Rules are for people who don’t know God. They govern the lowest common denominator in society and end up restricting others who don’t need them. Israel leaves slavery, wanders around for a bit and while their leader is gone on a hike with God they have an orgy. Note that up until this time they have no rules at all. Shortly after their “sexual free for all” they get some rules i. e. the 10 commandments. Not long after that they also get hundreds of pages of….you guessed it, more rules. That didn’t really work out that great in the long run so…. God shows up down the road a few thousand years later when Jesus sums up all the old rules into just one “love your neighbor as yourself” and things change from rules to relationship.

Years back when we started this group we had a bunch of rules too. Now we just have one, confidentiality. If we run with that and the summation of the law “love your neighbor as yourself” Then we’re good. We are governed by relationship, not a formula/program or ministry outline.  I don’t like rules, never have. I vote and donate toward causes that promise to give us less rules. We don’t want to be guided by punishment but by love. We don’t want photo enforcement but a relationship. Rules can help get you out of slavery but they can also keep you there. It is for freedom that Christ set us free.

This summer we visited the Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs. Throughout the campus there are lines in the cement that all first year cadets must walk on double time with their bag in their left hand. All other cadets walk freely where ever they want to go. We saw two first year cadets take a small step off the line and get chastised by upperclassmen. That preaches doesn’t it? Rules get you in line but its relationships that keep you there. This is a good picture of what the men in this group do because it works. Over time and as they establish sobriety and relationships they take more freedom. Yet at the same time they are confident in keeping other men that have not earned the right to that freedom on the line. As time goes by and they get comfortable,… they take even more liberty and are guided by the freedom that comes in a relationship with Jesus Christ. It’s a beautiful, messy, dangerous process.  God designed it that way for us to live because you are a wanted man. He paid the ransom for you, not dead, but fully alive.