As a little boy, I had a favorite question. It was short, persistent, and almost never satisfied.

Why?

Why do I have to go to bed now? Why can’t I have another cookie? Why do we have to leave the park? Why does it have to rain today?

My mother’s answer was usually just as short.

Because!

If I pushed—and I often did—she would sometimes add the mysterious line that left me completely stumped:

Because pigs don’t fly.

I never knew what that meant. I still don’t know. But I understood the larger message. Some answers simply were not mine to have in that moment. Even though I never thought so, my mother knew more than I did. She could see farther down the road than a small boy with sticky fingers and a limited view of the world. Trust was required even when understanding was not there.

I have come to believe that something very similar happens in our relationship with God.

We grow up. The questions get heavier. Why did this happen? Why didn’t You stop it, Lord? Why this loss, this delay, this silence, this pain? The impulse is the same one I had as a child standing in that kitchen: demand an explanation that will make the discomfort make sense.

Jesus answered him, What I am doing you do not understand now, but afterward you will understand.
John 13:7

Sixteen years ago, when Cindy was in the hospital fighting for her life, she asked that same heavy question: Why? In that moment she was led to a little book by Gene Edwards titled The Prisoner in the Third Cell.

The story centers on John the Baptist—cousin of Jesus Himself—who was in the worst prison cell imaginable. He sends his disciples to ask Jesus a big question, Are You the One, or do we look for another? In other words, why? If You are truly God… why?

Jesus’ answer was profound. After rehearsing all the miracles He had performed, He added the powerful phrase: And blessed are those who are not offended with Me. (Matthew 11:4-6) In other words—even though you may not know why—you are blessed if you simply trust Me.

Scripture never treats Why? as our primary right. Job asked it at length and received no tidy explanation for his suffering—only a longer view of God’s sovereignty and wisdom. The psalmists poured out their confusion, but they were repeatedly directed back to trust. Jesus Himself, in the deepest anguish, did not demand a full accounting; He yielded.

God is not obligated to give us the detailed why we so often insist upon. He is God. We are not. His knowledge is perfect; ours is partial. His purposes stretch across eternity; ours are usually measured in days or decades. When we demand that He justify His ways to us before we will trust Him, we invert the relationship. We treat the Creator as if He must answer to the creature.

That does not mean our questions are sinful in themselves. Honest lament is found throughout the Bible. God can handle our confusion, our grief, and even our anger. What becomes inappropriate is the spirit that refuses to rest until every mystery is explained on our terms. That posture says, in effect, “I will trust You only when I fully understand You.” But faith that requires full understanding is not faith at all.

My mother’s because was not cruelty. It was a boundary set by love and wisdom. Because pigs don’t fly was her way of saying the explanation either exceeded my capacity or was simply not the point. The point was obedience and trust in the moment.

God’s because is infinitely wiser. Sometimes He gives insight later. Sometimes He never does in this life. Either way, the call remains the same: trust the One who sees the end from the beginning. He is not guessing. He is not experimenting. He is not obligated to clear every decision with us first.

So, the next time the familiar question rises—Why, Lord?—remember the little boy in the kitchen. The answer may still be, simply, Because. And that may be enough, because the One who says it knows best.

Pigs still don’t fly.

And God is still God.

Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths.
Proverbs 3:5–6

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Dear friends, I want to share something with you that is very important and heart-felt. In over 30 years of full-time ministry to men this is my most important and timely resource.

I want to encourage you to read our press release and social media ad below and seriously consider obtaining a copy of this new book. For all of you who are my Substack subscribers I have included a link below for you to download a free eBook version. -Vince

News From On Target Ministries:

Most men I talk to want more than just “information about God.” They want to know Him. They want the kind of relationship that changes how they think, how they lead, how they love their families, and how they handle the pressures of life.

The problem? A lot of us are still trying to grow using the same old methods that left us spiritually dry or stuck in performance mode. We attend church, listen to sermons, maybe even read a chapter a day… but deep down we sense there’s more.

That’s exactly why I’m so excited about a new book that just released: The Man God Intended: The Journey—Every Man’s Starting Place by Vince D’Acchioli.

This isn’t just another devotional. It’s a practical, no-fluff, 6-week journey designed to move men from knowing about God to knowing Him — and it works whether you’re brand new to faith or you’ve been walking with Jesus for decades and need a fresh spark.

Built for Real Personal Spiritual Growth

Every day follows a simple, powerful rhythm:

• A key Scripture

• Raw, honest teaching (often from Vince’s own story of failure and restoration)

• Two focused questions that make it personal

• One simple action step you can actually do that day

• Space to write your takeaway and commitment

It’s not about cramming more head knowledge. It’s about heart-level transformation. By the end of the six weeks, you’ll have a clearer picture of who God really is, how much He loves you, and how to walk with Him in trust instead of trying to control everything yourself.

The journey culminates in The Encounter — a full day set aside to be alone with God. Many men who’ve done it say it became one of the most meaningful spiritual experiences of their lives.

Perfect for Men’s Small Group Bible Study

If you lead or attend a men’s group, this book was made for you.

Each week ends with Growth Keys — discussion questions and journal space specifically designed for small groups. At the end of every week there’s also a QR code that links to a powerful 12-minute video teaching from the Men On Target curriculum. You can watch it together and then talk about it.

Vince’s teaching style is transparent, practical, and often funny. He doesn’t just tell men what to do — he shows them through his own story what it looks like to crash, get back up, and learn to walk with God in the real world.

“As iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another.” This book creates the environment where that actually happens.

Ideal Starting Place for New Believers

One of the things I love most is how clearly this book lays the foundation for anyone who is brand new to following Jesus — or for those who’ve been around church but still feel fuzzy on the basics.

Week 1 walks through who God really is (Creator, Designer, Lover, Forgiver, All-Powerful). It gently but firmly addresses the difference between the “god we want” and the God who actually is. It covers salvation, assurance, and what it means to be a new creation in Christ — all in language that’s easy to understand but never shallow.

If you’ve ever wished there was a simple, powerful resource to hand a new believer (or someone who’s been away from God for a while), this is it. It gives them a solid starting place without overwhelming them.

Spiritual Refreshing for Those Who Want to Go Deeper

At the same time, this isn’t basic material dressed up for beginners. Men who have walked with God for years are finding it incredibly refreshing.

The teaching on trust, letting go of control, finding power in weakness, drawing near through time alone with God, and living out your purpose hits differently when you’ve already been around the block a few times. It has a way of exposing areas where we’ve grown complacent and inviting us back into deeper intimacy with Jesus.

Vince writes with the heart of a man who has been through the fire and come out the other side more in love with Jesus than ever. That authenticity makes the call to go deeper feel inviting instead of guilt-inducing.

Ready to Start Your Journey?

Whether you’re:

• A new believer looking for a clear path forward

• A men’s small group leader wanting something practical and transformative

• Or a seasoned believer who simply wants to fall in love with Jesus all over again…

The Man God Intended is an excellent place to begin.

Download your free copy today!

It’s written for real men living real lives who are tired of surface-level faith and hungry for something deeper. You might just discover that the man God intended you to be has been waiting on the other side of this journey all along.

Understanding is a wellspring of life to him who has it. But the correction of fools is folly.
Proverbs 16:22

The following is excerpted from an article I wrote in 2023 by the same title. Because of where we find ourselves today, I felt the need to re-communicate these thoughts with some updated information. –Vince

Lately I have done extensive reading and some research on how whole societies and countries have been overtaken and conquered. In man’s earliest days, the methods were always physical. It took massive, well trained, and well equipped armies—in other words—physical force. Not so today. The new weapon is persuasion and the tools for this type of takeover are both devious and very sophisticated. If I can persuade you to surrender, I have won without any physical effort or cost.

In 1987 Allan Bloom wrote his number one best seller, The Closing Of The American Mind. The subtitle for the twenty-five-year anniversary edition says, How Higher Education Has Failed Democracy and Impoverished the Souls of Today’s Students. One of my favorite quotes from this amazing work is, the problem with an open mind is that your brains fall out. Bloom’s criticism revolves around his belief that the “great books” of Western thought have been devalued as a source of wisdom. This would obviously include the Bible. Bloom says The modern liberal philosophy enshrined in the Enlightenment thought of John Locke—that a just society could be based upon self-interest alone, coupled by the emergence of relativism in American thought—has led to this crisis.

Thirty-nine years later we are seeing the results Bloom predicted. How did we get here? Carefully planned and artfully applied MANIPULATION! Now, I know what you are thinking—even a casual leaning in this direction will label me a conspiracy theorist. This label is another calculated strategy to stop any kind of honest effort to uncover the truth. Here is another example—when asked a very logical question regarding what the possible “end game” might be for all of this most will say, I don’t know. Many, including this writer, believe the end game is total takeover—complete control of our nation and the removal of everything we originally stood for. If you openly say this—you are laughed at—again—manipulation.

