June 14, 2025 • 53 mins
What does it take to be not just a good father, but a transformational one? Former NFL quarterback Jeff Kemp brings decades of wisdom to this intimate conversation about the journey from boyhood to manhood to fatherhood—and it may not be what you expect.
Growing up as the son of NFL star and vice-presidential candidate Jack Kemp, Jeff struggled with the pressure of comparison. "I became insecure because I could never be as good a big deal as my dad," he confesses. This vulnerability opens the door to the episode's most powerful revelation: authentic fatherhood begins not with perfection but with understanding your identity as a beloved son of God.
Jeff introduces us to the concept of "Level 5 Friendship"—the missing ingredient in many men's lives. "A Level 5 friend is trusted, loyal, confidential, intentional, committed and consistent," he explains. "Most men don't have a Level 4 friend or a Level 5 friend." Through his organization Men Huddle, Jeff helps fathers create intentional communities where they can be vulnerable about their struggles without fear of judgment.
The conversation takes an emotional turn when Jeff shares the story of his father's deathbed blessing. After reading his father a three-page list of thanks for everything his dad had taught him, Jack offered his son a final prayer that affirmed Jeff's identity, purpose, and surrender to God's will. This powerful moment illustrates how a father's words can anchor a child's identity for a lifetime.
Perhaps the most surprising insight comes when Jeff suggests that apologizing may be a father's most powerful tool. "My best fathering as a father of grown sons is an apology," he says. "I'm modeling the gospel when I say 'I messed up.'" This humble approach creates a culture of grace that reflects God's heart toward us.
Whether you're a new dad, a seasoned grandfather, or still healing from father wounds of your own, this conversation offers a new vision for manhood and fatherhood. Discover how receiving God's love rather than trying to earn it can transform not just how you parent, but how you live.
Ready to be the parent or grandparent you’ve always dreamed of becoming? Subscribe and Tune into my podcast each week, and check out my resources, heartfelt encouragement, and practical tools to help you make a lasting impact on the ones you love most. Click this link below:
https://www.thefatherdifference.com/links
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:10):
Courage and kindness, strength and gentleness,
fortitude and tenderness.
A father, a leader and alifelong teacher, a comforter
(00:34):
and a patient listener.
A hero and a world changer, agift from God above.
Being a father is a high andholy calling.
It is not only a blessing butalso a stewardship.
Fatherhood is a preciousopportunity and a divine
(00:58):
responsibility, because it isone of the many ways that God
watches over all of us.
A father is a protector and aprovider, because it is one of
the many ways that God watchesover all of us.
A father is a protector and aprovider, a hard worker and a
family man, a role model and afaithful friend.
(01:20):
And so, from all of us to allof you, thank you to Thank you
(01:56):
To the fathers.
Speaker 4 (01:57):
Okay, oh, there you are, jeff gotcha amy.
Yeah, I gotcha.
Hey, ed, how you doing allright?
Well, hey, I am.
I am live here and I got aguest that we have today, uh, an
exciting, uh friend of mine and, matter of fact, a quarterback
who's played an incrediblecareer.
But the thing that I love aboutJeff Kemp is the kind of
learner he is, the kind offather he is, the kind of
(02:18):
grandpa he is, and we thoughtwe'd just do kind of a
last-minute get-together here.
Speaker 3 (02:26):
It's not a last minute, it's an audible baby.
We're doing an audible.
Speaker 4 (02:33):
And so, anyway, yeah, we called an audible to kind of
get connected, and so I'm justgoing to put him right up on the
playing field right here as weget connected in.
Look at all those game ballsback there and you can see my
one game ball back here but,yeah, he was an incredible guy.
(02:56):
But what Jeff's got working forhim more than anything else is
about being a father, a real dad, and not only that, he's a
tremendous ministry to men.
Well, he teaches men how tohuddle, he teaches men how to
hear from God, read the Word,have guys around him, and today
I wanted you to hear from Jeffabout him and his dad and what
(03:21):
God has done in his story, himand his dad, and what God has
done in his story.
And I got to and Jeff knows allthis, but I got an opportunity
many, many years ago to go overto his house and sit down with
his dad and share Christ withhim.
I think that it came a littlebit later, but he was already on
(03:44):
the road out of football.
Tremendous senator andcompassionate heart for the poor
, did so many, many things inhis life and yet he stepped into
his greatest role that he had.
It was above all other thingswas that it was being a father
(04:06):
and, by the way, that is ourgreatest role as a man, you know
, is to be a father and then agrandpa, to which both Jeff and
I are grandpas.
I mean, I got to, I'm alwaystrying to get in better shape to
keep up with my grandchildren.
Speaker 3 (04:24):
I mean they're extraordinary and I took two of
my grandkids.
We went on little vacationswith our son's families and
skied with a five-year-oldlittle girl, parker Lee, all
over the mountain.
And then I skied with Jack, myeightyear-old oldest grandson,
(04:45):
four days straight.
I think we did 70,000 verticalfeet and the funny thing was I
didn't even think about his age,so I just skied hard and I took
him all over the mountain.
He came into the house afterskiing the second day and just
fell on the stairs asleepbecause he was so tired.
His grandpa didn't take it easyon him and I do need to stay in
(05:07):
shape for my grandkids.
You know mountain biking andplaying pickleball and reading
reading books to them, becausesometimes you get tired reading,
but that's what they need themost.
Obviously.
What a blast being a grandpa,being a dad, and some of the
mistakes we did made as a dad.
We can get fixed a little bitwhen we're a grandpa.
Speaker 4 (05:30):
Well, you know, one of the things is that and that's
you and I have had thisconversation a lot and it's a
big part of your new book and abig part of a lot of things that
you do.
And you know, you know you havethis incredible uh uh, a
coaching group that you have,just like I coach.
It's interesting Got uh calledtwo of his uh gridiron guys to
(05:55):
really fulfilling an incrediblecalling of of coaching men Right
and and being spiritual fathersand spiritual grandpas to this
next generation.
And I don't know that.
You know I loved my timeplaying football, not training
camp, not the injuries, but whatI loved was the relationship
(06:17):
with the guys that I still havetoday.
And then the things that Ilearned and it's one of the
things about being a footballplayer and you know this,
especially as a quarterback isthat you have to be willing to
scramble at times as a dad andto hear from God about dealing
(06:38):
with those places in your kidsthat are completely unexpected.
I mean, we think we do it right, that our kids are going to
turn out perfect, but they'rehuman beings, they have their
relationship with God, just likewe do, and they're constantly
looking towards us as fathers tocapture what?
Who does my dad really see meto be?
Speaker 3 (07:01):
Yeah, I went to a counselor one time because we
had some conflict and issueswith our sons, between them and
us, and the counselor saidsomething brilliant.
He said what you really need tofocus on, jeff, since you're
past the stage of fatheringthese grown men.
(07:22):
Stage of fathering these grownmen, you need to focus on making
sure they know that you enjoythem, the way they like to be
enjoyed and when you can getacross to your son or your
daughter that you enjoy who theyare, not just that they hit a
home run, especially that youenjoy them, not for the stuff
(07:45):
they do, but who they are, theirpersonality, their nature,
their character, their quirks.
On their worst day do you enjoythem?
Because, guess what, we have aHeavenly Father and you have
been a champion in my life, ed,and you have been a champion in
my life.
Ed, and in hundreds of thousandsof guys' lives, from prisons to
(08:07):
the stadiums to executiveboardrooms.
You've been a champion with asimple message that we don't see
God accurately until we see himas the very best, most
approachable loving fatherpossible, a perfect father, and
(08:28):
that father gives us the Godconfidence to go be who you are
meant to be.
And I've been using thatmessage, Ed, and maybe you
should ask me to give aone-minute introduction of what
I do, and I will, which I justinvited you to do.
Speaker 4 (08:44):
So, basically, could you give us a one-minute
introduction on what you do?
Speaker 3 (08:49):
I will right after I finish this point.
The point was, if you know theFather in heaven that you have,
then you know that he enjoys you.
He takes delight in you.
He takes pleasure in you fortwo big reasons.
One, he made you and he doesn'tmake junk, he's a great
designer.
And two, even though you'resuper jacked up and went your
(09:10):
own way and became a fallenmessed up person and you're not
even a cleaned up act yet hegave you Jesus, who forgave all
that stuff in his eyes and givesyou credit for Jesus's perfect
life.
And so he is smiling on yousaying I see you in eternity.
(09:30):
Ed, you are one stud.
You're actually pretty thin inheaven and that hair grows back,
but your character has all ofthe best stuff in you.
Your laugh is still happening,but the little quirky things
that are not so good in you, ed,those aren't there anymore.
I don't see any of that becauseI'm outside of time and space
and I see who Jesus earned youto be, who I intended.
(09:53):
So I'm proud of you.
I take delight in you, I takepleasure in you, I enjoy you.
Well, we dads, when we get thatfrom Abba Father, we can do a
much better job, giving that toour children.
Speaker 4 (10:06):
That's right, because that core identity of who we
are, where we try to nameourselves by our stuff, our
things, our failures, our wins,our toys.
Speaker 3 (10:16):
Our brand these days.
Here's my brand.
Do I dress right?
This is my brand this weekright.
Speaker 4 (10:21):
My brand this week right.
But if we're completely brandedas a beloved son or daughter,
then you don't have to work forapproval anymore.
You can just work from it.
Speaker 3 (10:35):
Oh man.
Speaker 4 (10:35):
Ed, that's what this book.
Come on, tell us about thatbook.
I love this book.
Guys, how do you do it?
Let's see, there we go, justput it right in front of you.
Speaker 3 (10:47):
There you see the way of Jesus for man.
