Gospel love is not a passive sentiment; it is an active, transformative force. In a world that often promotes comfort and inaction, men are called to rise up and embody this love in tangible ways.

Here are ten powerful ways real men can live out gospel love through action.

1. Embrace Courageous Intervention

True gospel love isn’t passive. It’s not about sitting on the sidelines, offering thoughts and prayers while evil triumphs. As the hands and feet of the lord, real men step up when they see injustice or danger. They do this out of love for what they hold dear and are called to do the same for their neighbors. This means physically stopping the bully, vocally and boldly speaking against bad policy and bad action. This active love reflects the very heart of God, who didn’t stay distant but entered our world to save us.

Yes this means active political involvement.

As a society of neighbors, we choose to set rules and boundaries for how we are to live together and treat one another to a legal standard through representative government, at least in the United States (for now). We lend our voices and discerning thoughts to public discourse, aligned to our values and spirit of loving our neighbors as ourselves.

Sadly, the instant we ask religious leadership to translate our values into policy positions, they go radio silent. As articulating beliefs into political positions (the fabric of society) presents a risk to the legal nonprofit and tax exempt status of the church. It also threatens keeping the pews filled with progressive masses who want unobtrusive “positivity and comfort” programming at church and avoid anything that could be perceived as divisive. And so, the combination of motives has led to the further conditioning the Christian community to avoid taking stands on societal and political issues, even in discussion or thought, all under the guise of being tolerant and inclusive. The result has been ceding ground to a dominant, worldly culture rule inside the church itself, creating a culture of avoidance and emasculation – the disarming of good men. So let’s talk about how to navigate it shall we?

While many churches avoid societal engagement and politics, to preserve tax-exempt status, this avoidance has compromised the church’s mission to stand against injustice. This has led to the church ceding ground, and has been accelerated over the past decade as progressive movement politicizing more issues and thereby off limits to fearful churches. Real men, however, understand that gospel love requires challenging societal norms, even at risk and a cost. The inaction and avoidance pose a far greater threat to society and the church community. It’s time to recognize that our call to love our neighbors includes intervening when we see them at risk, whether that means stepping in during a crisis or standing up against harmful policies.

But intervening isn’t enough; true gospel love also means rejecting the paralyzing fear of inaction.

2. Reject the Cowardice of Inaction

Some men hide behind a facade of spirituality, claiming that their isolated prayers are enough. This is like saying thinking happy thoughts in our imaginations is enough to shine our light on the world. If you shine a light in a box does it light up everything outside the box? Nope. This is often a mask for fear and selfishness. Authentic faith compels us to act – the way hands and feet do. Remember, faith without works is dead. Don’t be the man who sees his neighbor in need and says, “Go in peace, be warmed and filled,” without meeting their physical needs.

Imagine a man who prays for his neighbor’s well-being but turns a blind eye to the abuse happening next door. This is not gospel love; it’s cowardice disguised as spirituality. Good men are tricked into passivity, doing nothing, and feeling guilt and shame for the slightest uproar of not only action but even thought and feeling. The result? When good men do nothing, our culture suffers.

I’ll say it – the passive mindset of permissive inaction has been enabled by a feminized viewpoint designed to sedate and stop good men from taking action.

Pseudo-intellectual progressives among the Christian body, (those with a high soy count), tend to dismiss not only physical actions, but even assertive or critical thoughts. They prescribe mental exercises and inclusive world-view thinking that veils the effect of favoring paralysis by analysis – masking it with other terms. The mere concept of righteous anger and passionate conviction as mere thoughts are condemned. Their underlying claim, rests on a worldly, progressive philosophy that claims all critical mechanisms are divisive in nature, thereby negative. And natural masculine mechanisms, thoughts, feelings and actions tend to be critical, aggressive and are negative and thus morally “bad”. And then they define love as the absolute tolerance of all things and the absence of those critical components. In plain English – they believe in the concept of love without truth, permissive of all things and behaviors. We may as well be at Woodstock in ‘69, and free love to rationalize immoral behavior.

Note: For those triggered by the high soy count comment – here’s an intellectual translation. By high soy count, I mean those who subscribe to gynocentric prescription to define “healthy” masculinity. By supporting the feminization of men, you ask them to lay down their gifts and virtues of logic, reason, critical thought, assertive behavior, protecting health boundaries, in the name of progressive movements, social justice and so on. The result – the guards at the gate let everyone in and scrutinize no one – how convenient for the progressives…

Men Trading in virtue for popularity, social acceptance – and hopes to get laid at the peace rally! Creating and adopting social norms of progressive culture that ****claiming that assertive, challenging, contrarian or otherwise masculine thought, feeling or act is say divisive; good men are tricked into passivity, doing nothing, and feeling guilt and shame for the slightest uproar of not only action, but thought and feeling. The result of course, is when good men do nothing, our culture goes to shit, but this too can be fertile ground to learn something better.

Everyone wants to be a gangster until it’s time to do gangster shit.