It is almost impossible to not notice the newest not-so-subtle messaging about the reality of alien life. Steven Spielberg, a man who has done more to shape the thoughts of most of our world in so many areas over the last five decades, is about to debut his newest and arguably most significant contribution yet. The movie is called Disclosure Day. The timing of this release, coinciding with our governments slow dribble of classified UAP files, is not a coincidence in my humble opinion.

I will predict that many people, including some who would call themselves Christian, are vulnerable to great deception. You can feel it coming—there is no god—we were planted here by aliens from another world. With the entrance of AI this message will become very believable. If the powers that be can get the whole world to unite behind a compelling idea it will ultimately bring about an engineered groupthink that ushers in a level of total control our enemies are seeking.

What if virtually every newsworthy major event is viewed by devious people as an opportunity to manipulate the vulnerable masses into a way of thinking that will move them closer to seeing their “end game” achieved? What if it is no longer left or right, conservative or liberal, Democrat or Republican and it is all set up to make us think there are two sides when the reality is—the leaders of these groups are working together to deceive the masses?

The problem is very few people are doing any critical thinking. We are not trying to discern what the real motive or “end game” is. We are being lied to or kept in the dark on almost every front. Consider the following:

• Elections are safe from fraud

• Aliens are real—we are not alone in the universe.

• Artificial Intelligence is safe and you need to trust it.

• Covid came from a fish market and was accidental, masks and social distancing work and the vaccines are safe and effective.

• LBGTQ+++ are to be considered normal and should be affirmed and celebrated.

• Pedophilia is now Minor Attracted Persons (sex trafficking is a 34-billion-dollar industry)

• Individual freedom is less important than the will of the collective.

• Killing the unborn is okay—it’s a matter of choice.

• Socialism and globalism are good for us, nationalism is bad.

• Global warming is caused by humans.

• Always trust science.

• Your kids do not belong to you—they are the property of the state. (As of this writing California is putting forth a bill to give children the legal right to leave home at age 12)

There are so many more messages and soundbites I could list here but I know these will garner a lot of emotions from my readers. For this writer, I have no trouble saying all of these are wrong, pathetic and disgusting. But then I am not very opinionated. Perhaps you will agree or disagree with some of these issues. The question is, what is the source of these messages and are they designed to minister or manipulate me? How can you know the real motives?

Let me suggest some thoughtful questions you should ask whenever you are trying to figure out truth from lies and ministry vs manipulation:

• Who is the source behind the idea or message?

• What vested interest might they have?

• Is there money involved?

• Is it about power and control?

• What are the facts when compared to the counter argument?

• Does it unite or divide us?

• And most important, what does the Bible say?

My friend and fellow follower of Jesus, please hear me. Nothing in this world will keep you safe in light of the great deceptions that are coming except the Word of God. You must be in it every day. You must test everything you hear and see against what the Bible tells us and of course you must pray and ask God to validate what is real and what is of our enemy.

The good news is that God has not left us defenseless. The same discipleship tools we have been using for decades at OTM — intimacy with Christ, discovering our biblical identity, and walking in His destiny — are the very things that will keep us anchored.

Jesus replied, “Are you not in error because you do not know the Scriptures or the power of God?
Mark 12:24

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In him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, who is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it, to the praise of his glory.
Ephesians 1:13-14

I was blessed in my formative years as a new believer to sit under the ministry of the late Pastor Jack Hayford. For more than twenty of the prime years of his ministry, my wife Cindy and I were richly fed by his teaching. He and his wife Anna became dear friends, and Jack mentored me personally for almost fifty years. I owe an enormous part of my ministry life to this remarkable man.

If I had to sum up Jack Hayford’s legacy in one phrase, it would be the term he himself coined: The Spirit-Formed Life. He taught extensively—and with rare clarity—on our daily need to be filled, fed, and led by the Holy Spirit. That simple three-word framework has shaped everything I believe about walking with God.

Everywhere you go this week, Jesus wants to be there with you. His life is extended to others through the indwelling presence and work of His Holy Spirit in us. The key verse is Ephesians 5:18: And do not get drunk with wine, for that is debauchery, but be filled with the Spirit. The Greek verb plerousthe is a present passive imperative. In plain language, it means this: keep on being filled. It is not a one-time event. It is a continual, ongoing yielding to the Spirit’s presence and power.

Let me help you clearly distinguish these three dimensions:

Spirit-Filled
This is the initial and ongoing empowerment or baptism of the Holy Spirit. It is about power, presence, and overflow. Think of wind filling the sails of a ship or oil anointing someone for service. It is the Holy Spirit controlling and empowering you for worship, witness, the gifts of the Spirit, and victorious daily living. Jack taught this boldly. He never apologized for the Spirit’s work and always encouraged believers to welcome fresh surges of His power. Without being filled, our efforts quickly become fleshly and powerless.

Spirit-Fed
This is the daily nourishment and sustenance the Holy Spirit brings through God’s Word, prayer, and His inner ministry to us. The Spirit takes the Scripture and makes it living bread for our spirits (John 6:63). Feeding is about intake—building substance, renewing the mind, and strengthening the inner man. Filling gives you power and overflow; feeding gives you roots and depth. A believer who is filled but not fed can become unbalanced—lots of emotional highs but no real maturity.

Spirit-Led
This is following the Holy Spirit’s guidance and direction in daily decisions and the overall direction of your life. Romans 8:14 says, For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God. Galatians 5:16-18 and 25 speak of walking by the Spirit and keeping in step with the Spirit. Being led is about sensitivity to His voice, yielding to His promptings, and aligning your steps with God’s will rather than your own plans or circumstances. You can be filled with power and fed with truth, but if you are not submitted to His leading, you will still go your own way.

Jack Hayford’s genius was showing how these three are not separate experiences but interdependent parts of one Spirit-formed life:

• Filled provides the power source.

• Fed supplies the sustenance and foundation.

• Led ensures the right direction and lasting fruitfulness.

The mature believer learns to live in all three—sometimes one is more prominent in a particular season, but none can be neglected. Sadly, many men today suffocate God’s Holy Spirit by giving intellectual assent to His presence but not allowing the further nurturing brought about by reading the Word, worship and prayer to discern direction.

Here is my challenge to you today: Don’t settle for the Holy Spirit simply being in you. Invite Him to feed you. Ask Him to help you interpret the Scriptures as you open them each day. Psalm 119:105 says, Your word is a lamp for my feet, a light on my path. This is a powerful two-pronged promise to the reader—He will illuminate your daily steps—but the light on my path suggests He will lead you in the way to go.

Ask Him to lead you onto the very pathways of life He intended for you before the foundation of the world.

This is not advanced Christianity. This is normal Christian living for every believer who has the Spirit in them. The question is whether we will daily yield, confess sin, pray for fresh filling, feast on the Word, and then walk in step with whatever He says.

Self-Reflection Questions

Take a few quiet moments right now and answer these questions honestly before the Lord:

1. Am I regularly being filled with the Holy Spirit, or have I been trying to live on yesterday’s power?

2. Am I consistently being fed by the Word and prayer, or am I spiritually undernourished?

3. Am I truly being led by the Spirit in my daily decisions, relationships, and direction—or am I still charting my own course?

4. Where is the Holy Spirit gently prompting me right now that I have been resisting?

5. If Jesus walked beside me everywhere I go this week, what would He want to do in me and through me?

Jack Hayford lived this out. He modeled it. And because he did, thousands of us—including me—learned how to live the Spirit-formed life.

My prayer for you is the same one Jack would pray: that you would not only have the Holy Spirit within you, but that you would be daily filled, fed, and led by Him—until your life looks more and more like the life of Jesus.

Now… will you let Him lead you today?

For more information about Jack Hayford and his resources click here:

https://www.jackhayford.org

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Reprinted from a 2022 TargetPoint

It was in the early 80’s. I was a rising senior executive for a Fortune 1000 company and a new believer on my journey to become The Man God Intended. In my quest to discover who I was as a man, I decided to ask a range of people, beginning with my family, what they saw in me. A significant person on my list of those to pursue was a man that would become my mentor and great friend, the late Pastor Jack Hayford. What follows is the story of what happened when I asked him what he observed in me.

It turned out to be a pretty long lunch. When I asked Pastor Jack for his impression of me I remember a blank stare and an uncomfortable period of silence. Then, he reached over and grabbed the salt and pepper shakers from the side of our table. He took the pepper shaker and said see this…this represents product. You like product. Nodding, but not really knowing where this was going, he continued. You know why you like product? I said no and he continued—you know how to purchase the raw material, you know how to manufacture it, you know how to package it, price it, display it, sell it—you can control product.

