Do men today see Christianity as irrelevant - something for women and wimps? Is God intervening in our lives, even if we didn’t recognize his input? Do we really all have a ‘God-shaped’ hole waiting to be filled?

Brad Lincoln wants us to rethink our ideas of men and faith. While working in Nepal, Brad began collecting accounts of God’s interaction with men – real men with amazing faith stories. He started with those he knew personally, others came via friends and acquaintances. So began a round of interviews, drafts, redrafts and finally a book (Six Men encountering God).

These stories are courageous, gripping, and even extraordinary. Though their names have not been given, each has shared his experiences honestly and intimately. ‘The guys involved had the right to veto at any stage,’ said Brad.

• ‘Any number of times you’d find that, for men, it turns out to be a woman that seems to be pretty key in the process. I’m not saying that that’s the only thing.
• ‘Amongst those characters there were a number of people in their lives who probably have no idea the impact they have had. The nature of the interaction may not have been directly about God, but they were impacting.
• ‘Pretty much all of the guys had rejected out of hand any previous contact with church. But just because they had that little bit of knowledge became quite useful later on.’ Brad is certain that some found that they had nothing to lose and everything to gain by stepping out in faith.
• ‘A few of the men would say, when it comes to making the plunge, it’s a bit of no lose scenario. I am where I am. If I throw my weight on God and he doesn’t exist then I’m not worse off. If I throw my lot in with God and he does exist then I’m better off. So why not?

• ‘How did I get here, and how did I get to this point?
• Can you identify any patterns?

As a Christian, of course,’ he says, ‘I’d be looking for evidence of God. I’d encourage people look at their life and situations and see if God is interacting with them.’ Each man has a different story. The first tells the dramatic story of the climber whose experience was life-threatening with a miraculous outcome. Here is a short extract (edited) from the book Six Men Encountering God.

Peak Experience

The climber dangled precariously over the edge of the frozen waterfall. Below him, a 2000 ft drop. He faced certain death if he fell, taking with him his fellow climber. He sent up a desperate prayer to God. ‘Just get me out of this and I’ll do anything you want.’ ‘My future,’ writes the climber, ‘the only thing of value left, and that was rapidly depreciating - offered in return for my future existence.’ ‘Trust me’ came the reply.

With his last strength and hope, he swung his ice-axe in last ditch attempt to find a secure hold. His axe struck home. Miraculously the climber was able to reach safety. Still addicted to climbing, he put his dramatic experience ‘on hold’ for over a year until a conversation with a fellow climber. As she talked about her life and relationship with Jesus, the climber realised that his own life was ‘as a veneer, a façade’. He wanted to know more about this Jesus.

‘I became aware that I was approaching a junction at which I would have to make a choice. I decided to decide.’ In a small village church, he sat down and prayed. ‘I’m sorry that I’ve ignored you, God. I want to be a disciple. I want to leave my nets. I want to follow you.’

It was a nothing to lose swing of the ice-axe. If it didn’t hold, I had lost nothing significant, but if it did. To be honest, I am not sure I knew what to expect if it did hold. As I walked back it occurred to me that I had just become a Christian. I did not feel especially different. ‘What happens next? What do I do now?’ I wondered. I prayed again,’ You need to show me what direction to take.’

Again, not the thundering voice, no distinctive spoken word, but a general sense of his affirmation of my decision. It was strangely comforting, allowing me to carry on with what I was doing but to shift the emphasis. Do it not for me, but for him. ‘The hole within me had been filled and I felt I had become a man of substance. What was especially surprising was that I really did not deserve it.

I had not earned my Peak Experience and, if anything, my tardiness in even considering my response to the waterfall miracle made me at best ungrateful, at worst a defaulter. Part of what fills me now is the joy and gratitude that he did not give up on me even then.