This hamstrung construct is the work of the enemy, emboldened by fearful men. Men want to be seen as confident, secure and bold. But these days, many do not want to grow their faith by taking action for love of their neighbor and basic protection of the concept of freedom. By doing so they risk their character, reputation or physical wellbeing.

But that’s divisive!

Yes, taking action can be divisive. But so was Jesus. So was Paul. They didn’t hide behind a fear of being divisive to protect their egos. They risked it all, taught and challenged in the streets, and faced the consequences. We must follow their example, recognizing that gospel love calls us to act even when, and especially when it’s uncomfortable.

But it’s all part of God’s plan right. “Be still and know”…

We were created to act, to move, to do, to teach, discuss, debate, to lead and use our gifts to shine our light and bring glory to God. That’s part of the plan. The “Plan” argument seems to be cherry picked and applied most-often to cover for our fear of taking action, as if we know God’s plan. How convenient for us – while your neighbors were rounded up and isolated or abused, you think he called you to stay on the couch next to the potato chips? You may feel like that’s your super power, but we’re called to do more, be more and have more than that.

So call these men out, have them raise the bar. Do not praised a lack of character through inaction, though the upside down world chooses to. Do not let them hide in claims of tolerance, isolated prayer, worshipping at the idol of false righteousness of not being “divisive”, or a claimed shallow love that only means pacifism.

3. Lead by Example in Your Community

A man embodying gospel love doesn’t wait for others to take the first step. He leads the charge in addressing local issues, whether it’s organizing political groups to address the very fabric of society. This may manifest in many forms, such as mentoring at-risk youth, giving voice to the voiceless, or spearheading initiatives to combat homelessness, corruption, and to protect meritocracy and justice for all. Our actions inspire others and create a ripple effect of positive change that we may never see the fruits of ourselves—but they will serve others.

For instance, if your local school board proposes policies that undermine parental rights, leading by example could mean organizing a group of concerned parents to address these issues head-on. Just because the legal entity of the church can’t address political issues for fear of risking its nonprofit status doesn’t let men off the hook of loving our neighbors and embodying our values in all areas of life.

4. Cultivate Physical and Mental Toughness

This will kick some of ya right in the soy-filled parts. Love isn’t always soft. Many men are trying to hide in the feminine portrayal of love, reflecting a worldly, gynocentric culture. Sometimes, it requires a strong backbone and calloused hands. Develop your body and mind to be ready for the challenges that come with truly loving your neighbor. This might mean training in self-defense to protect the vulnerable, or honing your critical thinking skills to combat destructive ideologies.

Start by incorporating physical fitness routines into your daily life, and engage in challenging intellectual discussions that test and refine your beliefs. You aren’t called to put on the holy armor of God to hide and pray in a closet. Engage in debates and discussions on all matters of topics, be courageous and vulnerable enough to admit when and where you are wrong, and to be tempered, corrected, rebuked, and refined by other Christian men doing the same.

This is a call to every Christian man to quit being proud to be a worldly wimp. Men were designed for an entirely different walk than women. All the more reason to reject one feminized-size fits all progressive philosophy. How are we to love and protect loved ones and neighbors if mere words make us fold like wet paper bags? Gospel love for men is not a passive, comfortable experience. It is not running from foul language, foul deeds or foul people. It is men who must address them for their neighbors and loved ones. Bravery is not in the avoidance of these things, nor in wielding only speech or prayer. Your physical actions are called to build mental and physical resilience as a requirement of your walk with practicing gospel love as a real man.

5. Speak Truth, Even When It’s Uncomfortable

Real love doesn’t shy away from difficult conversations. It means having the courage to confront a friend struggling with addiction, challenging harmful ideologies in your workplace, or standing up against corruption in local government. Your words, spoken with wisdom and compassion, can be a catalyst for transformation. We have to unpack this a bit given the stakes.

When we speak about truth, there are two concepts to wrestle with: the real truth that only God knows and the colloquial concept of truth as objective reality and verifiable fact. It’s hard enough to discern what’s true within those dimensions without adding “personal truths” (you mean feelings right?) to the pile and attempting to coerce others into upholding delusions. While respecting individual experiences, it’s crucial to anchor conversations in objective reality. This means being willing to challenge “personal truths” when they conflict with biblical principles or verifiable facts.

If you’re compelled by God to speak, be resolute and ready for scrutiny that may follow, along with the consequences to the relational dynamics in play. Call out false conviction and blasphemy when you see it. Own your words, and be accountable for being wrong. That’s what being a man is about.

Speak for yourself, from yourself, ready to be thought foolish, so you may learn and grow in your faith and works.

“If you want to improve, be content to be thought foolish and stupid with regard to external things. Don’t wish to be thought to know anything; and even if you appear to be somebody important to others, distrust yourself. For, it is difficult to both keep your faculty of choice in a state conformable to nature, and at the same time acquire external things. But while you are careful about the one, you must of necessity neglect the other”

― Epictetus

6. Build a Network of Like-Minded Men

You weren’t meant to fight these battles alone. Surround yourself with other men committed to active, gospel-centered love. Create a brotherhood that holds each other accountable, provides support in times of struggle, and multiplies your impact on the world around you.