I was going to call this book.
I was going to call it RealGood man.
Now I'll do my one minuteintroduction, then I'll talk
about the book.
I'm Jeff.
I'm a well-loved son of aperfect heavenly father.
I'm the son of Jack and JoanneKemp, a pro football player and
public statesman.
I was raised to compete, toserve, to lead, to make a
(11:10):
difference.
But I became insecure because Icould never be as good a big
deal as my dad.
But at least I had Jesus Christ.
And over the years I've beenmentored and discipled and I've
gotten the opportunity.
As a guy that leads anorganization called Men Huddle,
I speak to men's groups like youdo.
(11:30):
I'm on the board of theFatherhood Commission, which is
where you and I have spent sometime lately with other great
fathering organizations.
Yours is one of the championones that I love, and my mission
at Men Huddle is to help men goback to friendship like Jesus,
go back to connecting, like youand I did in the locker room.
But talking about what mattersBackwards, hey, I had a bad week
(11:54):
.
I messed up and sinned.
Today I'm afraid I'm going toget fired.
Tomorrow I'm thinking aboutinvesting $100 in this stock.
My wife doesn't really thinkit's a good idea and I want to
say this to my grown son.
Well, by talking about thatstuff to you, I find out that
(12:15):
it's not going to work out sowell with my grown son, so I
won't do it.
I should pay attention to mywife.
Is what you tell me when I askyou and I end up saving the a
hundred dollars I'm going tolose because I don't do
something stupid, because I putit in front of a friend ahead of
time.
That's how you get the freecounsel that Proverbs says we're
all supposed to get.
But this isn't something yougot to go pay for.
This was built into the Trinityfather, son and spirit.
(12:40):
Friendship Jesus said I'm yourfriend.
You're my friend because I showyou everything my Father shows
me.
Jesus had Peter, james and Johnand they hung out a lot.
He took them up on the mountain.
They got to go heal some littlegirl and raise her from the
dead.
They were hanging with him.
He made campfire and cookedfood for Peter.
Gave him some good fishingadvice led to 153 fish after
(13:02):
zero all night.
Gave him some good fishingadvice Led to 153 fish after
zero all night.
He was Peter and James andJohn's deep core friend and he
trained all the other guys tohave a couple core friends and
never go out alone.
You know this Jesus thing, thiskingdom of God thing, this walk
(13:24):
with Christ thing, this be asolid man, be a good husband be
a good dad.
Speaker 4 (13:26):
This is not a solo sport.
Speaker 3 (13:27):
Faith is not a solo sport.
Speaker 4 (13:29):
Men.
Speaker 3 (13:29):
Huddle is simply focusing men on the fact that
you were made to live as a son,and I got a lot of that message,
yes, from the Bible, but alsofrom you.
And secondly, you're made tolive as a friend and you'll need
one or two or three qualityfriends and they are
distinguished from normal talkabout normal stuff.
(13:50):
Friends, they're not guys.
They're even more valuable thana 2 am friend.
A 2 am friend you could talk toabout anything.
He knows your secrets.
You'll call him in a crisis,but you don't talk to him every
week.
The best friends, the deepestlevel friends, level five
(14:13):
friends.
I'll even show you guys adiagram from the book because I
know you're very literary andyour library is full of great
books.
You've almost finished coloringthem all in, I know.
Speaker 4 (14:19):
Yeah, my crayons.
Yeah, that's right, bro, yeahthere you go.
Yeah, we got it.
Speaker 3 (14:25):
Yeah, A level five friend is trusted, loyal,
confidential, intentional,committed and consistent.
It's pretty much a weeklyconnecting friend.
You can't have very many ofthem, but most men don't have a
level four friend or a levelfive friend.
But you can get there and youcan have it.
It's the way of Jesus.
(14:46):
It's my mission to coach men,especially leaders, ed, because
when you get super busytraveling and you've been there
you lose the regular consistencywith those couple best friends.
And then, if you're like apastor or a CEO or a rock
musician or something, you havea lot of power and wealth and
(15:07):
position that you don't want tolose.
And if someone finds out you'redabbling with porn or you're
flirting with an affair oryou're drinking, you know, not
just a glass of wine at nightbut seven every night and your
finances are really whacked out.
If someone finds out you haveso much to lose you think that
(15:27):
you stop being real.
So we have leaders who don'thave friendship, which leads
them to not having aself-awareness of where their
blind spots are and where thenext trips are going to come,
that will make them fall man,that's so good.
Pride leads to a fall, humilityleads to healing and protection,
and friendship leads us tohumility and God confidence,
(15:52):
because you tell your friendsyou're junk and they still like
you.
That's a real friend.
Speaker 4 (15:57):
Yeah, you know, my favorite level five friendship
in the Bible was Jesus.
In that scripture you talkedabout, it said that Peter and
John went back fishing.
He felt like he blew it.
He denied Christ in front ofthe leaders there.
(16:18):
He was at a charcoal firewarming himself.
Three times he denied Jesusfulfilling a word that Jesus
gave to him.
Jesus basically said if you'regoing to try to live in your
power, peter, as a man, you'regoing to fall away.
Matter of fact, you're going todeny me three times Peter's
like.
There is no way.
There's no way.
(16:39):
And so you go to the end ofJohn, one of my favorite
restoration level five friendmoments.
Jesus is cooking fish at acharcoal fire.
Now there's only one otherplace in Scripture where
charcoal fire is mentioned andthat was where Jesus denied him,
(16:59):
where Peter denied Jesus.
Yes, so Jesus, with a greatfriend, brings us back to our
greatest failure and he asks himthis Do you love me more than
these?
I think, pointing at the fish,do you love me?
Jesus used the word agape,which is unconditional love.
(17:20):
Do you unconditionally love memore than fish?
And Peter's response was Lord,you know, I love you, and he
changes the word I can only loveyou as a friend.
Second time Jesus goes do youlove me more than these?
And he's asking him a secondtime and Peter's response
(17:46):
was—and Jesus used the same wordagape, unconditional love.
And Peter said no, I can onlylove you as a friend.
And the last question Jesussaid can you just love me as a
philo, as a friend?
And Peter says that's all I got, friend.
(18:13):
And Peter says that's all I got.
Peter completely understood thatGod's measurement on his life
wasn't that he lived a perfectagape love.
I love God with all my heart,mind, soul and strength, that
you never blow it, but thatJesus set him up to be a friend
and he restored him.
And he didn't really get itcompletely there because he even
(18:33):
was worried about his positionwith the other disciples on
who's going to sit at his righthand.
They get in an argument overposition.
And the next scene, you see,which is one of my favorite
little hidden scriptures, iswhen Peter it says and he takes
his stands and he stands upbecause the Holy Spirit's poured
(18:54):
out.
See, the bringer of God'sblessing in our life, as God
blesses us, is the Holy SpiritHimself.
And it says and Peter takinghis stand.
That's what the word means andhe stood up.
This is the first time he'spublic since everybody knew that
(19:15):
he was a complete failure.
The man of Jerusalem, and hepreaches his sermon and 5,000
people get saved.
See, that's how God restores us, is that we finally let Jesus
into the ultimate friendshipplace with us, to where we
(19:36):
understand, if we just bring himwhat we got.
And it might.
We might, just not we might.
I'll tell you a little funnystory.
I'm, you know, I'm preachingthis weekend.
I'm getting a little hammeredtoday, jeff, and just feeling
like you know, just I'm notfeeling it, lord, and I'm just
you might really make it byhammered Ed.
Speaker 3 (19:56):
you don't mean the old alcohol hammered, you mean
you're overloaded with details.
Speaker 4 (20:01):
No, I'm just I'm overloaded with just you know.
You begin to measure your lifebased on the impact you thought
you would make all the time.
Speaker 3 (20:11):
Yeah.
Speaker 4 (20:13):
And so I just say, you know I'm going for a walk.
So I walk down the street takea ride.
I'm going to walk and get alittle exercise before a meeting
.
And I'm walking and I hear EdMcGlashan at McLaughlin and I
turn around to a neighbor Iprayed for about a year ago that
(20:35):
was 100 pounds heavier, and hegoes come here, come here, come
here, I need you, I need you.
He said you know that prayer.
You prayed a year ago when youand your wife walked by.
You don't know.
I was at the end of my life.
My blood pressure was 210 over190.
Doctors didn't give me any hopeof survival and you came and
(20:55):
shared Jesus with me and laidyour hand on me and I started to
be healed.
I went on your carnivore diet.
I've lost 100.
I got another 80 to go and Igot some health things.
So I need another prayer.
I need a brother right now tolay hands on me and pray for me
and Jeff.
When I laid hands on him, youknow all of the warfare right
(21:20):
and all of the.
You know the enemy'saccusations, because he gets
after everybody, no matter whatyou do left in a moment when I
got to just love a brother.
There's something aboutstepping into what you teach to
where you're available to theLord to love somebody.
It's like, oh, the greatpreacher DL Moody said I really
(21:47):
felt bad about myself when I hadno shoes until I met a man who
had no feet.
It's like God will then bringyou right back in this place of
understanding that you know, aswe receive from the Lord, that
God Jesus is such a good friendto me that when I have a
perfectly good depressionworking, he knows how to break
(22:09):
it by bringing me somebody thatreally needs to be loved and
just being a friend to him for15 minutes before our call.
I mean.
I'm walking home.
Speaker 3 (22:20):
My gait is different, man, I am pumped, you know, you
did it when you got called bythat guy and you made yourself
available to him.
Speaker 1 (22:33):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (22:35):
You were giving him not your own wisdom and strength
and intelligence and coaching.
You gave him, like a funnel.