At this point I am thinking I may not like where this is headed but was still clueless. He then grabbed the saltshaker and continued. Vince, this is fruit. You don’t like fruit. It just so happens I really don’t like fruit, but I had a good idea that was not what he meant. He then added, do you know why? It’s because fruit grows the way it wants to grow. At this point he began to describe, from the cellular level, the incredible nature of fruit and all of its nourishing attributes in ways I had never heard. And then came the clincher—Vince, I see you as a Tiger becoming a Lion.

It was at this point I had to call a time out—OK Pastor Jack, help me understand the zoological implications of that one? He did—he went on to talk about the differences between a Tiger and a Lion in ways that blew me away. Remember, this is the man who wrote the powerful song, Majesty. He talked about how the Tiger is a skilled hunter, like the Lion, but that they hunt singular—they are not familial like Lions. He talked about the majesty and patience of the Lion and then said, Jesus is not referred to as the Tiger of Judah, but the Lion of the tribe of Judah.

He encouraged me by letting me know how much he believed in me, but recognized I needed to rely much more on the Holy Spirit in my life then on my human ability to control. He concluded by saying he saw me as a marble that God wanted to turn into a grape. He held out his hand and used his thumb to demonstrate pressing down on a marble and reminded me that when the pressure is exerted the marble escapes—it will not be crushed.

On the other hand, he suggested that when you become that precious and ripe grape, submitted to the will of your heavenly Father, that same pressure now reveals the sweetness from your life that will extend to strengthen and nurture the lives of others. What a powerful picture I received on that memorable day!

My friends, there are a couple of takeaways I want you to consider from this story. First, the wisdom of asking others what they see in you. I recommend this to practically every audience I address when talking about how to find God’s direction for your life. It will provide a rich and meaningful flow of information that will help you better understand your blind-spots—we all have them.

But second, and most important, is the lesson regarding letting go of our way and letting God fill us with His Holy Spirit. Something that can only happen as I totally surrender my total being to Him and allow His richness to fill me for the designed purpose of extending His wonderful grace to a dying world. For this to happen, we MUST get our eyes off of all the distractions and confusion going on in our culture right now and focus on what God wants to do with us.

We must remember that what comes out of us is only the product of what is in us. If I am filled with anger, disgust, disbelief and fear, that is what I communicate to others when I am squeezed. However, if I understand that He is crazy about me and desires to fill me up with His love, patience, kindness and joy, then imagine the significance of that flow as it is extended to a fractured people.

In a world that celebrates the hard, polished marble — the self-made, self-protected, self-controlled man — God is still searching for grapes. He is not looking for impressive résumés or tightly managed lives. He is looking for surrendered hearts that, when squeezed by pressure, difficulty, or even the chaos of our times, release the sweet, nourishing fruit of His Spirit instead of resistance or resentment. The question is no longer “Am I successful?” but “Am I soft enough for God to use me?” Will you remain a marble that rolls away untouched, or will you become the grape that yields everything so others can taste the goodness of God? The choice is yours — and the world is waiting for the flavor only a surrendered life can provide.

I want to close with some powerful words from a devotional I read just the other day:

He who believes in Me ... out of his heart will flow ... John 7:38

Jesus did not say, “He who believes in Me will realize all the blessings of the fullness of God,” but, in essence, “He who believes in Me will have everything he receives escape out of him.” Our Lord’s teaching was always anti-self-realization. His purpose is not the development of a person — His purpose is to make a person exactly like Himself, and the Son of God is characterized by self-expenditure. If we believe in Jesus, it is not what we gain but what He pours through us that really counts. God’s purpose is not simply to make us beautiful, plump grapes, but to make us grapes so that He may squeeze the sweetness out of us. Our spiritual life cannot be measured by success as the world measures it, but only by what God pours through us — and we cannot measure that at all.

- Oswald Chambers

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Re-printed from the 2022 article The Opposing Stream Theory
By Vince D’Acchioli

Do you suppose that I came to grant peace on earth? I tell you, no, but rather division; for from now on five members in one household will be divided, three against two and two against three. They will be divided, father against son and son against father…
Luke 12:51-53

Two recent major events reveal a challenging perspective on the condition of our country, and in a larger context, our world today. The recent State Of The Union address and our decision to dismantle Iran are exposing an alarming division in our people and beg the question: why? Well, if you are a follower of Jesus and understand your Bible, none of this should surprise you. Jesus warns us that this division is going to happen and even a cursory look at bible prophecy suggests the chasm of division is widening as we approach end-times.

It is important for us to note how we got here and seek the Lord for wisdom and discernment to avoid becoming ensnared by our enemy’s traps. At no time in our history has it been this easy to deceive the masses. A dangerous AI-driven feedback loop that only provides information we already agree with, combined with a seriously biased media, has created a perfect storm. If you find yourself on social media skipping over information that is not in line with your opinions, you may already be enslaved. What you and I must determine is to whom or to what are we enslaved? I will gladly be a slave to Jesus all day long. But I am concerned about how many Christ-followers may be being led astray.

Perhaps you have heard the term Mass Formation Psychosis. Here is a definition posted from a Sovereign Wealth Fund Institute (SWFI) article:

Psychosis is when people lose some contact with reality. Mass formation psychosis is when a large part of a society focuses its attention to a leader(s) or a series of events and their attention focuses on one small point or issue. Followers can be hypnotized and be led anywhere, regardless of data proving otherwise. A key aspect of the phenomena is that the people they identify as the leaders – the ones that can solve the problem or issue alone – they will follow that leader(s) regardless of any new information or data. Furthermore, anybody who questions the leader’s narrative are attacked and disregarded.

Some questions to ponder:

• Am I trapped in a feedback loop where I only consume information that supports my worldview?

• Am I consulting my Bible before deciding about important events taking place?

• Do I find it uncomfortable supporting my opinions with objective facts?

• Am I inclined to only believe and support those media communicators I like?

Back in the mid-eighties my pastor, Jack Hayford, related what he called The Opposing Stream Theory regarding signs attending end-times. What he posited was that throughout the history of man there has been two streams running in opposite directions, the stream of light and the stream of darkness… good and evil.

Pastor Jack would say that throughout most of our history those two streams have been flowing at a relatively slow enough speed that you could have a foot in both. He then suggested that as we approach end-times the darkness is going to get a lot darker and the light a lot brighter. As this occurs those streams will now be moving in opposite directions so fast that, if you try to have a foot in both, it will tear you apart. YOU WILL HAVE TO DECIDE… WHICH ONE WILL YOU BE IN?

Dear friends, I believe we are seeing this in our world today, particularly in America. Please allow me the liberty to apply different names to those streams: I would call them God and no God. Almost every issue we find ourselves facing today, in my view, is being viewed through one of these two lenses. At the ninety-thousand-foot level, these are the only two worldviews that really matter: God… no God.

If God is real to you and you believe His word, it is not difficult to see the darkness that is all around you. If you do not believe God exists, there is really no basis upon which you can distinguish truth from error. Reality has become subjective and you have no means to determine what is good or evil. As a believer in the God who is, (and not a god I want), we must examine ourselves to make sure we are standing in the right stream.

Some takeaway thoughts to ponder:

• Societal division is inevitable, will intensify, and is prophesied.

• Ask God to protect you from being entrapped by information designed to enslave you.

• Filter everything through God’s word.

• Actively adhere to and proclaim that which is true.

Let me admonish you with the Apostle Paul’s powerful last words to Timothy:

I charge you therefore before God and the Lord Jesus Christ, who will judge the living and the dead at His appearing and His kingdom: Preach the word! Be ready in season and out of season. Convince, rebuke, exhort, with all longsuffering and teaching. For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, because they have itching ears, they will heap up for themselves teachers; and they will turn their ears away from the truth, and be turned aside to fables. But you be watchful in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry.
2 Timothy 4:1-5

Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.
Matthew 7:13-14

For many are invited, but few are chosen…
Matthew 22:14

These verses present a challenge to many of us who call ourselves Christian. And rightly they should. I want to say up front that I believe many who call themselves Christian may not be on a path to heaven—not if we take the Bible seriously. In Matthew 28:19 Jesus commands us to go into all the world and make Disciples. In Romans 10:9-10 Paul talks about confessing with our mouth and believing in our heart that “Jesus is Lord” is necessary for our salvation. There are dozens of verses that unpack the criteria for our entrance into glory.

Sadly, according to many surveys, we find a deeply shallow understanding of what being a true disciple of Jesus looks like. We call it cultural Christianity. According to a recent survey by George Barna, only 9% of those who claim to be Christian have a Biblical worldview. In my experience, even among those who do have the right worldview, I wonder if they are truly saved. We must remember that just believing Jesus is Lord is not enough—the devil himself believes that. So, what does that mean for those of us who want to make sure we are headed in the right direction?