To build a strong network, start by seeking out men in your church or community who share your commitment to active gospel love. Regularly meet to discuss challenges, hold each other accountable, and encourage each other in your respective missions. Apply discernment and regularly get on the mats in uncomfortable discussions. Call out the soy factor – the progressive efforts to emasculate men and attempts to twist, defile, and shame their natural virtuous inclinations. Call out the nuanced linguistic bullshit of the enemy. Spiritual warfare is not just happening out there, the assaults of worldly culture are present in the hearts and minds of us all, and we can work together to rebuke, correct and reorient ourselves. This means you have to curate, steward and prune your group too.

7. Develop Practical Skills to Serve Others

Love often requires tangible action. Learn skills that allow you to meet real needs in your community. This might mean becoming certified in first aid, learning basic home repair to help elderly neighbors, or developing financial literacy to assist those struggling with poverty. This may mean building a business, amassing vast amounts of abundant wealth to generously and appropriately apply to in turn enrich the community. Be the man who can offer more than just good intentions.

If you’re skilled in carpentry, consider volunteering your time to help build or repair homes for those in need. Your expertise can be a direct expression of gospel love. Be the man who can offer more than just good intentions—offer practical help that makes a difference.

8. Embrace Sacrifice as a Way of Life

True love, the kind that reflects Christ’s sacrifice, will cost you something. It might mean giving up your Saturday to help a single mother move, using your vacation time to volunteer in disaster relief, or risking your reputation by standing up for what is right and good and true. Remember, love that costs nothing is worth nothing.

Here’s the sad state of affairs. Many men wrestle with sacrificing their time and resources for others. However many MORE men, cling to their reputation and social status, fearful of losing either by merely speaking about or exploring taking the right action, even in closed circles. This is miles away from being willing to tell truth to power, to advocate for a course correction, or utter a single critical question. Step it up men. And hold me to it as well. Look to those who lost or risked of themselves, especially merely to speak up. Not everyone can give resources and time, but not lending a discerning voice to important issues, reveals coveting that social status above doing what is right and honors God.

9. Cultivate Empathy – Not Dysfunctional Enablement

While action is crucial, so is understanding. Develop the ability to truly listen and empathize with those around you. This will guide your actions, ensuring that your love is not just forceful, but also wise and tailored to the real needs of others. This doesn’t mean agreeing with others, or enabling ongoing bad behavior. You can understand people and they can still be observably and demonstrably wrong.

Empathy means understanding the struggles of those around you, but it also means holding them accountable. For instance, if a friend is struggling with addiction, empathy involves offering support while also encouraging them to seek professional help, rather than simply excusing their behavior. Cultivate empathy for masculine culture, and what men are called to be, without condemning good men who call others to quit being complacent.

Stop trying to score worldly and fake internet points by echoing progressive tropes that can’t survive the slightest encounter with scrutiny. Cultivate empathy for more of the innate nature of what your fellow men go through, and how they naturally operate, what they could rise to be if less incumbered by dysfunctional and untenable thought patterns.

Quit celebrating limp-wristedness. It’s not meekness or humility nor is it empathy. It’s just weak and lazy way of rationalizing succumbing to a worldly culture. It’s immaturity, a nice little hide-out where worldly culture will leave you alone so long as you go along with their plans and stay out of their way.

10. Commit to Continuous Growth and Learning

The challenges facing our communities are complex and ever-changing. A man embodying gospel love never stops learning. Read widely, seek out diverse perspectives, and be willing to admit when you’re wrong. This humility and thirst for knowledge will make your love more effective and your actions more impactful.

As the world changes, so too must our understanding and approach to embodying gospel love. By committing to lifelong learning, we equip ourselves to meet the ever-evolving challenges of our communities and continue growing as leaders, providers, and protectors.

Conclusion

This is a call to action, a summons to the front lines of the battles raging in our families, communities, and world. It requires courage, strength, wisdom, and an unwavering commitment to putting others before ourselves.

This love isn’t about feeling good or appearing righteous. It’s about rolling up our sleeves and getting our hands dirty in the messy work of truly caring for our neighbors. It’s about being the kind of man who, when faced with injustice or suffering, doesn’t turn away or offer empty platitudes, but steps forward with purpose and resolve.

Remember, we are called to be the hands and feet of Christ in this world. That means we can’t afford to be spectators. We must be active participants in the redemptive work of God, bringing light to dark places and hope to the hopeless.

So, men, it’s time to rise up. Time to shake off the comfortable Christianity that asks nothing of us and embrace the radical, transformative love that Christ modeled. It won’t be easy. It will demand everything you have and then some. But this is the path to true fulfillment, to a life of purpose and impact.

Whether it’s intervening in a crisis, speaking truth, or leading by example, your actions can change lives. Let’s not wait for someone else to do it. The call is clear, and the time is now.

Are you ready to be the man your family, your community, and your God are calling you to be? The world is waiting. Let’s show them what real, active, gospel love looks like in action.