Gives the bottom of the funnela bunch of water.
You gave him whatever God couldgive you, which is the Holy
Spirit.
Gives the bottom of the funnela bunch of water.
You gave him whatever God couldgive you, which is the Holy
(22:56):
Spirit.
But it's also revealing to himthe Father.
You put your hands on him andprayed for him.
Speaker 1 (23:05):
That's what a father does.
Speaker 3 (23:06):
So Jesus said I call you guys my friends because I
show you.
I reveal to you everything thatmy father shows to me.
And Jesus is described in theBible as the perfect
manifestation of God.
On earth.
So if you want, to know whatGod, the Father, is like.
Look at Jesus.
(23:27):
If you want to know how to liveas a man, don't think you've
got to muster up the strength onyour own.
You don't.
God took all the pressure offyou.
Jesus didn't even do it.
Speaker 2 (23:38):
Amen.
Speaker 3 (23:39):
Jesus didn't do his miracles, god did.
He prayed God do a miracle.
Then he praised the Father.
God, we're going to feed these5,000 folks.
Bless this food, so it's enoughto feed them.
Speaker 4 (23:51):
Yeah, like, how do I do it right?
How do I do it?
He's there.
That's his internal prayer isFather, what are you doing here?
We've got 5,000 people, how dowe do this?
And then Jesus looks to hisdisciples and goes you feed them
.
And here you feed them and heblesses the sardines I think
(24:14):
there were seven sardines, acouple of beads of bread, and
then, I think the disciples,they broke them all up and put
them in baskets.
Because if it would have been amiracle, like thousands of fish
flowed off of a hill, it wouldhave been written of a hill, it
would have been written.
But the miracle happened in.
I think.
You know, if we had a camera onPeter, he would have acted like
(24:37):
it was heavy and he goes to thefirst person.
Don't take too much.
I got to spread this out.
I get Peter saw was when thekingdom of God shows up, when we
have nothing to give, but whathe gives us, then the power to
(25:02):
do what he's called us to do,happens, and I think if we saw
Peter's face on camera, he wouldgo and it was flowing out
because the basket never emptieduntil everybody was fed.
Speaker 3 (25:15):
Oh, they came back with 12 extra baskets.
God has more than enough.
But the point I want to getacross to guys, if you're trying
to figure out, am I a good man?
Am.
Speaker 4 (25:28):
I even a man?
Speaker 3 (25:30):
Am I a responsible man?
Am I a valuable man?
I don't feel like a good dad.
Am I a good dad?
Can I be a good dad?
I failed on a past marriage orI'm struggling.
I'm not sure if this one'sgoing to make it.
Can I be a husband?
Do I have to go to church andpretend like I live righteous
when I don't?
All of the answers to that areGod will do what you need him to
(25:56):
do if you stop trying to proveyourself as a Christian, husband
, dad, leader, whatever and youstart receiving A your identity,
your beloved son.
It's the accomplishment of JesusChrist.
It's not your accomplishment.
The pressure is not on you Breceive.
(26:18):
What are you going to do in thenext 12 seconds when Ed asks
you the next question, or Edcomes up with a new story and
there's no time left for you totalk?
What are you going to do, jeff,you have to talk to Stacy in a
few minutes.
What are you going to say?
What are you not going to say?
I can listen to the father, sohe'll give me my identity.
He'll give me, like he did toJesus, all the work and all the
(26:42):
words that he's going to do andhe had like that helmet cam, I
think, ed, like the NFLquarterbacks, not the cam, but
the speaker.
The coaches are talking to thespeaker telling him to play, and
it doesn't turn off before theplay starts.
God is talking to his son,jesus, all the time.
Jesus was at least smart enoughto be humble and dependent upon
Abba, father.
We who are imperfect and flawedunlike him, we wait till we're
(27:05):
in trouble before we talk to himand say give me this line, or
we come up with our game planand say, please bless it, that
is so dumb.
Who do you think is more fun,jeff, or the God who invented
marriage, sex, romance, orgasm,hawaii?
I think God's more fun.
(27:25):
Who's better, jeff, who canmaybe give a birthday present
that's under $50 to you, or God,who can give you an infinite
gift of his son?
He is fun, he is beautiful, heis generous, but he won't give
you stuff that's going to messyou up.
He'll give you what's best foryou.
We got to start seeing him asthe perfect Abba father,
(27:48):
receiving our identity, ourguidance, and then you and I are
going to have more confidence.
And I want all those guys outthere that are afraid if they
drop their guard and tell a guywhat they're struggling with,
the guy will lose respect forthem and the friendship will go
south or the guy will bail onthem.
It's just the opposite.
Speaker 4 (28:07):
Yeah, because everybody's in the same place.
Speaker 3 (28:10):
He's in the same place to say what you know.
Cs Lewis said this.
He said true friendship is bornat the moment where one man
says to another what you too.
I thought I was the only one.
That's like my most vernacularversion of CS Lewis.
Speaker 4 (28:24):
Oh, I love that.
Speaker 3 (28:26):
But it's so clear.
But you were made forfriendship guys.
I will help you with friendship.
Ed is going to have myresources on his website and you
can get them at my website,menhuddlecom.
I have a level five friendshipplaybook 10 pages that'll walk
you through it.
I got a little quick tip sheeton building deeper friendship.
(28:46):
We can make that available.
And, ed, I'm working onsomething called core three
coaching to help guys developthat core of their couple of
closest friends, like Jesus had,and you can do it in 2025.
Speaker 4 (29:00):
It's a different world, but we need it.
We got to have it, man.
Oh, I didn't shift gears just alittle and let's talk about
your dad a little bit and someof the things, because you
watched your dad, you know justincredible football career, just
amazing athlete, and like hisson, by the way, and I met, I
(29:24):
met.
I remember I met you onChurchill.
Speaker 3 (29:27):
Field.
Well, you were in college and I.
You were with the Giantsalready, weren't you?
Speaker 4 (29:33):
Yeah, I was with the Giants.
You were senior year atDartmouth with the heaviest
leather football I've ever seen.
Speaker 3 (29:40):
You gave me a football that was even better
than Tom Brady's deflated ball.
Let me tell the story quick tosave time.
Dad was an underdog, came fromla on 17th round draft pick.
Uh didn't make it in the nflfor three years, finally became
(30:01):
a starter with the san diegochargers.
Uh became an all pro, gottraded or sold to buffalo bills
for 100 bucks when he broke hisfinger, won two championships.
Championships there, beat theChargers, was most valuable
player in the league.
He's the leading passer in thewhole AFL from 1960 to 69.
And then he ran for Congress inBuffalo and was running for
(30:21):
vice president in 96.
And one day I was comparingmyself at age 50, feeling like
how have I done?
And I realized, shoot, at 50years old my dad was running for
president.
I'm just running a littlenonprofit, I haven't
accomplished anything.
He was the biggest encourager.
He hugged me, kissed me,praised me.
(30:42):
He said, jeff, I saw you today.
You look great.
I said dad, I didn't even getin the game.
He said, oh, I know, I saw youwarming up.
You're really throwing the ball.
Well, it's spinning great, ed.
He was so optimistic, sopositive.
The word for my dad was lift.
Yeah, lift, sunny, yeah, liftLike airplane wings gives you
lift.
Speaker 4 (31:02):
Yes.
Speaker 3 (31:03):
A sunny, optimistic disposition that we can always
make tomorrow better and thatthere's God-given potential in
every person.
Speaker 4 (31:13):
And we need to lift it up in them.
Speaker 3 (31:20):
My dad was like the angel of Gideon who said Gideon,
you're hiding, you're afraid,you're worried.
Don't worry, dude, you're agreat and mighty man of valor.
You are who you will be,because I'm saying you are that
now.
My dad always said you can't bea leader, you can't be a leader
.
I believe in you.
Your day is going to come.
But you know what, ed?
A lot of his faith was a littlebit of a formula faith that
(31:42):
thought, if you quote Proverbs 3, 5, and 6, trust the Lord with
all your heart, lean on yourunderstanding.
He'll direct you, commit yourway to the Lord Psalm 27, and
he'll establish your plans.
A lot of it was in his mind,not in his heart, of
surrendering.
If you don't surrender andyou're still trying to shape
(32:04):
your image as a solid Christian,politician and statesman or
quarterback, or whatever you'redoing, you'll come to the end of
yourself.
And my dad got to the end ofhimself with a couple of
challenges late in life.
After all he'd accomplished.
He had cancer.
There was nothing he could doand he knew he was going to die.
(32:25):
But I think he took the chemofor his kid's sake.
I think I was excessivelyoptimistic and wanted him to
stay alive.
But he took the cancer, thetreatments, and I wrote him a
three-page front back bulletpoint list of everything I
wanted to thank him for in life.
(32:45):
And I went back from Seattle toDC.
I went every month to visit himwhen he was sick and I read my
thank you list to my dad.
Unbelievable, he taught mecompassion for the poor,
appreciation for the blackplayers and what they've gone
through.
Ask people's stories.
He taught me optimism.
He taught me quarterbacking.
He taught me to ski.
He taught me to trust the Lordthat he's got a plan.
(33:07):
He included me in adultconversations.
I majored in economics becausemy dad talked about it at the
dinner table.
He was always there whether Iwas third string or first string
, you know interceptions ortouchdowns.
He loved me just the same.
He did the same for my sistersand my brother.
He was great that way, but hestill had trouble with his
identity getting wrapped up inwhat he was achieving.
Speaker 4 (33:31):
Yes.
Speaker 3 (33:32):
And I read him this list and he cried, I cried, he
laughed, I laughed and twomonths later he was about to die
and I was with him.