These people draw near to Me with their mouth, and honor Me with their lips, but their heart is far from Me. And in vain they worship Me, teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.
Matthew 15:8-9

Not everyone who says to me, Lord, Lord, will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. On that day many will say to me, Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name? And then will I declare to them, I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.
Matthew 7:21-23

It is not my intention here to scare those who profess their Christian faith and are settled with their salvation—I do want to challenge you, however. I encounter people every day who would say they have Jesus, but the real question is, does Jesus have them? It has been said that superficiality is the great curse of our age. I believe this is true. We may be one of the most intellectually lazy generations in history. No one wants to go deep anymore—I just want to do enough to get by.

While this may be ok for most of what we encounter in life, it is not ok when compared to what I must understand about my eternal security. I am deeply concerned about the large number of young people I encounter who do not understand what is at stake. They believe things like, surely God knows I am a good person, or you can have your truth… I have my truth. This often gives them cover, or so they think, for entering behavior that is not in accordance with the truth of His word. They are pursuing a god they want and not, the God who is.

Dear friends, this kind of thinking and subsequent behavior is the direct result of our desperately flawed educational system. The last 2-3 generations were never taught the importance of critical thought or how to investigate deeply to discover facts and truth. Everything is about me, what I believe, what I want. It stems from a deep sense of insecurity which is impossible to overcome without the proper relationship with our Lord.

Before I go any further let me lay out a disclaimer. We have all heard things like once saved always saved, or all you need to do is raise your hand and say these words. There are various theological positions on what the formula is for entry into heaven. All of them have one thing in common—they are subjective. In other words, only God truly knows the requirements and though He reveals it to us in His word, many “Christians” never read the Bible and many that do come up with interpretations that they think give them a pass.

So, I want to say here that I am not suggesting that I have the secret or perfect answer for what I need to be or do to guarantee my entrance into glory. What I am saying is, the question is far too important for us to be treating it in a cavalier fashion. As a believer, you and I should want to know beyond any doubt. I want to leave you with some questions to ponder and pray about before God, and some things to do.

• In Titus 1:16 it says, They claim to know God, but by their actions they deny him. They are detestable, disobedient and unfit for doing anything good. Knowing what you know about Jesus, would you say that your actions suggest you truly know Him?

• In 2 Corinthians 5:17 it says, Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come. Is there evidence in your life that you are transformed and the old you is gone?

• Ephesians 1:13 says, You also were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit when you heard the word of truth. Can you sense the Holy Spirit’s presence in your life?

• Romans 8:15-16 The Spirit you received does not make you slaves, so that you live in fear again; rather, the Spirit you received brought about your adoption to sonship. And by him we cry, Abba, Father. The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children. Are you certain that you are a child of God?

Remember that the Spirit transforms us over time—it’s a process, so we must be patient but also honest with our progress.

Is God so big and so real in your life that He is in your thoughts all the time, and your heart’s desire is to live in a way that pleases Him? Let me suggest that you test yourself to see if you are a genuine disciple. Look at what Paul says in 2 Corinthians 13:5 and then take these questions to God in prayer. Ask Him to help you discover how He sees you. If there is any doubt at all, then consider this final encouragement:

• Tell Him that you know you are a sinner in need of a savior.

• Repent (repentance is a 180—not a 360)

• Ask Him to help you let go of the past

• Believe that Jesus Christ died to set you free and that salvation is a gift from God.

• Finally, ask Jesus to come into your heart and life.

For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that everyone who believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life.
John 3:16

Three compelling (GIANT) realities are before us, and their growth and acceptance are being mightily used by our enemy.

#1 Globalization

The word itself can trigger varying emotions depending upon your world view. Some believe it is an inevitable reality if we are to survive economically. Others see it as a threat to our survival as a nation. No matter your view, it is a process that continues and will have profound consequences. The essence of globalization is economics. The idea that if we are to survive as independent nations, we must share as equally as possible in the world economic community. While I do not doubt the wisdom or value of this assumption, I do not think we fully understand the attending challenges.

It is not possible to blend the world together around our most precious resources and money without taking into consideration the divergent moral values that will be attached. This great experiment we call America was founded upon some very important and powerful principles that are biblical at their core. As we embrace more of the secular systems associated with other nations and economies, we leave ourselves open to them growing and consuming our very way of life. The rapid and unanswered expansion of Islam in our nation is a perfect example.

#2 Secularization

Here is another word that is either loved or hated depending upon your perspective. To the non-Christian, it is a necessary process to separate us from the narrow-minded and outdated idea that there is a God. To the Christian, it is a threat to our very survival as a nation. However, no matter your view, it is happening and at a mind-dizzying rate. There is a concentrated and well-organized effort in America to remove any behavioral limitations based upon the Bible.

In the twenty years since I originally addressed this topic, the secularists have stepped up their game and are winning the battle. Without any moral compass, we are seeing a mind-numbing increase in the number of young people being pulled into disgusting sexual behaviors, leading many to resort to drugs and, sadly, suicide to cope. When we decided to accept same-sex relationships and even same-sex marriage as normal, everything escalated. Please understand here that I am talking about behavior—not people.

As Christians we must learn to differentiate between what people do and who they are—yes, you should hate the behavior, but not the person caught up in it. God loves every single human being, and it breaks His heart when they make the wrong moral choices. The sexual dysfunction before us today, especially around the topic of transgenderism, is unprecedented and getting worse because of the explosion of our third challenge: pornography.

#3 Pornography

I do not know a man who would not admit that pornography has posed a major problem in their life. The following paragraph was taken from my article back in 2006:

The availability of pornography is at an all-time high. In recent studies, an alarming number of toddlers are being exposed—even in our school systems. There is now talk in the multi-billion-dollar industry of finding ways to download porn to cell phones and MP3 players for any who want it. Can you imagine the number of young people with these devices who will be caught up in this?

Though it was easy to see this coming, I never anticipated the speed and degree to which we have fallen. In all my work with men over the years I have not found a bigger stumbling block leading toward separation from God than this one. As we consider these three realities, it is easy to see them as giants in our land… and I am reminded of the amazing story regarding the twelve spies. Ten of those men saw the land, God’s promise to them, and saw the giants—they were seeing reality through their flesh and fallen state.

Joshua and Caleb, on the other hand, did not see the giants—only their God. Why? It is the same reason David did not see Goliath—his intimate relationship with his God would not allow him to consider any obstacle. These men saw their future through God’s eyes and not the circumstances they encountered. Men, the only way you and I can do this is for us to go deeper with our Lord.

This leads me to my final and most important challenge for us men in 2026: developing a deeper intimacy with God.

NOTE: Before you read on, please view this brief 3-minute video unpacking The Secret To Life.

Intimacy with God

In our flesh, attempting to have an impact upon these realities we see before us is impossible—they truly are gigantic. I am not suggesting that we give up and do nothing, however. What I am suggesting is something many of us Christians have forgotten—turning all this around begins with me, and therein lies our challenge. Could it be that our failure to make a difference may be because I do not have a right relationship with God? I am reminded of the often-used quote by Oswald Chambers—God will not do any more through you than you first allow Him to do in you.

I am convinced the biggest challenge facing men today lies in our inability to get close to God. Men, let me say this with all the power that words can muster—this is our battle to win or lose. You will never overcome any of the giants in your life with drugs, psychobabble, or even strong accountable relationships. Only an intimate relationship with our Lord will work.

Let me also encourage you to not let 2026 be just another year. Determine to get closer to God and let nothing get in your way. When you do, you will not see yourself as a grasshopper, and the giants before you will disappear. Put that stake in the ground right now and determine to make it happen.

Here are some ideas for you to consider this year:

• Schedule daily, quality quiet time with God even if it means getting up an hour or two earlier—remember here that the implications are critical.

• Put on some soft Christian music and spend some time just being quiet and worship Him.

• Read the Bible every day—use a read through the Bible in a year plan.

• Find a good daily devotional to read. I like Oswald Chambers’ My Utmost for His Highest.

• Develop a list of everyone you are led to pray for, and pray for each of them every day.

• Get in the habit of journaling your times with God.

God has clearly stated the following: Be holy as I am holy. (1 Peter 1:15) That is the mandate He gives us. That is a life-or-death challenge. We must boldly, together, choose life.

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An angel from the Lord suddenly appeared to them. The glory of the Lord filled the area with light, and they were terrified.
- Luke 2:9

Most Bible scholars surmise that Jesus was born at night. That idea seems so appropriate to me—our Savior came into a dark world with His incredible light. Also notice that His light, which surrounded the shepherds, truly surprised them. This Christmas as we celebrate this glorious event, let’s allow the light and glory of our Lord to illuminate any dark places you may be going through at this time. I know that for many this time of year can be a challenge.

