Guys,
What a great Huddle Captains Convene. We got very practical about something I believe deeply:
Friendship is fuel for following Jesus. And deep friendship doesn’t happen accidentally.
We looked at the “roof crashers” in Luke 5—the friends who carried their paralyzed buddy to Jesus, climbed onto a roof, tore through it, and lowered him right in front of Jesus.
That’s friendship. Whatever it takes, we help get each other to Jesus.
A few things that stood out:
Create a rhythm. Deep friendship needs consistent time. Put it on the calendar. Weekly is powerful. If an hour feels impossible, start with 15–30 minutes. Consistency beats good intentions.
Make it safe. Don’t assume confidentiality and loyalty. Talk about it. Agree on it. Shake hands on it. Men go deeper when they know their story and struggles are safe.
Use shoulder-to-shoulder time. Golf, fishing, working out, driving, grabbing breakfast—men connect naturally through activity. But don’t stop there. Use that time to ask about his story, his heart, his marriage, his struggles and what God is doing in his life.
Risk vulnerability. Go first. Share a blind spot, temptation, fear or area where you need help. It’s much easier to confess a specific struggle later when you’ve already established, “This is one of my risk areas. Ask me about it.”
Keep it small. You don’t need eight guys. One or two trusted brothers can go much deeper than a roomful of men.
We also talked about a challenge many leaders face: people want you to mentor them, advise them or put you on a pedestal—but that isn’t mutual friendship.
One answer is multiplication. When a man asks you to mentor him, encourage him to bring a peer along. Help those two men build a friendship with each other, not just a dependence on you. You’re not only helping a man—you’re seeding another Huddle.
That’s the culture I’d love to see become contagious in churches and among leaders: fewer men isolated behind competence and appearances, and more men known, supported, challenged, prayed for and helping each other follow Jesus.
Don’t try this alone.
If you couldn’t make it, or if you want to review it, the full recording is here:
Access the slide deck here: https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1-YWzqQLNmhHFBFIapdDNsWM8VpcqPqUi7enKRHJKXWo/edit?usp=sharing
