Cross Training Ministries Podcast

You can't separate the body from discipleship. Some guys scoff at bodily discipline because they confuse effort with legalism. Other guys ignore bodily discipline because they don't want to take responsibility for their lack of self-control.

In this episode Joe and Evan give Christian men a Biblical framework for bodily discipline.

Go to www.menneedhelp.org to get our free guide on a life of simple routines, bodily discipline, and spiritual friendships.

More often than not, church services are a ho-hum experience. Sermons are not infrequently uninspiring. The music is never to everyone’s taste. The public prayers are longwinded, abstract, and difficult to follow. So why go?

In this episode Joe and Evan talk about why men should go to church, and how they can maximize the benefits of attending church.

Every guy has a stack of books he's been given, but never read. Some guys don't have the time to read. A lot of guys don't like reading. Should Christian men feel guilty for not being readers?

In this episode Joe and Evan give ordinary Christian men 5 reasons why reading is worth the hard work.

Start your reading habit with Joe's book The Way Forward, a guide for Christian men who want to get unstuck.

How do you become a guy that has really great friends? We all want to be that guy, but most of us aren't on that path. How do you find the road to great friendship? 

You need to grow in the virtues of gospel friendship.

In this episode, Joe and Evan guide you through 7 virtues of gospel friendship. You can read about each of the virtues on the Cross Training blog.

For more on the importance of spiritual friendships, check out Joe's book The Way Forward.

What's the most dangerous object you own? A knife? A gun? A chainsaw? It's your phone. What is the most likely thing to distract you from God? To keep you from paying attention to your wife and kids? Of luring you into porn? Of making you superficial and unable to focus your mind? It's your phone.

We all carry a dangerous item in our pocket, and none of us feels the danger.

Men who are training in spiritual fitness cannot ignore the downward pull of their phone. You can be a Digital Jedi - training to use your phone for good. Listen as Joe and Evan guide you to become the kind of guy who has healthy phone habits.

More help at www.menneedhelp.org

NEW! Surviving the Trenches audiobook. Get the training you need to be proactive in the fight against sin.

There is no other time of day like morning in terms of freshness of mind, availability before God, and stepping out into the day on the right foot. It's nearly impossible to recover after having missed the first part of the day. 

Don't miss your opportunity to start your day with God.

Redeeming the morning is one mark of being spiritually fit. Listen as Joe and Evan answer common questions about a healthy morning routine:

• Everyone talks about a quiet time with God: what is a quiet time? 
• How early should I get up? How much time should I set aside in the morning? 
• What do I do if I have small kids that get up early? 
• Is it possible to get up too early? 
• Are there other elements besides a quiet time that should be a part of my morning routine? 

How should Christian men think about sleep?

Sleep is a gift from God, and a fundamental element of training in spiritual fitness.

This week on the Cross Training Ministries podcast Joe and Evan encourage you to evaluate your bedtime routine. They talk about the benefits of a healthy sleep habit, and answer common questions and objections about sleep:

• 'What if I'm a Night Owl?'
• 'Nighttime is the only time I get to myself'
• 'What if I can't get my mind to shut down?'
• 'What if I work the night shift?'

Get more coaching videos here: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLbRKBJK6OZ03SVcmj2Bk0B4ZJxvXWpjUs

Get the audiobook, Surviving the Trenches here: https://www.audible.com/pd/Surviving-the-Trenches-Audiobook/B0BBNDPQJQ?action_code=ASSGB149080119000H&share_location=pdp&shareTest=TestShare

Most guys think that memorization is for elementary school. Kids memorize, not adults. Unless there is a test, why memorize something? 

The Bible paints a different picture. Memory is a practice. Memorization is a habit. 

Guys who are spiritually fit memorize scripture - it's a fundamental part of their training.

Listen as Joe and Evan guide you to become the kind of guy who is always memorizing something. 

https://www.menneedhelp.org/

The world around you is pushing you toward immoderate indulgence. Personal thresholds are the guardrails that keep you on the path of wisdom.

In this episode, Joe and Evan answer these questions about thresholds:

• What does the Bible say about personal thresholds?
• Do thresholds rob us of our freedom?
• Are thresholds legalistic?
• What are examples of personal thresholds?
• What do I do if I am having trouble sticking to my personal thresholds?

You can find additional resources at www.menneedhelp.org/leaders-guide

Every man has seasons in which his prayer life feels rote. You feel stuck saying the same things over and over again, with little enthusiasm or emotion. It's not that you do not know how to express how you feel (just ask the guy sitting next to you while you watch football), but when it comes to your spiritual life you cannot seem to find the words to express what you're feeling. 
Christian men need help putting words to the feelings they struggle to express. In this episode of the Cross Training Ministries podcast, Joe and Evan show how meditating on a classic Christian hymn can revitalize the prayer life of men who are stuck.

https://www.hymnworkouts.com/