For Cindy and me, this past month has been difficult, as Cindy had to spend 6 days in the hospital battling some issues related to her compromised lungs. Many of you have been praying for her and we truly appreciate that. Her recovery is slow but steady and headed in the right direction. In addition, our daughter Kim has just undergone a hip a replacement surgery and is home recovering.

Though we find ourselves in not the best of circumstances, we are deciding to rejoice in the celebration of the birth of our precious Lord and want to encourage you to do the same. You may want to begin by reading Matthew and Luke chapters 1 and 2. Meditate upon this wonderful story and allow a spirit of thanksgiving to overflow you.

Ask God to help you grasp the incredible significance of what He did for us over 2,000 years ago. Then, pray for those of your family and friends you may encounter over these holidays that you rarely see and do not know the Lord. Pray that the Lord gives you the opportunity to sow into their hearts what He has sown into yours. We all know how awkward and difficult this can be, especially with family. Ask for discernment—sometimes all you need is to show kindness and love to plant the seed.

Finally, from our family to yours—we are praying for a very special Christmastime for you and your loved ones. May our God richly bless you in this wonderful season and give you wisdom and discernment as you enter this new season.

See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland.
- Isaiah 43:19

Our Family

Our first born grandson, Parker with his bride Randi and our first great grandson, Deacon

In Colorado, our grandson Hunter and his new bride, Kulia (left) and our grandson Colton with his bride-to-be, Charity

Ok, I know what you are thinking—who is that guy? That guy is the 35 years ago Vince. Yup, maybe you are old enough to remember the show Welcome Back, Kotter. It also represents the time where I began my ministry to men. What God has taught me through this incredible journey is now coalescing into a special new one-of-a-kind series that will enable men to experience real life-change.

We have developed a new web app to facilitate this resource, and I am about halfway through putting it all together. Scheduled to be out for publication sometime early next year, I have decided to invite those of you who follow our ministry to enjoy access to this this curriculum now—as I am writing it. The title is The Man God Intended, a journey to Biblical manhood.

There are two main reasons why I am doing this. First, I am lonely—writing in a vacuum is a lonely business. I need people who will journey with me and give me feedback from time to time on how it is working. Though I have 35 years of wonderful material to share, I also want to do some real-time sessions with some of you who may want to join me in a weekly Zoom call. Here is what I want to ask you to consider.

The link to this app is https://otm.co/app. Keep in mind that this is not out for public consumption yet so you will have exclusive access. You should feel free to invite others to join, but I would ask you not to publicly post this on any of your social media platforms yet. When you click on this link you will be taken to a simple signup page—there is no charge for this, and you will only need to put in your email address to have a personal account for this journey.

When you come to the opening library, you will be encouraged to read the introduction. I would ask that you please take the time to read the whole thing—it really does lay out everything you need to know and why this methodology is so unique. Here is an excerpt from the introduction:

Introduction

If you are ready to begin this Journey, there are likely some questions you will ask at the start.

“Why, would I want to do this?”
“What might the outcomes be for me?”
“What problems is this Journey attempting to solve?”

And those are good questions to ask. But the deeper questions in each man’s soul have been the same ones since the Fall of humanity in Genesis 3.

“Who am I?”
“Why am I here?”

Every man, whether he knows God or not, desires to know his identity and his destiny, his purpose! And the problem isn’t the questions we ask, it’s where we go to seek the answers.

Men, we have a choice. We can look for the answers to this life from our friends, family, work, finances, culture, looks and talents, or we can go to the One who made us and loves us beyond anything we can comprehend.

If that’s the direction you want to head, then come along with countless others and discover the life God planned for the man He intended. But know this, as you start down this path, real life-change is a comprehensive process. The Journey you are about to begin has a design, an “intent.” To become The Man God Intended. There are three major mile markers on this Journey: INTIMACY, IDENTITY, and DESTINY.

The INTIMACY section is the most critical. Here you will begin to understand who God is and how to develop a dynamic relationship with Him: To Know and Be Fully Known by Him. You will move from seeing yourself as a “sinner saved by grace” to become someone who knows he is a child of God. And it is much more than a simple change of perspective.

The IDENTITY component begins to answer those two universal questions: Who am I, and why am I here? Until we know Whose we are, we will never discover who we are. Here you will discover your God-given Identity and Destiny, your purpose.

The DESTINY portion invites you to begin living out your purpose in myriad godly ways. Here you will be taken through a series of issues dealing with family, church, work, community, time, and even money management while learning to share the life and love of Jesus in a dying world.

The Journey is set sequentially in 52 weeks of seven daily lessons each. Each day offers a reflection or teaching along with corresponding Bible sections suggesting both further reading and amplification on the day’s subject. Each week ends with Growth Keys, questions for discussion, review, and personal journaling. And while this Journey can be walked alone, it is most effective and is accelerated through group interaction. As I have often said, “It takes a relational environment for truth to become transformational.”

As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another.
Proverbs 27:17

And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.
Hebrews 10:24-25

After you take some time to understand how this works, please let me know if you would like to be part of my personal men’s group and journey together. Every seventh day we will join in a Zoom call that I will set up in order to process the topics, and encourage each other.

If you have enjoyed this four-part series on worship, here is a free PDF copy

Worship Series PDF

Barrier to Worship #3: A Reluctance Toward Surrender

Then Jesus said to his disciples, Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me.
- Matthew 16:24

The Greek word for worship is Proskuneo – it’s where we get our English word prostrate. We are called to prostrate ourselves before God. It is not groveling for acceptance—rather acknowledging His worthiness.

The number one thing our Lord is looking for in His creatures is humility. Tyrone Edwards says, Humility is not an abject, groveling, self-despising spirit—it is but a right estimate of ourselves as God sees us. For me this represents kind of a full circle—as we bow down in humility, He allows us to see ourselves through His eyes.

Ever since the great fall of man, we have been insecure and looking for ways to be affirmed—without that affirmation from God, we look for it in all the wrong ways; and our pride keeps us in that mode. It is especially difficult for us men to surrender—we do not like to admit that we need help, so we stubbornly dig in our heels. I have found that my proximity to God is in direct proportion to my distance from Vince. The more it’s about me—the less it is about Him!

Read and meditate on this devotional from Oswald Chambers:

John 1:48 When you were under the fig tree, I saw you.

We presume that we would be ready for battle if confronted with a great crisis, but it is not the crisis that builds something within us — it simply reveals what we are made of already. Do you find yourself saying, “If God calls me to battle, of course I will rise to the occasion”? Yet you won’t rise to the occasion unless you have done so on God’s training ground. If you are not doing the task that is closest to you now, which God has engineered into your life, when the crisis comes, instead of being fit for battle, you will be revealed as being unfit. Crises always reveal a person’s true character.

A private relationship of worshiping God is the greatest essential element of spiritual fitness. The time will come, as Nathanael experienced in this passage, that a private “fig-tree” life will no longer be possible. Everything will be out in the open, and you will find yourself to be of no value there if you have not been worshiping in everyday occasions in your own home. If your worship is right in your private relationship with God, then when He sets you free, you will be ready. It is in the unseen life, which only God saw, that you have become perfectly fit. And when the strain of the crisis comes, you can be relied upon by God.

Are you saying, “But I can’t be expected to live a sanctified life in my present circumstances; I have no time for prayer or Bible study right now; besides, my opportunity for battle hasn’t come yet, but when it does, of course I will be ready”? No, you will not. If you have not been worshiping in everyday occasions, when you get involved in God’s work, you will not only be useless yourself but also a hindrance to those around you. God’s training ground, where the missionary weapons are found, is the hidden, personal, worshiping life of the saint.

- Oswald Chambers

I want to close with some practical ideas on starting a daily routine for worship:

• Sanctify a place in your home or wherever you can go daily for a quiet and private time. Pray over it and ask God to bless it and let Him know you are excited to meet Him there every day.

• Build an altar—in the Bible we see Abraham building altars to His Lord everywhere he went. He used rocks, which represent the hard places in our lives. Bring your hard places before Him.

• Determine to worship there every day.

• Begin by praising Him and giving thanks

• Put on some praise music and worship Him with words and song—Paul and Silas did that and the very foundations of their captivity was shaken.

• Spend time just being quiet and ask Him to speak.

My friend Dick Eastman writes about what he calls Intercessory Worship. He would remind us that the maximum power flow in prayer happens on the heels of our humble worship.

My final encouragement for you is to be desperate for God.

One day a student went to his master and asked, how can I find God? the master asked the young man to follow him and he brought him to a river. After walking into chest-deep water, he asked the student to go under the water and hold his breath for as long as he could. He did.

About the time the student started to stand, the master put his hand on his head and would not let him up. The young man began to squirm and struggle and, at just about the time he would turn blue, the master released him. He shot up, took a deep breath and asked, WHY DID YOU DO THAT?