He died four days later and Isaid, dad, would you pray a
blessing on me?
And he loved theJudeo-Christian heritage and he
was a great friend of Jewishpeople and Israel.
(33:55):
He knew the Old Testament hadblessings that fathers prayed on
their kids.
Why the Christian faith hasn'tcarried that on is dumb Rites of
passage.
Is our version of it.
We should keep doing that.
Speaker 4 (34:07):
That's right.
Speaker 3 (34:08):
I said, dad, would you pray a blessing on me?
I'm leaving tomorrow night, andso he's laying on his bed, lost
60 pounds, no hair.
His raspy voice is soft ratherthan loud, like mine, and he
puts his hand on my rightforearm as I'm laying next to
him and he hardly had any breathor energy.
Yet he was really close todeath.
But he prayed the mostbrilliant succinct prayer ever.
(34:31):
I think it was the Gettysburgaddress of prayers.
He said dear God, help Jeff.
Remember his talent.
Help him remember the force forgood he is in this world and
help us both remember that theonly thing that matters is thy
(34:55):
will be done.
Amen.
In my dad's version, ed, whenhe said, help Jeff remember his
talent, he knew those wereGod-given talents, so he was
calling out my identity as God'sson who was put on this earth
to use my gifts for God's glory.
But then he said help himremember the force for good he
(35:18):
is in this world.
How confident was he making me.
He was saying you're the greatand mighty man of valor Gideon,
you're a great general, you're astud, even though you're afraid
.
He was saying, jeff, you'rehere for a purpose.
You make a difference in theworld.
And he was praying that over me.
He was praying my destiny,helping me remember the
difference he makes in thisworld.
(35:38):
And then he did somethingfabulous.
He took the pressure off me,yes, and he said but help us
both remember and this is a guyon his deathbed who finally had
a great vision of grace andforgiveness and Jesus and heaven
as the true destination, and hewas at peace with that.
And he says help us bothremember the only thing that
(36:01):
matters.
Basically, he's saying the verybest thing is thy will be done.
The exact words of Jesus, whotold his dad I would rather not
suffer on the cross and beseparated from you, my perfect
dad, and be punished for Ed andJeff and their stupidity and the
rest of the world's rebellion.
You know the nails and thecrucifixion was very horrendous
(36:23):
pain, but that wasn't the worstpain.
The pain was Jesus chose tosuffer our punishment, which
separated him from his dad forthe first time ever, and the
grave was a monumental divisionof which it was never intended
to be divided.
But Jesus said in the garden infact he said, peter, can you
(36:45):
stay awake and pray with me andPeter and the other dudes?
They actually fell asleepbecause they're like you and me
and even so, jesus forgave them.
But he said, father, if there'sany way to take this cup away
from me, I'd rather not have todrink this cup, to be separated
from you and pay this price, tosuffer your wrath for humanity's
(37:06):
rebellion.
But if this is the only way,thy will be done, and that's
what my dad's praying and lookwhat thy will be done turned
into when Jesus did that.
The worst blitz in history.
The total shift from Hosanna.
Hosanna to crucify him.
The worst blitz in historyturned into the greatest victory
ever, and now we get adopted asGod's sons.
Speaker 4 (37:28):
We have the Holy Spirit living in us.
Speaker 3 (37:29):
You go to some guy on the sidewalk and pray for him.
You go to some guy on thesidewalk and pray for him, he
loses a hundred pounds and getsexcited about Jesus and he's
healed.
You're a funnel of God's lovebecause you're close to his
father, Ed.
We want all the guys listeningon Father's.
Day to know you matter.
You're valuable.
Your track record as a dadisn't the determinant of your
(37:51):
future.
You're Abba, father, and youreceiving his love instead of
just earning it, which you can't.
Tim Keller said you can't doanything to make God love you
anymore, and you can't do it tomake him love you any less.
Speaker 4 (38:04):
That's right, baby.
Speaker 3 (38:07):
That's it.
You receiving that love givesyou his control over your future
, to make you the dad you weremeant to be.
And I'll tell you to use thesame technique.
I use my best fathering as afather of grown sons, grown men
is an apology, apology.
I'm modeling the gospel when Isay dude, I messed up and I did
(38:33):
it a lot of times.
By over-mentoring you,over-coaching you, I gave you
unsolicited advice.
I know that feels likecriticism.
Will you please forgive me?
And if you catch me doing itagain, feel free to tell me?
And then, pete and Greg are mytwo huddle buddies.
I talk to them every week and Itell them the things that I
confess and the things that Icommit to.
The bad week I had husbanding,the good week I want to have, by
(38:56):
the Holy Spirit and God's help.
And I say help me, pray for me,talk to me, keep me on the road
and even when I blow it, theydon't look down on me.
We've shaken hands onconfidentiality and trust.
We've shaken hands on a nojudgment zone.
We've shaken hands on we're nothere to fix each other.
We are here to be brothers andcommitted friends.
(39:20):
Ecclesiastes says a triplebraided cord is not broken and
Tim.
Keller, who I'm quoting again.
He said a friend always letsyou in and doesn't let you down.
You got to let your friends in.
You got to.
Let them see the real you.
Tell them the abuse you wentthrough in the childhood.
Tell them your wounds.
(39:41):
Tell them your trauma.
Tell them the terrible, heinoussins you've committed.
Tell them what you'restruggling with right now.
Tell them you promised to beconfidential and you ask him for
confidentiality and then askhim to pray for you and you say
well, how can I pray for you?
What's the most important thing?
I can pray for you.
And then I tell men, getspontaneous pray right away.
(40:02):
Don't say, oh yeah, I'll prayfor you, brother, and don't pray
long and holy, just pray a manprayer which is tongue in cheek.
But it's like this Dear God,whatever's best for Ed and his
son and his daughters and hiswife, do it In Jesus' name, amen
.
Speaker 1 (40:16):
Ready Break.
Speaker 3 (40:19):
I'm not going to go too long.
I didn't try to guess what'sthe best thing to pray, I just
said God, you do what's best inyour beautiful, perfect mind.
Speaker 4 (40:28):
That's right.
That's friendship.
That is, you know, and theprinciple that I love, that I
see all through your life, isthat you're not trying to get
permission from God to dosomething.
You're going.
What are you doing so I can doit with you?
Oh, thank you.
So when you're following, youhave all the anointing and power
(40:50):
and gifting you need, but whenyou're leading the relationship,
god, I want you to do this.
I want you to do this Insteadof—I had this moment a few
months ago and it occurred to methat I not asked the Lord for a
couple weeks about—I saw thatmy wife, jill, was kind of going
(41:12):
through a hard time and I saidLord, what are you doing with my
wife?
So I'm driving home, I'm praying.
I started weeping because hejust gave me this incredible
heart for her.
So I started praying for herthat Jesus would just—because my
wife led all of her family toChrist, so I just prayed that
she'd have a new season.
She calls me 10 minutes later,weeping, going.
(41:35):
I said what's the matter?
She goes?
Just about 10 minutes ago, theHoly Spirit fell on me and he
started bringing out thatcalling that I had when I was a
young girl.
And I'm just sitting theregoing.
God, you are like, when Ifollow you that stuff gets done.
When I follow Ed boy, I mess itup.
So good stuff, oh boom.
Speaker 3 (42:00):
Someone's celebrating what you're saying in the
background and putting a bunchof those cool graphics on.
It's either the Holy Spirit orsomeone who knows how to use the
technology that we're on, whichisn't me.
Speaker 4 (42:13):
So, jeff, why don't you lead these guys?
Because there's a bunch of guys, and both you and I know this
we're never going to have aperfect dad to model everything
perfectly.
We're not going to be a perfectdad to model everything
perfectly.
But when we learn, throughChrist, to add the Father in our
story and begin to, like Jesussaid in John 5, 17, I can only
(42:37):
do what I see the Father doing.
When we live in that place whereour true core identity is not
football player or retiredfootball player or whatever, a
lot of guys' names are justtheir failure, their brokenness,
their weakness.
But when we begin to learn thatour core and true identity is
(42:58):
just to be a son, and from thatplace of being a son and
fathered like Jesus getsfathered, got fathered when he
walked on the earth we geteverything that we need.
We get every bounce back.
He shows us about every blitzthat's coming, and I mean he
prepares us to be a present,loving dad.
(43:20):
So could you pray these guysout and your best father's day
blessing prayer for these guys.
Speaker 3 (43:29):
I'm going to journey with you because you just
explained that we receiveeverything good.
We don't earn it.
Speaker 4 (43:35):
We don't achieve it, we receive it Because if we
achieve it, we'll win a trophy.
We take credit for it.
Speaker 3 (43:44):
And then our pride would make us idiots again and
we'd mess up, just like how theworld started.
I mean, guys, put anexclamation point on this.
Pride divides and kills.
Humility heals and unites,that's exactly right.
Look at Philippians, chaptertwo, and you'll find that
there's no one ever been morehumble than Jesus.
It's the nature that made him goto the cross.
(44:06):
For us it's the nature thatmade him.
You know, get on.
All the guys that wanted tostone the woman called an
adultery, when they didn't evenbring the guy that caused the
adultery.
And he said if anyone's neversinned you could throw the first
stone.
Right?
And he said if anyone's neversinned you could throw the first
stone.
It was Jesus's humility thatdid everything great.
And he always said I'm going todepend on my dad because I can
(44:26):
do nothing apart from my dad.
So that's my prayer First ofall, receive Jesus Christ as
their complete solution toeverything wrong in their life
(44:47):
and their Savior and their Lord,so that life becomes abundant
even when your circumstancessuck.
You've got joy, peace and you'vegot the Holy Spirit.
