Joe Debenedictis

“To be a Christian means that God has become our point of reference and framework. “In him we live and move and have our being” (Acts 17:28). As Christians we need to become more and more self-consciously aware of this truth. One way to do this is to follow the apostle Paul’s instruction (2 Cor. 10:5) to bring every thought captive to the obedience of Christ or to “think God’s thoughts after him.” To be a Christian, not in name only, but as one who practices his or her beliefs (which is the essence of a disciple), is to think from a Christian perspective about life and reality. In becoming Christian our life becomes oriented to God who tells us to “be transformed by the renewal of your mind.” (Rom. 12:2)6”
― Eric Mason, Manhood Restored: How the Gospel Makes Men Whole

“Jesus is the prototype man for men. All of us men are only as manly as it relates to the standard set by Jesus. Romans 8:29 helps us to understand this point: “For those He foreknew He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, so that He would be the firstborn among many brothers.” God’s design—His divine intent—is for those who are in Jesus to look like Jesus.”
― Eric Mason, Manhood Restored: How the Gospel Makes Men Whole

“In our case, most people don’t miss who we are as the church because they have not heard what we say or preach to (at) them; they miss who we are because they have seen little to no evidence that we are the transformed people of Jesus. We have not begun to live out of what is now true for us.”
― Zondervan Publishing, Transformed: A New Way of Being Christian

“The day you first believed, Jesus chose you. And he believes you can, in his strength and authority, become just like him. He said to his first disciples, “You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you so that you might go and bear fruit — fruit that will last.”3 And he still chooses and calls his followers today.”
― Zondervan Publishing, Transformed: A New Way of Being Christian