The master replied, SON, WHEN YOU ARE AS DESPERATE FOR GOD AS YOU WERE FOR THAT BREATH OF AIR—YOU’LL FIND HIM!

Rediscover Worship

The teaching below from Vince D’Acchioli encapsulates our four-part series on Worship.

Worship Series PDF

Note: Please forward this to every pastor you know.

When he saw the crowds, he had compassion for them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd.
Matthew 9:36

We are being told that church attendance the Sunday after the tragic assassination of Charlie Kirk was high. In fact, since 911 I do not think we have seen anything like this. What does that tell us?

It should tell us the same thing it did after 911. People are confused, angry, scared, and looking for something that is real and will give them hope. Make no mistake, what we are witnessing right now could be even bigger. Now for the sad news—six months after 911, where we experienced the biggest surge in church attendance in decades, the numbers went back to even lower than pre-911.

What that should tell us is that we failed as Jesus’ church in America. People came searching but did not find what they needed—we did not give them the Word. My concern is that we are already seeing signs that this time it could be worse. In a casual poll of what came from our pulpits that first Sunday we are finding an enormous number of churches who did not even mention this catastrophic event.

It begs the question: how is it possible that so many pastors could completely ignore the deep hurt and confusion in their flock? Where are God’s shepherds? Let me say this as clearly as I can: unless there is a revival in our churches, there will not be a revival in our nation.

The word Pastor comes from the Latin word pastorem, which means Shepherd. Unlike a CEO, administrator, manager, or other leadership roles where the main job is the oversight growth of the institution they serve, the Pastor’s focus is to shepherd his flock. A Pastor needs to love his people passionately. A Pastor does not have all the answers but can point his people to the One who does.

I want to pause here and say to all the Pastors reading this that it is not my intention to judge or insult you in any way. Rather I want, in as loving a way as possible, to challenge you. I would ask you to review your message to your flock on that historic Sunday and consider whether it truly reflects the spiritual definition of the role of a Pastor.

Dear friend, I am 80 years old, been in the business world at a senior executive level, in full-time ministry to men, married couples and Pastors and leaders for over 35 years. I have been an Executive Pastor for two of our largest mega-churches and was on numerous elder boards. I have also had the great honor of being mentored by my dear friend, the late Pastor Jack Hayford. I share this not to brag but to suggest I have seen it all and what I am witnessing right now regarding our pastoral response to this incredible tragedy breaks my heart.

For many years I conducted a seminar designed for Senior Pastors titled The Six Structural Elements Of Effective Churches. During our sessions we often talked about the proper ways to address difficult situations and the Pastor’s role. I say this a lot—Pastor, you must get this—your people are sitting under your leadership and teaching for one reason, they see you as their SPIRITUAL PAPA.

Please let that sink in—right now your flock needs their daddy. I also want you to consider that what just happened, as bad as that was, may be just a precursor to what is coming. We know this is a spiritual battle and the Bible has given clear warning about the darkness that is yet before us.

I want to leave you with a few ideas to consider and suggest it is not too late to apply some of them. I also want to say, I love you deeply—God has given me a special appreciation for you. Because of that, I want you to know my door is open. If any of you, (Senior Pastors please) want to call or FaceTime with me I will make myself available. You can email me at vince@otm.co or find out more about my ministry at https://otm.co.

Possible strategies for responding to this major event:

• Start by praying the Lord give you courage and great wisdom and discernment.

• Ask the question, “What might the effect of this event be upon the people God has called me to serve?”

• List the range of feeling and emotions that need to be addressed to begin the healing process.

• Gather your inner circle, staff, and elders and make sure they are okay, and minister to them first. As they go, so goes your flock.

• Gain input from your team regarding how to address the church and what resources may be needed.

• Plan messages to directly and biblically meet your people where they are.

• Young men are displaying a deep desire to do something but do not know how or what it looks like. They are asking what do I do now? Give them some ways to find out.

• Consider there will likely be a lot of people visiting who may be just broken and confused and are looking for hope—a huge opportunity to bring them to our Lord.

We must remember that our job is all about comforting the flock, pointing them to Jesus, and preparing them to take that message out into their world.

Finally, Charlie Kirk inspired millions of young people, particularly those between the ages of 18 and 35. He told them that his faith was the most important thing in his life, to be courageous, get married and have kids, and a large number of them have taken that to heart—some will no doubt show up at your church—what will you do?

Pay careful attention to yourselves and to all the flock, in which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to care for the church of God, which He obtained with His own blood.
Acts 20:28

Barrier to Worship #2: A Narrow Theological Perspective

The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise.
Psalm 51:17

The year was 1994, and I was asked to speak at a Promise Keepers’ men’s event in Ontario, Canada. Shortly before I arrived a spiritual revival broke out there at the Airport Vineyard Church—they called it The Toronto Blessing. My Pastor at the time was Jack Hayford and he encouraged me to visit and check it out.

I was amazed and confused on so many levels. I witnessed every manifestation of worship you could possibly think of—people yelling, quacking like ducks, writhing on the floor, and others just sitting in silent reverence. Upon my return I remember Pastor Jack asking me what I thought. I told him I was not sure—I think I saw a whole bunch of flesh and a lot of the Holy Spirit… I am just not sure I could distinguish the difference.

I share that story as an example of the myriads of worship forms present in the church today. If there was one thing my pastor taught me back then it was not to judge—that is God’s job. I can also admit that even today—that is hard. To me, form over substance has no place in our expression of worship and praise. When our expression is performance or style-driven I am convinced we grieve the Holy Spirit and can actually stifle His working.

In over 35 years speaking in literally hundreds of churches in almost every denomination, I can tell you I have seen it all. Today, every time I am asked to speak, I insist on praying with and over the worship team before we start the service. I always say the same thing. I want you to know that what you are about to do is way more important than what I am about to do. Let me tell you—that gets their attention. We do not honor and encourage our worship teams enough.

I go on to say, If you do not help us usher in the presence of the Holy Spirit into this place… then nothing I say is going to make a difference. As they are nodding in agreement, I go on to say: If you are successful in ushering in God’s Holy Spirit… then nothing I say is going to matter. They think about that and usually always laugh—it is not about us it is all about focusing our hearts upon Him.

So, a narrow theological perspective about worship can hurt us in two ways. The first has to do with our inappropriate tendency to judge the way others choose to worship. If I am thinking about old Charlie over there raising his hands today, I am not worshipping God. You and I cannot know what is in the heart of those who may choose to worship God in ways we may not like. Nor should I think less of someone who is just sitting quietly with their head bowed. We must not be caught up in any of that thinking—it is truly between the worshipper and God.

The second way our narrow perspectives on worship hurt us has to do with our definition of what worship is. At a recent pastor conference, I asked a room filled with a large group of pastors from many different backgrounds a question—if we took away from this platform all the accoutrements, instruments and the musicians and singers, what would worship look like? Crickets—I mean seriously, deer-in-the-headlights looks across the room.

Then I asked another question: what if there is a table set up right here in front of all of us—and on that table there is a piece of bread and a cup of juice representing the body and blood of Jesus… is that worship? What do you think? The obvious answer is yes—perhaps the most profound form of worship ever to come upon planet earth.

Dear friends, we must broaden our ideas about what God is looking for in our worship of Him. The Bible tells us our lives need to be a continual sacrifice of worship. It is not that 30 minutes once a week at the beginning of a church service—it is so much more. Throughout history we see just how central to the life of a believer true worship is. Look at this recent post from one of Pastor Jack Hayford’s daily devotionals:

Breakthrough Starts in Worship

Now when they began to sing and praise, the LORD set ambushes against the people of Ammon, Moab, and Mount Seir, who had come against Judah; and they were defeated.
2 Chronicles 20:22

In this text, Judah is about to be overwhelmed by a confederation of three opposing armies. Its armies are hopelessly outnumbered and face certain defeat, but God has a plan… Worship!

Worship puts God in His proper place as Creator of the universe, Redeemer of our life, and Provider of everything we need. Because we know who we worship, our worship releases the Lord to perform His purpose within us. Worship is not blissful ignorance or vain superstition in the face of present need. It is confirming God’s desire to work in the lives of His people. Spiritual power is released through praise! Here the enemies of Judah are confused and begin to slaughter each other as the people of God begin to sing and worship. Jehoshaphat, Judah’s king, never sends the army to fight, only the choir! The Lord promises that if we face each challenge with praise, He will confuse and scatter our enemies. Whatever today may bring, no matter how large the obstacle, the beginning point of breakthrough is praise and worship.