You can make incrediblelemonade out of lemons, you can
turn your mess into a message,but you got to receive Jesus,
who is the blitz overcomer.
You got to receive Jesus andthat might mean surrendering to
(45:11):
him for the first time insteadof Sunday school.
Yeah, I signed up to say I'm aChristian because I went in
church.
Guys, I pray that you wouldsurrender and receive Jesus and
in receiving him, you receivewhat you gain automatically
adoption by your perfect father.
So, father, I pray that youwould convince these men that
(45:32):
you have chosen them in Jesusand adopted them as your beloved
son, unconditionally agapeloved, and that they would
receive that as their identityand stop striving and trying to
achieve and trying to performtheir Christianity or their
fatherhood or their husbandingor anything else.
They can't.
It wouldn't work that way.
It's just received.
(45:53):
So help them to receive and thenmake every one of us daily
dependent sons who live likeJesus did, who say I can do
nothing apart from the Fatherand I'd be an idiot to do
anything apart from the Father.
I need him to tell me what todo before I do it, and then I
need his power to do it, andthen I'll give you the credit
when it happens and I won'tbecome a jerk who's arrogant.
So you're so good in every way.
(46:14):
Give guys the receive principleinto their lives of living as
sons who receive it all inguidance from the Father.
And then, lord, I pray that youwould help them learn to, in
humility, be strong byapologizing, by asking what they
can learn from their son ordaughter with the question how
can I love you better?
(46:35):
And the same thing to theirwife.
How can I love you better?
And apologizing it's the mostmanly, gutsy thing to do and it
heals because it's humble.
Father give them the courage todo that.
And then, lord, finally, I praythat every single guy here
knows that two other guys needhim as their level five friend
(46:58):
and he needs them, and I prayyou'd talk to them as they ask
you to guide them to who theirlevel five friends should be.
They're Jesus type friends.
They're intentional, consistent, weekly, connecting huddle
buddies.
God may they get intentional tochoose full friendship and full
(47:18):
disclosure and full partnershipin one another's success.
It's an awesome way to live.
It's the way Jesus, peter,james and John lived and he
wants it for us.
Lord, I pray you'd do that forthem, in Jesus' name amen, amen.
Speaker 4 (47:34):
Thank you, buddy, that was just awesome.
Always love being with you andguys right on the screen Right
here, see that book he's holdingup.
I want you to go right now tojeffcampteamcom slash, receive
and get this book.
And he's got a beautifulprogram Like fully endorse him.
(47:56):
And I got to snap the ball to areal quarterback today and he
just threw a touchdown.
Baby, the received touchdown.
Speaker 3 (48:04):
And then I gave you the ball to spike in the end
zone and, man, you did a fancydance and there's fireworks in
the background.
You spiked in.
It didn't even bounce up andhit you in the groin, so
everyone's.
Speaker 4 (48:17):
You know it's funny.
Oh, there we go.
Speaker 3 (48:21):
This, this little free, 10 page level five
friendship playbook, is whatyou've been offering at my
website all day.
That's that's the tool I wantto help men grow in friendship.
It doesn't cost anything.
It's Jesus idea.
I don't want to charge for it.
Yes, you can buy the Receivebook and you'll get information
on both those things there.
(48:42):
But, man, we love investing inmen, don't we, Ed and we?
Speaker 4 (48:47):
love giving men.
Well, you know what.
So goes your father, so goesthe town, the county, the state,
the nation, the world.
That's why God's first prioritywasn't to build government or
even the church.
His first priority was to buildfamily.
Speaker 3 (49:05):
All right, as we wrap up, I got to do something
special for you.
Speaker 4 (49:08):
Okay, tell me, tell me.
Speaker 3 (49:10):
All of you, all of you, uh, ed McGlashan fans out
there there.
This game ball is honorarilybeing presented to Ed Tandy
McGlasson on behalf of his dadthat sacrificed his life in the
Navy, and his other dad thatraised him macho tough to get
(49:30):
him in the NFL, and his thirddad who did it perfectly.
Who's the heavenly father?
So, ed, for all you've done tohelp other men get refathered.
Speaker 4 (49:39):
Oh man, thank you.
Speaker 3 (49:41):
I grant you this game , ball 2025, and you and I
haven't even played football in40 years.
Speaker 4 (49:50):
I take it.
I take it.
I love you, man.
I'm so blessed by you.
Again, if you're just tuning in, make sure you get to his
website.
And right here, jeffteamkempteamcom, I got a little
outro video.
I'm going to play a little bitabout what we do as well, but,
(50:10):
jeff, you're one of my heroes,man.
Speaker 3 (50:13):
Love you, praying for you.
Speaker 4 (50:17):
And, just a matter of fact, our wives are very
similar.
When I first met Jeff, he builta soundproof room for his boys
in the garage, remember that,and it was padded so they
couldn't hurt themselves.
And Stacy was in the kitchenand had a monitor.
Well, my wife wears noisereduction headphones when the
(50:40):
grandkids get too loud, or mykids, and so she doesn't hear me
all the time she goes.
They're just really loud.
Speaker 3 (50:50):
She needs those.
For you, you alone, there's alot to handle.
Speaker 4 (50:55):
Yeah, you ain't lying .
You ain't lying.
She told me somebody said well,how's it being with that?
He goes.
Well, it all depends on whattime it's in the tornado All
right, my bro.
Thank you very much.
God bless you Happy.
Father's Day, you're a champman Happy.
Speaker 3 (51:13):
Father's Day to you and all the dads, it matters.
Speaker 4 (51:15):
Amen, praise the Lord Bye.
Speaker 2 (51:17):
Dear friends, imagine a world where every father
feels equipped to lead withfaith, love and purpose, A world
where families thrive andcommunities grow stronger
because of devoted,Christ-centered fathers.
You know, beloved.
Speaker 4 (51:33):
That is the vision that God's put in my heart for
every single family.
You know he is on the move.
I believe he promises inMalachi that before the great
and coming day of the Lord, he'sgoing to do something profound.
He's going to turn the heartsof fathers back towards their
(51:54):
children, so the hearts of theirchildren will turn back to
their father.
That's what God is doing.
I meet dads daily who want tolearn to be better fathers.
Yet many have never been shownhow Too many families are being
fractured through bitterness andwith parents and grandparents
(52:14):
even being canceled.
That's why we're launching anonline community to equip men to
be the fathers that God hascalled them to be.
It's more than a program.
It's part of a movement thatGod is already doing to reshape
fatherhood as a sacred callingrooted in the teachings of
(52:35):
Christ, and we're calling thisthe Fatherhood Academy, where
men will embark on a journey ofhealing and spiritual
restoration that helps themtransform their family
relationship.
And to make this vision areality, would you consider
(52:56):
partnering with us financiallyas we continue to reach and
disciple every man, dad andgrandpa that comes our way?
Your donation will help createa ripple across the
neighborhoods, communities youknow and, ultimately, our nation
.
Anchoring each child, here's avision in the unwavering love
(53:19):
and guidance of a devoted dad,will you partner with us?
Speaker 2 (53:25):
Your gift, whether a one-time donation or ongoing
monthly support, will help totransform lives.
Together, we can equip fathersand grandfathers to lead with
faith and create a brighter,hope-filled future for
generations to come.
Click the link to donate today.
(53:45):
Thank you for believing in thismission and joining us on this
transformative journey.
Courage and kindness, strength and gentleness,
fortitude and tenderness.
A father, a leader and alifelong teacher, a comforter
(00:34):
and a patient listener.
A hero and a world changer, agift from God above.
Being a father is a high andholy calling.
It is not only a blessing butalso a stewardship.
Fatherhood is a preciousopportunity and a divine
(00:58):
responsibility, because it isone of the many ways that God
watches over all of us.
A father is a protector and aprovider, because it is one of
the many ways that God watchesover all of us.
A father is a protector and aprovider, a hard worker and a
family man, a role model and afaithful friend.
(01:20):
And so, from all of us to allof you, thank you to Thank you
(01:56):
To the fathers.
Speaker 4 (01:57):
Okay, oh, there you are, jeff gotcha amy.
Yeah, I gotcha.
Hey, ed, how you doing allright?
Well, hey, I am.
I am live here and I got aguest that we have today, uh, an
exciting, uh friend of mine and, matter of fact, a quarterback
who's played an incrediblecareer.
But the thing that I love aboutJeff Kemp is the kind of
learner he is, the kind offather he is, the kind of
(02:18):
grandpa he is, and we thoughtwe'd just do kind of a
last-minute get-together here.
Speaker 3 (02:26):
It's not a last minute, it's an audible baby.
We're doing an audible.
Speaker 4 (02:33):
And so, anyway, yeah, we called an audible to kind of
get connected, and so I'm justgoing to put him right up on the
playing field right here as weget connected in.
Look at all those game ballsback there and you can see my
one game ball back here but,yeah, he was an incredible guy.
(02:56):
But what Jeff's got working forhim more than anything else is
about being a father, a real dad, and not only that, he's a
tremendous ministry to men.
Well, he teaches men how tohuddle, he teaches men how to
hear from God, read the Word,have guys around him, and today
I wanted you to hear from Jeffabout him and his dad and what
(03:21):
God has done in his story, himand his dad, and what God has
done in his story.
And I got to and Jeff knows allthis, but I got an opportunity
many, many years ago to go overto his house and sit down with
his dad and share Christ withhim.
I think that it came a littlebit later, but he was already on
(03:44):
the road out of football.
Tremendous senator andcompassionate heart for the poor
, did so many, many things inhis life and yet he stepped into
his greatest role that he had.
