Former NFL player Jeff Kemp was one of the keynote speakers when Care Net hosted its second annual Called and Missioned Pro-Life Men’s Summit at Oak Cliff Bible Fellowship in Dallas Texas on March 3-4, 2023.
In his message to the assembled men, Kemp, a quarterback for 11 seasons with the Rams, 49ers, Seahawks, and Eagles, focused on “receiving” rather than passing. Men must receive their true identity and vision for true masculinity and manhood from the Lord.
“The ability to be a good man comes from the Father. Even Jesus, who was perfect, did it through humility, dependence, and a connected relationship with the Father. I call this the receive principle.”
The Called and Missioned conference also featured keynote speakers Dr. Tony Evans, Care Net CEO and President Roland Warren, and breakout sessions. Mac Powell, former front man for Third Day, led worship.
With the conference, Care Net is calling men to serve in the organization’s Pro Abundant Life vision of providing compassion, hope, and help to anyone considering abortion. Attendees included men’s ministry leaders at pregnancy centers, believers who are interested in how they can serve women and men at risk for abortion in their communities, and pastors and church leaders (including lay leaders) with an interest in pro-life ministry.
At the Summit, men left inspired to be Pro Abundant Life advocates in their communities.
“The goal of the pro-life movement should be that children not only have life, but have abundant life consistent with God’s design (John 10:10),” said Roland Warren.
Kemp, an ambassador with the Fatherhood CoMission and the author of Facing the Blitz: Three Strategies for Turning Trials Into Triumphs, shared several scriptures from the book of John during his keynote address, including John 5:19, Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of his own accord, but only what he sees the Father doing. For whatever the Father[ does, that the Son does likewise.”
In speaking about how men need to receive from the Lord, Kemp gave an example of how Hall of Famers Jerry Rice and Steve Largent would catch passes.
“They tucked the football away. They covered both tips and held on to it for dear life,” he said.
Likewise, men should be diligent with their faith and not be meek, casual Christians who occasionally attend church and rarely study the Bible on their own.
“Receive your faith as a gift from God…If you are married, you should receive your wife as a gift from God,” Kemp said.
The Dartmouth alumnus exhorted the men to be bold in their faith and in their leadership, especially in the Pro Abundant Life movement.
“If we don’t protect life, we’ve damaged the image of God. Men are meant to be strong for others, not for themselves. Don’t be intimidated by how to be a great husband, how to be a great dad, how to be a better man, how to be a great Christian, how to be great in the pro-life movement. Instead, the focus should be on “humility and dependence upon the Father.”
“Practice the receive principle and he will do it through you. Go to the Father and say, ‘I’m your son, I want to hear from you.’ If we listen to Him and do what He says, guess what? Abortion rates will drop, out-of-wedlock pregnancy rates will go down, marriage rates will go up, divorce rates will go down, financial honesty will go up…Churches will have leaders in the seats instead of just up on the stage.”
Kemp also stressed the importance of teamwork, brotherhood, small groups, and accountability as the way of Jesus. He talked about the strength found in key relationships between men versus the weakness and shame that permeates men who try to make it alone.
“[The Bible says], ‘Confess your sins one to another.’ When you confess horizontally and you self-disclose, all of a sudden you become not just transparent, but vulnerable. And when you’re vulnerable, God’s spirit comes in and strengthens you.”
However, “If we isolate ourselves, Satan gets to win the game because shame keeps the Christian community from being a team and we can’t be honest and real. If we can’t be honest and real, then we don’t really know how to care and we lose our courage to step in and save lives and lead souls to Jesus.”
Kemp concluded his message by quoting the words of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., who said, “Not everybody can be famous but everybody can be great because greatness is determined by service.”
“If you turn to God’s ways, it will lead to blessing and [abundant life],” Kemp said. “Let’s rescue marriage. Let’s revive fatherhood. Let’s rebuild manhood. And what could be more important than loving God’s creations by finding your niche, by listening to him in rescuing babies and the women that are in desperate spots, and the young men whom we ignore…Everyone needs grace. Let’s receive it from the Father and go give it to them.”