-Jack Hayford

In a loud voice they were saying: Worthy is the Lamb, who was slain, to receive power and wealth and wisdom and strength and honor and glory and praise!
Revelation 5:12

I will extol the LORD at all times; His praise will always be on my lips. My soul will boast in the LORD; let the afflicted hear and rejoice. Glorify the LORD with me; let us exalt His name together."
Psalm 34:1-3

Please enjoy this 12-minute powerful session from the Men On Target curriculum on Praise.

The Great Exchange, My Past for God's Future

Announcement! Vince’s new book, The Great Exchange, My Past for God's Future is a 30-day action plan. Each day offers a reflection or teaching, along with corresponding Bible verses, suggesting both further reading and amplification on the day’s subject. Each week ends with Growth Keys, questions for discussion, review, and space for personal journaling, plus Bonus Video Teachings for each week.

Here’s a Summary:

In over thirty years spent ministering to and discipling men, Vince D'Acchioli has found that the most significant stumbling block men face has to do with letting go of their past. As men, our great need is to experience significance, and our greatest fear comes from failure - not hitting the mark. While our deep desire is to ultimately discover who we are (identity) and why we are here (destiny), we become hamstrung by past negative life experiences. During this brief journey you will discover how to understand, process and overcome issues dealing with fear, anger, unforgiveness, and guilt/shame.

The Great Exchange is now available for purchase on Amazon.

Barrier to Worship #1: a shallow or cavalier understanding of God

Ascribe to the Lord the glory due His name; bring an offering and come before Him. Worship the Lord in the splendor of His holiness.
1 Chronicles 16:29

Did you know that a single strand of human hair is more technically complicated and advanced than any modern cellphone? It is—in fact, at the cellular level we still do not completely understand what is going on.

Think for a moment about how incredible our modern cellphones are—when you add in AI capabilities, they are nothing short of amazing—borderline other-worldly. Who built them?—man did. So, this begs a very BIG question—if one single hair is so more technically advanced than a phone, then where did man come from—who built that?

If you believe in the God of the universe, then you already know the answer. What you may not appreciate, however, is the enormous distance between man and his creator. Our tendency today is to bring God down to our level—make Him like a friend. I like considering Jesus as my friend, but we must be careful to not allow that to get in the way of how BIG He is.

The very idea of worship suggests attaching high value. It is difficult to truly worship God if this is not foremost in the worshipper’s mind and heart. We need to approach our worship as the psalmist does:

I will exalt you, my God the King; I will praise your name for ever and ever. Every day I will praise you and extol your name for ever and ever. Great is the LORD and most worthy of praise; His greatness no one can fathom.
Psalm 145:1-3

Let’s look at our Lord through the eyes of Job:

He spreads out the northern skies over empty space; He suspends the earth over nothing. He wraps up the waters in his clouds, yet the clouds do not burst under their weight. He covers the face of the full moon, spreading His clouds over it. He marks out the horizon on the face of the waters for a boundary between light and darkness. The pillars of the heavens quake, aghast at His rebuke. By His power he churned up the sea; by His wisdom he cut Rahab to pieces. By His breath the skies became fair; His hand pierced the gliding serpent. And these are but the outer fringe of His works; how faint the whisper we hear of Him! Who then can understand the thunder of His power?”
Job 26:7-14

• The New King James concludes with the mere edges of His ways.

• The Living Bible says some of the minor things He does.

• The Good News suggests only hints of His powers, whispers. Who can know how truly great God is?

In our opening TargetPoint article we discovered that worshipping God is our most primary responsibility—through worship we are empowered to truly become The Man God Intended. If you desire to truly become a worshipper, then you need to process these barriers… so let me leave you with some ideas about how to see God in a most worthy way.

Begin by doing a search for all the verses that have to do with worshipping God. List them and even print them out, if that helps. Then, make it a part of your daily devotional time to read and meditate upon them. Sometimes I will turn the verse into a prayer… Lord, I ascribe unto You the glory that is due Your name; I Worship You in the beauty of Your holiness. Psalm 29:2

Whenever I am tempted to become cavalier about who He is, I try to imagine eternity. Think about that—it never ends. Then think about God—He never began—always was—and always will be. It doesn’t get any bigger than that.

In the next part of this series, I will unpack the 2^nd barrier to worship, A narrow theological perspective. Here we will discuss how our focus on worship form gets in the way of true worship substance—stay tuned.

Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us be thankful, and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe, for our God is a consuming fire.
Hebrews 12:28-29

In closing, I’m reminded of Max Lucado’s words in his book In the Grip of His Grace.

Announcement! Vince’s new book, The Great Exchange, My Past for God's Future is a 30-day action plan. Each day offers a reflection or teaching, along with corresponding Bible verses, suggesting both further reading and amplification on the day’s subject. Each week ends with Growth Keys, questions for discussion, review, and space for personal journaling, plus Bonus Video Teachings for each week.

Here’s a Summary:

In over thirty years spent ministering to and discipling men, Vince D'Acchioli has found that the most significant stumbling block men face has to do with letting go of their past. As men, our great need is to experience significance, and our greatest fear comes from failure - not hitting the mark. While our deep desire is to ultimately discover who we are (identity) and why we are here (destiny), we become hamstrung by past negative life experiences. During this brief journey you will discover how to understand, process and overcome issues dealing with fear, anger, unforgiveness, and guilt/shame.

The Great Exchange is now available for purchase on Amazon.

Join me for the first of four TargetPoint articles on Worship, the foundational purpose of every believer.

Be exalted, O God, above the heavens; let your glory be over all the earth. Psalm 57:5

In 1959 Coach Vince Lombardi took over a failing football team called the Green Bay Packers. After their first and very one-sided loss he sat them down in the locker room and said what has since become famous, gentlemen, this is a football. What coach was trying to communicate is that we are so bad that we are going to have to go back to the very fundamentals of this game to understand it and be better players on that field.

I wonder if our coach, Jesus, is wanting to say something similar to His players, you and me, today. One only needs to examine the direction of our world to know that God’s team is not playing very well. If Jesus were before us in our locker room today, I am convinced he would be holding up a cross and probably saying, ladies and gentlemen, this is the cross. I am convinced that you and I, the church in our world, need to come to better understand the fundamentals of the Christian faith.

That brings me to our topic…worship. Dear friends, there is nothing more foundational to the Christian life than the practice of worshipping God, and yet this idea is often neglected in our churches today. Please understand that we are not talking about the thirty-minute experience before most church services that some people come late to avoid—that is not worship as God intended it for the believer. Let’s dive in:

In Exodus we see Moses asking God a question—who am I? God answers him in Exodus 3:11-12 And God said, I will be with you. And this will be the sign to you that it is I who have sent you: When you have brought the people out of Egypt, you will worship God on this mountain. In essence He was saying, Moses, you are a bringer of my people to the mountain.

So, what happened at that mountain? God’s people received two things, the law, in the form of the tablets (containing the 10 commandments, that is instructions on “how to live”), and plans for building the tabernacle, ie. instruction on how to worship. This was the first instance where God was calling His people to worship in spirit and in truth., and worship, represented by the tabernacle. This was the first instance where God was calling us to worship in spirit and truth.

Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in the Spirit and in truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks. God is spirit, and His worshipers must worship in the Spirit and in truth.
John 4:23-24

There are so many examples in the Old Testament showing how His people experienced His presence out of a posture of proper worship and praise. Let me illustrate by sharing my favorite verse:

The trumpeters and singers joined in unison, as with one voice, to give praise and thanks to the LORD. Accompanied by trumpets, cymbals and other instruments, they raised their voices in praise to the LORD and sang: He is good; his love endures forever. Then the temple of the LORD was filled with a cloud…
2 Chronicles 5:13

Let’s unpack what is happening here—the trumpeters and singers are you and me. Yes, we have musicians to help but make no mistake—we are all to be singers as we worship Him. Here we see people raising their voices in heart-felt worship and praise and then what happened? We find out in the very last line—the word “then” appears. Then becomes a transitional word that bridges what is happening to the result—the temple of the Lord was filled with a cloud.

The cloud here was the actual presence of God. Think about that—He shows up on the heels of our heart-felt worship. What a profound truth we have here. In the old covenant we know that His presence was in a physical place, the tent, tabernacle, or the temple. Then Jesus came and died on the cross—the bible says the temple curtain separating the priests from the presence of God, was torn in two, from top to bottom. Does this mean that the temple is no longer here? No—it means that the temple has now moved into us—we are now the temple of God. What an incredible truth.

Please understand that there were a lot of rules and conditions in the old covenant to make sure that temple was properly built and maintained. God would not show up if the temple was not a holy place. The same is true today—if you and I are not keeping our temple pure we will not experience His presence. Could this be the reason why so many of us claim to be Christians but lack any spiritual power or authority? Is this why many of us are frustrated and not able to gain God’s perspective about life?