It was above all other thingswas that it was being a father
(04:06):
and, by the way, that is ourgreatest role as a man, you know
, is to be a father and then agrandpa, to which both Jeff and
I are grandpas.
I mean, I got to, I'm alwaystrying to get in better shape to
keep up with my grandchildren.
Speaker 3 (04:24):
I mean they're extraordinary and I took two of
my grandkids.
We went on little vacationswith our son's families and
skied with a five-year-oldlittle girl, parker Lee, all
over the mountain.
And then I skied with Jack, myeightyear-old oldest grandson,
(04:45):
four days straight.
I think we did 70,000 verticalfeet and the funny thing was I
didn't even think about his age,so I just skied hard and I took
him all over the mountain.
He came into the house afterskiing the second day and just
fell on the stairs asleepbecause he was so tired.
His grandpa didn't take it easyon him and I do need to stay in
(05:07):
shape for my grandkids.
You know mountain biking andplaying pickleball and reading
reading books to them, becausesometimes you get tired reading,
but that's what they need themost.
Obviously.
What a blast being a grandpa,being a dad, and some of the
mistakes we did made as a dad.
We can get fixed a little bitwhen we're a grandpa.
Speaker 4 (05:30):
Well, you know, one of the things is that and that's
you and I have had thisconversation a lot and it's a
big part of your new book and abig part of a lot of things that
you do.
And you know, you know you havethis incredible uh uh, a
coaching group that you have,just like I coach.
It's interesting Got uh calledtwo of his uh gridiron guys to
(05:55):
really fulfilling an incrediblecalling of of coaching men Right
and and being spiritual fathersand spiritual grandpas to this
next generation.
And I don't know that.
You know I loved my timeplaying football, not training
camp, not the injuries, but whatI loved was the relationship
(06:17):
with the guys that I still havetoday.
And then the things that Ilearned and it's one of the
things about being a footballplayer and you know this,
especially as a quarterback isthat you have to be willing to
scramble at times as a dad andto hear from God about dealing
(06:38):
with those places in your kidsthat are completely unexpected.
I mean, we think we do it right, that our kids are going to
turn out perfect, but they'rehuman beings, they have their
relationship with God, just likewe do, and they're constantly
looking towards us as fathers tocapture what?
Who does my dad really see meto be?
Speaker 3 (07:01):
Yeah, I went to a counselor one time because we
had some conflict and issueswith our sons, between them and
us, and the counselor saidsomething brilliant.
He said what you really need tofocus on, jeff, since you're
past the stage of fatheringthese grown men.
(07:22):
Stage of fathering these grownmen, you need to focus on making
sure they know that you enjoythem, the way they like to be
enjoyed and when you can getacross to your son or your
daughter that you enjoy who theyare, not just that they hit a
home run, especially that youenjoy them, not for the stuff
(07:45):
they do, but who they are, theirpersonality, their nature,
their character, their quirks.
On their worst day do you enjoythem?
Because, guess what, we have aHeavenly Father and you have
been a champion in my life, ed,and you have been a champion in
my life.
Ed, and in hundreds of thousandsof guys' lives, from prisons to
(08:07):
the stadiums to executiveboardrooms.
You've been a champion with asimple message that we don't see
God accurately until we see himas the very best, most
approachable loving fatherpossible, a perfect father, and
(08:28):
that father gives us the Godconfidence to go be who you are
meant to be.
And I've been using thatmessage, Ed, and maybe you
should ask me to give aone-minute introduction of what
I do, and I will, which I justinvited you to do.
Speaker 4 (08:44):
So, basically, could you give us a one-minute
introduction on what you do?
Speaker 3 (08:49):
I will right after I finish this point.
The point was, if you know theFather in heaven that you have,
then you know that he enjoys you.
He takes delight in you.
He takes pleasure in you fortwo big reasons.
One, he made you and he doesn'tmake junk, he's a great
designer.
And two, even though you'resuper jacked up and went your
(09:10):
own way and became a fallenmessed up person and you're not
even a cleaned up act yet hegave you Jesus, who forgave all
that stuff in his eyes and givesyou credit for Jesus's perfect
life.
And so he is smiling on yousaying I see you in eternity.
(09:30):
Ed, you are one stud.
You're actually pretty thin inheaven and that hair grows back,
but your character has all ofthe best stuff in you.
Your laugh is still happening,but the little quirky things
that are not so good in you, ed,those aren't there anymore.
I don't see any of that becauseI'm outside of time and space
and I see who Jesus earned youto be, who I intended.
(09:53):
So I'm proud of you.
I take delight in you, I takepleasure in you, I enjoy you.
Well, we dads, when we get thatfrom Abba Father, we can do a
much better job, giving that toour children.
Speaker 4 (10:06):
That's right, because that core identity of who we
are, where we try to nameourselves by our stuff, our
things, our failures, our wins,our toys.
Speaker 3 (10:16):
Our brand these days.
Here's my brand.
Do I dress right?
This is my brand this weekright.
Speaker 4 (10:21):
My brand this week right.
But if we're completely brandedas a beloved son or daughter,
then you don't have to work forapproval anymore.
You can just work from it.
Speaker 3 (10:35):
Oh man.
Speaker 4 (10:35):
Ed, that's what this book.
Come on, tell us about thatbook.
I love this book.
Guys, how do you do it?
Let's see, there we go, justput it right in front of you.
Speaker 3 (10:47):
There you see the way of Jesus for man.
I was going to call this book.
I was going to call it RealGood man.
Now I'll do my one minuteintroduction, then I'll talk
about the book.
I'm Jeff.
I'm a well-loved son of aperfect heavenly father.
I'm the son of Jack and JoanneKemp, a pro football player and
public statesman.
I was raised to compete, toserve, to lead, to make a
(11:10):
difference.
But I became insecure because Icould never be as good a big
deal as my dad.
But at least I had Jesus Christ.
And over the years I've beenmentored and discipled and I've
gotten the opportunity.
As a guy that leads anorganization called Men Huddle,
I speak to men's groups like youdo.
(11:30):
I'm on the board of theFatherhood Commission, which is
where you and I have spent sometime lately with other great
fathering organizations.
Yours is one of the championones that I love, and my mission
at Men Huddle is to help men goback to friendship like Jesus,
go back to connecting, like youand I did in the locker room.
But talking about what mattersBackwards, hey, I had a bad week
(11:54):
.
I messed up and sinned.
Today I'm afraid I'm going toget fired.
Tomorrow I'm thinking aboutinvesting $100 in this stock.
My wife doesn't really thinkit's a good idea and I want to
say this to my grown son.
Well, by talking about thatstuff to you, I find out that
(12:15):
it's not going to work out sowell with my grown son, so I
won't do it.
I should pay attention to mywife.
Is what you tell me when I askyou and I end up saving the a
hundred dollars I'm going tolose because I don't do
something stupid, because I putit in front of a friend ahead of
time.
That's how you get the freecounsel that Proverbs says we're
all supposed to get.
But this isn't something yougot to go pay for.
This was built into the Trinityfather, son and spirit.
(12:40):
Friendship Jesus said I'm yourfriend.
You're my friend because I showyou everything my Father shows
me.
Jesus had Peter, james and Johnand they hung out a lot.
He took them up on the mountain.
They got to go heal some littlegirl and raise her from the
dead.
They were hanging with him.
He made campfire and cookedfood for Peter.
Gave him some good fishingadvice led to 153 fish after
(13:02):
zero all night.
Gave him some good fishingadvice Led to 153 fish after
zero all night.
He was Peter and James andJohn's deep core friend and he
trained all the other guys tohave a couple core friends and
never go out alone.
You know this Jesus thing, thiskingdom of God thing, this walk
(13:24):
with Christ thing, this be asolid man, be a good husband be
a good dad.
Speaker 4 (13:26):
This is not a solo sport.
Speaker 3 (13:27):
Faith is not a solo sport.
Speaker 4 (13:29):
Men.
Speaker 3 (13:29):
Huddle is simply focusing men on the fact that
you were made to live as a son,and I got a lot of that message,
yes, from the Bible, but alsofrom you.
And secondly, you're made tolive as a friend and you'll need
one or two or three qualityfriends and they are
distinguished from normal talkabout normal stuff.
(13:50):
Friends, they're not guys.
They're even more valuable thana 2 am friend.
A 2 am friend you could talk toabout anything.
He knows your secrets.
You'll call him in a crisis,but you don't talk to him every
week.
The best friends, the deepestlevel friends, level five
(14:13):
friends.
I'll even show you guys adiagram from the book because I
know you're very literary andyour library is full of great
books.
You've almost finished coloringthem all in, I know.
Speaker 4 (14:19):
Yeah, my crayons.
Yeah, that's right, bro, yeahthere you go.
Yeah, we got it.
Speaker 3 (14:25):
Yeah, A level five friend is trusted, loyal,
confidential, intentional,committed and consistent.
It's pretty much a weeklyconnecting friend.
You can't have very many ofthem, but most men don't have a
level four friend or a levelfive friend.
But you can get there and youcan have it.
It's the way of Jesus.
(14:46):
It's my mission to coach men,especially leaders, ed, because
when you get super busytraveling and you've been there
you lose the regular consistencywith those couple best friends.
And then, if you're like apastor or a CEO or a rock
musician or something, you havea lot of power and wealth and
(15:07):
position that you don't want tolose.
And if someone finds out you'redabbling with porn or you're
flirting with an affair oryou're drinking, you know, not
just a glass of wine at nightbut seven every night and your
finances are really whacked out.
If someone finds out you haveso much to lose you think that
(15:27):
you stop being real.
So we have leaders who don'thave friendship, which leads
them to not having aself-awareness of where their
blind spots are and where thenext trips are going to come,
that will make them fall man,that's so good.
