04/05/2026
400 men. One Friday. One cross.
Yesterday morning, over 400 men did something countercultural — they hit pause on their busy lives, accepted a personal invitation from a brother, and showed up. To reflect. To worship. To be still before the cross.
Our 5th annual Good Friday Special Observance was nothing short of remarkable.
Ron Dunn, Executive Director of One Thing for Men, opened the morning by walking us through one of the most powerful pieces of art ever created — Rembrandt van Rijn's famous Three Crosses etching from 1653. In it, you see everything: Christ lifted high on the cross at the moment of death, heavenly light pouring down on a huddled mass of humanity. The repentant thief bathed in glory.
The religious leaders walking away, congratulating themselves. The Roman soldiers standing by. And the women, mourning.
But the figure that stopped us cold? The centurion at the foot of the cross — the man who, in that moment, declared: "Truly, this was the Son of God."
Ron's challenge to every man in the room: Where do you put yourself in that picture today?
Then Pastor and Author Crawford Loritts delivered a powerful message about what Good Friday truly represents — and what it demands of us as followers of Jesus. Surrender. Obedience. A choice that costs something.
We worshipped alongside the Restoration Church worship band, including a stirring rendition of Sunday's Coming — a reminder that Friday's darkness is never the final word.
As C.S. Lewis once reflected, the death of Christ was not a tragedy that God scrambled to redeem — it was the very moment the Deep Magic of the universe was rewritten. Good Friday is good because of what it made possible. And Sunday is coming.
To the leadership and family of Restoration Church — thank you for opening your doors to us week after week and for making yesterday possible. You are a gift to this community of men.
To every man who came, who invited someone, who led a group here — thank you. This is what it looks like when men gather with purpose.
Sunday is coming. 🙌