The above word came to me many years ago in a time of deep worship, praise and crying out to Him for His perspective. I know that had to be from Him—there is no way my mind would have ever been able to come up with that.

I hope this blesses you and opens the door for what I want to unpack in the next three articles. We will be focusing on The Three Barriers To Worship.

1. A shallow or cavalier understanding of God

2. A narrow theological perspective

3. A reluctance toward surrender

I want to encourage you to investigate our new weekly YouTube broadcasts for our 12-minute videos dealing with becoming The Man God Intended. Below is a sample from last week. Please hit the subscribe button while viewing to receive notifications.

Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.
John 8:32

For false messiahs and false prophets will appear and perform great signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect.
Matthew 24:24

WARNING…This is a very important article regarding what is about to come upon us soon—I am asking you to please invest 1 ½ minutes to view this video before proceeding.

Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. - John 14:6

Recently I posted a message to about 100 of our closest relatives and friends, many were young family members. It read, Warning, for anyone who believes they are saved—calling yourself a Christian means nothing. There is no such thing as “your truth”, what you believe does not matter—there is only ONE Truth, and you need to double down on finding Him. I love you all so much—STAY GROUNDED!

In over 35 years of ministry, I have never felt the sense of urgency I feel right now for helping people find Jesus. The signs of the end times are all around us and I sense that we all need to double down on our efforts to discover real truth. I am also mindful that the enemy of our soul also knows the season that is upon him. He is a master at using all the tools at his disposal to trick us and AI is going to be a big one. I am persuaded that AI may very well be what is used to bring about the great deceit that the bible says is coming. I want to say a few things to those of you who are kicking the tires, so to speak, regarding Christianity. This is not the time to foolishly think you’ve got it figured out.

If you are an atheist, you already know the implications for you if you are wrong. My advice is simple—don’t take the chance—invest in some time to seriously re-consider your position and open your heart to Jesus—ask Him to make Himself known to you in child-like faith and trust that He will.

The people who concern me more are those who profess to be a Christian but are far from being saved on that final day of judgment. They are the toughest to get to—why?—pride. They believe they have it figured out. If you want to know if this is you, consider some descriptions in this list:

• You think God is happy with you because you feel you’re a good person

• Your truth, what you believe, is equivalent to what anyone else believes—its all ok

• Church is ok as long as it lines up to your version of what is true and acceptable

• Sin is tolerated in your life because after all, everyone does it

• Having sex outside of marriage is ok

• An occasional encounter with porn is just normal

• A little lying and cheating for a good cause is acceptable

If you find yourself anywhere in this list—sorry—you are not a follower of Jesus and are in serious danger. Is this my opinion? Sorry, no. My opinion does not count—only Gods. My advice, make sure you know what He thinks—not your friends, your family, the world, and especially not you. Dear friend please hear me—God loves you more than you can possibly imagine—He is waiting for you and when you find Him your life will never be the same.

Remember this. Your proximity to God is in direct proportion to your distance from you! Yes, it is going to take humility—the overcoming of self—and that is not easy in our pride-filled culture. But it is the only way.

The opening video is disturbing on so many levels. It does not take great discernment to understand we are living in turbulent times and that so much of what we hear and see may not be real. As a people we are losing confidence in literally every institution we have built, and for good reason. Mans creations will never truly satisfy—self-interest and corruption will always creep in when we exclude God.

Here is the good news, however. When we do a deeper dive on Matthew 24:24 (see above) we notice the words, to deceive, if possible, even the elect. Please note the emphasis on if possible. What that means literally is that the elect—those who truly know the Truth, will NOT be deceived. It will not be possible. The writer here is simply attempting to communicate the intensity of the deceit while reminding us that true followers of Jesus will possess the wisdom and spiritual power to not succumb.

The video was shown in a church service at Calvary Chapel Chino Hills, June 2025. It represents a clear warning of what is coming.

PLEASE REPOST AND PASS THIS ON THROUGH YOUR NETWORK.

Some time ago I received a phone call from a woman conducting a public opinion poll. Telling me that my opinion mattered, she suggested that it would go into a data bank where it would be taken into consideration by important people and organizations who would often make big decisions based upon the information I give them.

I asked her, what if my opinion is uninformed and not based upon any facts or knowledge about the issue at all—but based more on how I might feel about the matter, or what I may have heard?

She insisted that it was still important to collect the information. So, I said to her, let me make sure I understand what you are telling me—you are saying that my opinion, which may be totally based upon air, with no real objective knowledge about the subject, will be used to make important decisions that will affect our very future? I went on to ask her if she understood how ridiculous this is? She did not want to talk to me anymore.

My friend, make no mistake—this is the world we now live in. Uninformed opinions now dominate public discourse. I recently posted the following on my Facebook page, Too much information...too little patience = too many uninformed opinions. We have officially moved into the age of IGNORANCE.

No one cares any more about objective facts and we have evolved into a culture that lacks patience and the ability to apply critical thought. We now go on what we feel or believe to be true driven by popular notions, spin and marketplace manipulation of the masses. We are at a place where even the notion of objective truth is met with disdain.

Even though history teaches us that when mankind tries to make up the rules as we go it always leads to failure—we do not learn. So, you pick the hot button subject—immigration, abortion, the death penalty, the acceptance of homosexuality and gender distortion, global warming, the list is never ending. Decisions about these and a myriad of other important issues are being made based upon a high percentage of uninformed public opinion driven by special interest marketing strategies.

I want to suggest here that many of us who call ourselves Christian have fallen into the same trap. Just look around and see all the new thinking out there being driven by popular opinion. Some of our most influential Christian leaders are finding creative ways to re-interpret the Bible to line up with the more open and tolerant nature of our culture.

In what is supposed to be the most enlightened era, with access to more information than any time in history, we are the most uninformed and ignorant generation to date. Don’t believe it?—go on to any college campus and start asking students questions about important matters and then ask them how they reached their conclusions. Or go to a protest and ask someone what they are protesting—follow up with asking for an example that would back up their claim.

Before I offer some takeaways for us to consider let me suggest something many are missing—everything I am describing here is being deliberately planned and executed by dark forces bent on destroying our very way of life by pitting us against each other. Divide and conquer is one of the oldest and still most effective strategies for destroying a culture.

I want to suggest that as of this writing we are experiencing a real-life example of what this article is unpacking. Our world is on the brink of all-out war and people from all sides are weighing in with their opinions about what our President needs to do. Most, if not all these opinions are uninformed and driven by personal bias. Our job, as believers in God, is to pray for the man our country voted into office. Pray that God gives him special wisdom and discernment for the decisions he is about to make—then trust that He will.

OK, so what are the takeaways here? Much of what we are experiencing is driven by the natural self-serving nature of man. What we can do is be examples of people who do not succumb to this trap—we can be informed and not give way to cheap gimmicks and fine sounding arguments that attempt to cause doubt and divide. Here are some practical things to consider:

I tell you this so that no one may deceive you by fine-sounding arguments.
Colossians 2:4

• When someone sends you something they saw on the news or read on the internet, don't believe it until you diligently check it out.

• Become an informed voter—do not just blindly follow your political leanings without researching both sides of an issue.

• When using God’s word to defend a position make sure you know all the appropriate references and how to accurately interpret them.

• Resist giving uninformed opinions or feelings about anything—at least let people know you will study the issue and get back to them.

• Display patience with people who may not have the same opinion as you.

• Pray for Godly insight when forming a position on any important issue—remember there are always two sides to consider.

• Most important, pray that the enemy’s strategy here, to divide and conquer, is exposed and overcome.

Finally, a good rule to apply here might be to avoid offering an opinion until you can adequately understand and communicate the opposing viewpoint.

The above article is a revised version of an article Vince D’Acchioli published 8 years ago. At On Target Ministries we believe this information is more relevant today than at any other time in our history—IF YOU AGREE, PLEASE REPOST AND PASS THIS ON THROUGH YOUR NETWORK.

“Lord, if it’s you,” Peter replied, “tell me to come to you on the water.” “Come,” he said… But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, “Lord, save me!” (Matthew 14:28-30, NIV)

Daniel’s trust in Daniel 6:23 saves him from lions, while Job, in Job 13:15, hopes in God despite suffering. Jeremiah 17:7-8 likens the trusting man to a flourishing tree:

“Blessed is the one who trusts in the Lord… like a tree planted by the water… It does not fear when heat comes… and never fails to bear fruit.” (Jeremiah 17:7-8, NIV)

Trust requires knowing God intimately, like a hand fitting a glove—each man uniquely designed for God’s purpose. My mentor, Jack, taught me to “leave the light on,” relying on God constantly, not just in crisis. To know God, we must let go of our ways (2 Corinthians 12:9) and draw near through reading Scripture, praying, and praising Him alone.

Vince D’Acchioli founded On Target Ministries. Visit otm.co.

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