Pride leads to a fall, humilityleads to healing and protection,
and friendship leads us tohumility and God confidence,
(15:52):
because you tell your friendsyou're junk and they still like
you.
That's a real friend.
Speaker 4 (15:57):
Yeah, you know, my favorite level five friendship
in the Bible was Jesus.
In that scripture you talkedabout, it said that Peter and
John went back fishing.
He felt like he blew it.
He denied Christ in front ofthe leaders there.
(16:18):
He was at a charcoal firewarming himself.
Three times he denied Jesusfulfilling a word that Jesus
gave to him.
Jesus basically said if you'regoing to try to live in your
power, peter, as a man, you'regoing to fall away.
Matter of fact, you're going todeny me three times Peter's
like.
There is no way.
There's no way.
(16:39):
And so you go to the end ofJohn, one of my favorite
restoration level five friendmoments.
Jesus is cooking fish at acharcoal fire.
Now there's only one otherplace in Scripture where
charcoal fire is mentioned andthat was where Jesus denied him,
(16:59):
where Peter denied Jesus.
Yes, so Jesus, with a greatfriend, brings us back to our
greatest failure and he asks himthis Do you love me more than
these?
I think, pointing at the fish,do you love me?
Jesus used the word agape,which is unconditional love.
(17:20):
Do you unconditionally love memore than fish?
And Peter's response was Lord,you know, I love you, and he
changes the word I can only loveyou as a friend.
Second time Jesus goes do youlove me more than these?
And he's asking him a secondtime and Peter's response
(17:46):
was—and Jesus used the same wordagape, unconditional love.
And Peter said no, I can onlylove you as a friend.
And the last question Jesussaid can you just love me as a
philo, as a friend?
And Peter says that's all I got, friend.
(18:13):
And Peter says that's all I got.
Peter completely understood thatGod's measurement on his life
wasn't that he lived a perfectagape love.
I love God with all my heart,mind, soul and strength, that
you never blow it, but thatJesus set him up to be a friend
and he restored him.
And he didn't really get itcompletely there because he even
(18:33):
was worried about his positionwith the other disciples on
who's going to sit at his righthand.
They get in an argument overposition.
And the next scene, you see,which is one of my favorite
little hidden scriptures, iswhen Peter it says and he takes
his stands and he stands upbecause the Holy Spirit's poured
(18:54):
out.
See, the bringer of God'sblessing in our life, as God
blesses us, is the Holy SpiritHimself.
And it says and Peter takinghis stand.
That's what the word means andhe stood up.
This is the first time he'spublic since everybody knew that
(19:15):
he was a complete failure.
The man of Jerusalem, and hepreaches his sermon and 5,000
people get saved.
See, that's how God restores us, is that we finally let Jesus
into the ultimate friendshipplace with us, to where we
(19:36):
understand, if we just bring himwhat we got.
And it might.
We might, just not we might.
I'll tell you a little funnystory.
I'm, you know, I'm preachingthis weekend.
I'm getting a little hammeredtoday, jeff, and just feeling
like you know, just I'm notfeeling it, lord, and I'm just
you might really make it byhammered Ed.
Speaker 3 (19:56):
you don't mean the old alcohol hammered, you mean
you're overloaded with details.
Speaker 4 (20:01):
No, I'm just I'm overloaded with just you know.
You begin to measure your lifebased on the impact you thought
you would make all the time.
Speaker 3 (20:11):
Yeah.
Speaker 4 (20:13):
And so I just say, you know I'm going for a walk.
So I walk down the street takea ride.
I'm going to walk and get alittle exercise before a meeting
.
And I'm walking and I hear EdMcGlashan at McLaughlin and I
turn around to a neighbor Iprayed for about a year ago that
(20:35):
was 100 pounds heavier, and hegoes come here, come here, come
here, I need you, I need you.
He said you know that prayer.
You prayed a year ago when youand your wife walked by.
You don't know.
I was at the end of my life.
My blood pressure was 210 over190.
Doctors didn't give me any hopeof survival and you came and
(20:55):
shared Jesus with me and laidyour hand on me and I started to
be healed.
I went on your carnivore diet.
I've lost 100.
I got another 80 to go and Igot some health things.
So I need another prayer.
I need a brother right now tolay hands on me and pray for me
and Jeff.
When I laid hands on him, youknow all of the warfare right
(21:20):
and all of the.
You know the enemy'saccusations, because he gets
after everybody, no matter whatyou do left in a moment when I
got to just love a brother.
There's something aboutstepping into what you teach to
where you're available to theLord to love somebody.
It's like, oh, the greatpreacher DL Moody said I really
(21:47):
felt bad about myself when I hadno shoes until I met a man who
had no feet.
It's like God will then bringyou right back in this place of
understanding that you know, aswe receive from the Lord, that
God Jesus is such a good friendto me that when I have a
perfectly good depressionworking, he knows how to break
(22:09):
it by bringing me somebody thatreally needs to be loved and
just being a friend to him for15 minutes before our call.
I mean.
I'm walking home.
Speaker 3 (22:20):
My gait is different, man, I am pumped, you know, you
did it when you got called bythat guy and you made yourself
available to him.
Speaker 1 (22:33):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (22:35):
You were giving him not your own wisdom and strength
and intelligence and coaching.
You gave him, like a funnel.
Gives the bottom of the funnela bunch of water.
You gave him whatever God couldgive you, which is the Holy
Spirit.
Gives the bottom of the funnela bunch of water.
You gave him whatever God couldgive you, which is the Holy
(22:56):
Spirit.
But it's also revealing to himthe Father.
You put your hands on him andprayed for him.
Speaker 1 (23:05):
That's what a father does.
Speaker 3 (23:06):
So Jesus said I call you guys my friends because I
show you.
I reveal to you everything thatmy father shows to me.
And Jesus is described in theBible as the perfect
manifestation of God.
On earth.
So if you want, to know whatGod, the Father, is like.
Look at Jesus.
(23:27):
If you want to know how to liveas a man, don't think you've
got to muster up the strength onyour own.
You don't.
God took all the pressure offyou.
Jesus didn't even do it.
Speaker 2 (23:38):
Amen.
Speaker 3 (23:39):
Jesus didn't do his miracles, god did.
He prayed God do a miracle.
Then he praised the Father.
God, we're going to feed these5,000 folks.
Bless this food, so it's enoughto feed them.
Speaker 4 (23:51):
Yeah, like, how do I do it right?
How do I do it?
He's there.
That's his internal prayer isFather, what are you doing here?
We've got 5,000 people, how dowe do this?
And then Jesus looks to hisdisciples and goes you feed them
.
And here you feed them and heblesses the sardines I think
(24:14):
there were seven sardines, acouple of beads of bread, and
then, I think the disciples,they broke them all up and put
them in baskets.
Because if it would have been amiracle, like thousands of fish
flowed off of a hill, it wouldhave been written of a hill, it
would have been written.
But the miracle happened in.
I think.
You know, if we had a camera onPeter, he would have acted like
(24:37):
it was heavy and he goes to thefirst person.
Don't take too much.
I got to spread this out.
I get Peter saw was when thekingdom of God shows up, when we
have nothing to give, but whathe gives us, then the power to
(25:02):
do what he's called us to do,happens, and I think if we saw
Peter's face on camera, he wouldgo and it was flowing out
because the basket never emptieduntil everybody was fed.
Speaker 3 (25:15):
Oh, they came back with 12 extra baskets.
God has more than enough.
But the point I want to getacross to guys, if you're trying
to figure out, am I a good man?
Am.
Speaker 4 (25:28):
I even a man?
Speaker 3 (25:30):
Am I a responsible man?
Am I a valuable man?
I don't feel like a good dad.
Am I a good dad?
Can I be a good dad?
I failed on a past marriage orI'm struggling.
I'm not sure if this one'sgoing to make it.
Can I be a husband?
Do I have to go to church andpretend like I live righteous
when I don't?
All of the answers to that areGod will do what you need him to
(25:56):
do if you stop trying to proveyourself as a Christian, husband
, dad, leader, whatever and youstart receiving A your identity,
your beloved son.
It's the accomplishment of JesusChrist.
It's not your accomplishment.
The pressure is not on you Breceive.
(26:18):
What are you going to do in thenext 12 seconds when Ed asks
you the next question, or Edcomes up with a new story and
there's no time left for you totalk?
What are you going to do, jeff,you have to talk to Stacy in a
few minutes.
What are you going to say?
What are you not going to say?
I can listen to the father, sohe'll give me my identity.
He'll give me, like he did toJesus, all the work and all the
(26:42):
words that he's going to do andhe had like that helmet cam, I
think, ed, like the NFLquarterbacks, not the cam, but
the speaker.
The coaches are talking to thespeaker telling him to play, and
it doesn't turn off before theplay starts.
God is talking to his son,jesus, all the time.
Jesus was at least smart enoughto be humble and dependent upon
Abba, father.
We who are imperfect and flawedunlike him, we wait till we're
(27:05):
in trouble before we talk to himand say give me this line, or
we come up with our game planand say, please bless it, that
is so dumb.
Who do you think is more fun,jeff, or the God who invented
marriage, sex, romance, orgasm,hawaii?
I think God's more fun.
(27:25):
Who's better, jeff, who canmaybe give a birthday present
that's under $50 to you, or God,who can give you an infinite
gift of his son?
He is fun, he is beautiful, heis generous, but he won't give
you stuff that's going to messyou up.
He'll give you what's best foryou.
We got to start seeing him asthe perfect Abba father,
(27:48):
receiving our identity, ourguidance, and then you and I are
going to have more confidence.
