never the ultimate goal. The greatest hope a Christian father can have for his daughters is that they remain faithful to God—and that one day, the entire family will be together in heaven.

An episode for fathers, daughters, and anyone who understands just how special that relationship can be.

Blame-shifting is nothing new. In fact, it’s as old as sin itself.

In this episode of Authentically Adam, Wayne uses Major League Baseball’s decision to “end the shift” as a starting point for a much more important discussion: our tendency to shift responsibility when our decisions go wrong.

Scripture gives us three memorable examples. Adam blamed Eve—and indirectly God—for his sin. Aaron blamed the people for the golden calf and offered the almost comical explanation that he threw the gold into the fire and “out came this calf.” King Saul insisted he had obeyed God while blaming the people for the parts of God’s command he ignored.

Different men. Different circumstances. Same problem.

Blame-shifting often reveals something deeper: we have abandoned the responsibility God gave us and allowed the pressures, desires, fears, or expectations of others to rule our hearts.

For men called to lead in their homes, churches, and communities, ending the shift requires three things:

• Take responsibility — Own your decisions and actions.

• Limit your empathy — Don’t allow the emotions and expectations of others to replace conviction.

• Let God rule again — Allow His truth, rather than pressure or passion, to direct your heart.

Mature leadership begins when we stop explaining away our failures and start owning them.

We’ve heard plenty of warnings about controlling our passions—especially when it comes to lust and sexual temptation. But what if the biblical conversation about passion is much bigger than that?

In the Season 14 premiere of Authentically Adam, Wayne explores how our passions include the desires, fears, anger, impulses, and emotions that influence how we respond to life. Passions aren’t always sinful, but they aren’t always trustworthy either. Left unchecked, they can control our reactions, shape our attitudes, and even drive us toward passivity, isolation, worry, and frustration.

Using examples from David and Elijah, along with biblical teaching from Romans, Ephesians, Titus, 1 Thessalonians, and 1 Peter, this episode considers how godly men can understand and properly direct their passions.

The goal isn’t simply to suppress what we feel. Instead, our passions must be ruled by a mind that is itself ruled by God.

Three qualities can help us get there:

• Clarity of mind — 1 Thessalonians 5:4–8

• Stability of soul — Titus 2:2

• Readiness to act — 1 Peter 1:13

Godly masculinity isn’t passionless. It is passion brought under the rule of God.

Episode Resources:

"Leadership and Emotional Sabotage" by Joe Rignely

This special episode of Authentically Adam features a rich and meaningful conversation with three guests who bring both personal insight and shared experience to the table. Wayne is joined by his wife, Shana Kaye, along with their close friends, Dave and Nicci Leonard. Together, they explore the unique value of couples intentionally building friendships with other couples.

The discussion highlights how marriage brings challenges, perspectives, and responsibilities that are often best understood by those walking the same path. By cultivating deep, genuine relationships with other couples, husbands and wives can find encouragement, accountability, and wisdom that speaks directly to their shared experiences. Wayne and the guests reflect on how these friendships create a space for honest conversations, mutual support, and growth—both individually and as couples.

Throughout the episode, they emphasize that strong couple-to-couple relationships are not just beneficial but essential. These friendships help navigate the complexities of marriage, strengthen communication, and provide a network of people who truly understand the joys and struggles that come with building a life together.

In this episode, Wayne challenges men to embrace one of the most powerful and formative disciplines in the Christian life: prayer. More than a private spiritual habit, prayer is something our families—especially our children—need to see and hear from us regularly. When fathers pray, they model dependence on God, humility before Him, and confidence in His care.

Wayne acknowledges that prayer does not always come easily. At times, believers struggle with uncertainty, distraction, or even spiritual apathy. Yet those moments are often when prayer is needed most. Rather than allowing discomfort or hesitation to silence us, we must push through those feelings and intentionally speak to God, trusting that He hears and cares.

The episode also explores several key dispositions of prayer found in Jesus’ model prayer in Matthew 6:9–13. In this well-known passage, Jesus teaches that prayer should reflect reverence for God’s holiness, submission to His will, trust in His daily provision, humility in seeking forgiveness, and a desire for spiritual protection.

Through this discussion, Wayne reminds listeners that prayer shapes both the one who prays and those who are watching. When children grow up seeing their fathers regularly turn to God, they learn that faith is not merely something we talk about—it is something we live.

This episode serves as both an encouragement and a challenge for men to lead their families by cultivating a life of sincere, consistent prayer.

What habits, hobbies, or interests did you pick up because of your dad? For most of us, it doesn’t take long to think of something. Maybe it’s the way you follow a particular sports team, the way you approach work, the music you enjoy, or even the way you spend your weekends. Fathers have a unique way of shaping the rhythms and priorities of our lives, often without realizing just how deeply their influence runs.

That idea serves as the starting point for this week’s episode.

This week, Wayne explores how the influence of a father goes far beyond hobbies or shared interests. Children are constantly watching what their dads value most. They notice what gets their father’s time, attention, and enthusiasm. Those notice if their dad love to worship the Lord or not. . When children see their dads investing in their relationship with God—prioritizing the assembly, engaging in worship, and speaking about spiritual things—it communicates something incredibly important: that faith is not merely a duty but a deeply valued part of life.

Ultimately, this episode is a reminder that some of the most important lessons fathers teach are the ones their children see lived out week after week. When dads make worship a priority and demonstrate a genuine love for God, they are shaping the faith of the next generation in ways that may last a lifetime. Join us for a thoughtful discussion about the influence of fathers, the power of example, and why children need to see their dads leading the way in worship.

Transformation is accomplished in smalls steps and single decisions. Sometimes transformation is not about major changes, but about a singular adjustment. Wayne notes this reality by considering the example of Apollos in Acts 18. The primary reason Apollos was transformable is because was teachable. He was willing to receive instruction and accept correction. True masculinity allows us to acknowledge our limitations and to accept the help needed to change.

Man is created with a drive to accomplish, conquer, and compete. However, when they competitive spirit is expressed our spiritual relationships, the result can spiritually tragic. This week Wayne addresses this reality by noting the teachings of Jesus in Matthew chapter 18.