And I want all those guys outthere that are afraid if they
drop their guard and tell a guywhat they're struggling with,
the guy will lose respect forthem and the friendship will go
south or the guy will bail onthem.
It's just the opposite.
Speaker 4 (28:07):
Yeah, because everybody's in the same place.
Speaker 3 (28:10):
He's in the same place to say what you know.
Cs Lewis said this.
He said true friendship is bornat the moment where one man
says to another what you too.
I thought I was the only one.
That's like my most vernacularversion of CS Lewis.
Speaker 4 (28:24):
Oh, I love that.
Speaker 3 (28:26):
But it's so clear.
But you were made forfriendship guys.
I will help you with friendship.
Ed is going to have myresources on his website and you
can get them at my website,menhuddlecom.
I have a level five friendshipplaybook 10 pages that'll walk
you through it.
I got a little quick tip sheeton building deeper friendship.
(28:46):
We can make that available.
And, ed, I'm working onsomething called core three
coaching to help guys developthat core of their couple of
closest friends, like Jesus had,and you can do it in 2025.
Speaker 4 (29:00):
It's a different world, but we need it.
We got to have it, man.
Oh, I didn't shift gears just alittle and let's talk about
your dad a little bit and someof the things, because you
watched your dad, you know justincredible football career, just
amazing athlete, and like hisson, by the way, and I met, I
(29:24):
met.
I remember I met you onChurchill.
Speaker 3 (29:27):
Field.
Well, you were in college and I.
You were with the Giantsalready, weren't you?
Speaker 4 (29:33):
Yeah, I was with the Giants.
You were senior year atDartmouth with the heaviest
leather football I've ever seen.
Speaker 3 (29:40):
You gave me a football that was even better
than Tom Brady's deflated ball.
Let me tell the story quick tosave time.
Dad was an underdog, came fromla on 17th round draft pick.
Uh didn't make it in the nflfor three years, finally became
(30:01):
a starter with the san diegochargers.
Uh became an all pro, gottraded or sold to buffalo bills
for 100 bucks when he broke hisfinger, won two championships.
Championships there, beat theChargers, was most valuable
player in the league.
He's the leading passer in thewhole AFL from 1960 to 69.
And then he ran for Congress inBuffalo and was running for
(30:21):
vice president in 96.
And one day I was comparingmyself at age 50, feeling like
how have I done?
And I realized, shoot, at 50years old my dad was running for
president.
I'm just running a littlenonprofit, I haven't
accomplished anything.
He was the biggest encourager.
He hugged me, kissed me,praised me.
(30:42):
He said, jeff, I saw you today.
You look great.
I said dad, I didn't even getin the game.
He said, oh, I know, I saw youwarming up.
You're really throwing the ball.
Well, it's spinning great, ed.
He was so optimistic, sopositive.
The word for my dad was lift.
Yeah, lift, sunny, yeah, liftLike airplane wings gives you
lift.
Speaker 4 (31:02):
Yes.
Speaker 3 (31:03):
A sunny, optimistic disposition that we can always
make tomorrow better and thatthere's God-given potential in
every person.
Speaker 4 (31:13):
And we need to lift it up in them.
Speaker 3 (31:20):
My dad was like the angel of Gideon who said Gideon,
you're hiding, you're afraid,you're worried.
Don't worry, dude, you're agreat and mighty man of valor.
You are who you will be,because I'm saying you are that
now.
My dad always said you can't bea leader, you can't be a leader
.
I believe in you.
Your day is going to come.
But you know what, ed?
A lot of his faith was a littlebit of a formula faith that
(31:42):
thought, if you quote Proverbs 3, 5, and 6, trust the Lord with
all your heart, lean on yourunderstanding.
He'll direct you, commit yourway to the Lord Psalm 27, and
he'll establish your plans.
A lot of it was in his mind,not in his heart, of
surrendering.
If you don't surrender andyou're still trying to shape
(32:04):
your image as a solid Christian,politician and statesman or
quarterback, or whatever you'redoing, you'll come to the end of
yourself.
And my dad got to the end ofhimself with a couple of
challenges late in life.
After all he'd accomplished.
He had cancer.
There was nothing he could doand he knew he was going to die.
(32:25):
But I think he took the chemofor his kid's sake.
I think I was excessivelyoptimistic and wanted him to
stay alive.
But he took the cancer, thetreatments, and I wrote him a
three-page front back bulletpoint list of everything I
wanted to thank him for in life.
(32:45):
And I went back from Seattle toDC.
I went every month to visit himwhen he was sick and I read my
thank you list to my dad.
Unbelievable, he taught mecompassion for the poor,
appreciation for the blackplayers and what they've gone
through.
Ask people's stories.
He taught me optimism.
He taught me quarterbacking.
He taught me to ski.
He taught me to trust the Lordthat he's got a plan.
(33:07):
He included me in adultconversations.
I majored in economics becausemy dad talked about it at the
dinner table.
He was always there whether Iwas third string or first string
, you know interceptions ortouchdowns.
He loved me just the same.
He did the same for my sistersand my brother.
He was great that way, but hestill had trouble with his
identity getting wrapped up inwhat he was achieving.
Speaker 4 (33:31):
Yes.
Speaker 3 (33:32):
And I read him this list and he cried, I cried, he
laughed, I laughed and twomonths later he was about to die
and I was with him.
He died four days later and Isaid, dad, would you pray a
blessing on me?
And he loved theJudeo-Christian heritage and he
was a great friend of Jewishpeople and Israel.
(33:55):
He knew the Old Testament hadblessings that fathers prayed on
their kids.
Why the Christian faith hasn'tcarried that on is dumb Rites of
passage.
Is our version of it.
We should keep doing that.
Speaker 4 (34:07):
That's right.
Speaker 3 (34:08):
I said, dad, would you pray a blessing on me?
I'm leaving tomorrow night, andso he's laying on his bed, lost
60 pounds, no hair.
His raspy voice is soft ratherthan loud, like mine, and he
puts his hand on my rightforearm as I'm laying next to
him and he hardly had any breathor energy.
Yet he was really close todeath.
But he prayed the mostbrilliant succinct prayer ever.
(34:31):
I think it was the Gettysburgaddress of prayers.
He said dear God, help Jeff.
Remember his talent.
Help him remember the force forgood he is in this world and
help us both remember that theonly thing that matters is thy
(34:55):
will be done.
Amen.
In my dad's version, ed, whenhe said, help Jeff remember his
talent, he knew those wereGod-given talents, so he was
calling out my identity as God'sson who was put on this earth
to use my gifts for God's glory.
But then he said help himremember the force for good he
(35:18):
is in this world.
How confident was he making me.
He was saying you're the greatand mighty man of valor Gideon,
you're a great general, you're astud, even though you're afraid
.
He was saying, jeff, you'rehere for a purpose.
You make a difference in theworld.
And he was praying that over me.
He was praying my destiny,helping me remember the
difference he makes in thisworld.
(35:38):
And then he did somethingfabulous.
He took the pressure off me,yes, and he said but help us
both remember and this is a guyon his deathbed who finally had
a great vision of grace andforgiveness and Jesus and heaven
as the true destination, and hewas at peace with that.
And he says help us bothremember the only thing that
(36:01):
matters.
Basically, he's saying the verybest thing is thy will be done.
The exact words of Jesus, whotold his dad I would rather not
suffer on the cross and beseparated from you, my perfect
dad, and be punished for Ed andJeff and their stupidity and the
rest of the world's rebellion.
You know the nails and thecrucifixion was very horrendous
(36:23):
pain, but that wasn't the worstpain.
The pain was Jesus chose tosuffer our punishment, which
separated him from his dad forthe first time ever, and the
grave was a monumental divisionof which it was never intended
to be divided.
But Jesus said in the garden infact he said, peter, can you
(36:45):
stay awake and pray with me andPeter and the other dudes?
They actually fell asleepbecause they're like you and me
and even so, jesus forgave them.
But he said, father, if there'sany way to take this cup away
from me, I'd rather not have todrink this cup, to be separated
from you and pay this price, tosuffer your wrath for humanity's
(37:06):
rebellion.
But if this is the only way,thy will be done, and that's
what my dad's praying and lookwhat thy will be done turned
into when Jesus did that.
The worst blitz in history.
The total shift from Hosanna.
Hosanna to crucify him.
The worst blitz in historyturned into the greatest victory
ever, and now we get adopted asGod's sons.
Speaker 4 (37:28):
We have the Holy Spirit living in us.
Speaker 3 (37:29):
You go to some guy on the sidewalk and pray for him.
You go to some guy on thesidewalk and pray for him, he
loses a hundred pounds and getsexcited about Jesus and he's
healed.
You're a funnel of God's lovebecause you're close to his
father, Ed.
We want all the guys listeningon Father's.
Day to know you matter.
You're valuable.
Your track record as a dadisn't the determinant of your
(37:51):
future.
You're Abba, father, and youreceiving his love instead of
just earning it, which you can't.
Tim Keller said you can't doanything to make God love you
anymore, and you can't do it tomake him love you any less.
Speaker 4 (38:04):
That's right, baby.
Speaker 3 (38:07):
That's it.
You receiving that love givesyou his control over your future
, to make you the dad you weremeant to be.
And I'll tell you to use thesame technique.
I use my best fathering as afather of grown sons, grown men
is an apology, apology.
I'm modeling the gospel when Isay dude, I messed up and I did
(38:33):
it a lot of times.
By over-mentoring you,over-coaching you, I gave you
unsolicited advice.
I know that feels likecriticism.
Will you please forgive me?
And if you catch me doing itagain, feel free to tell me?
And then, pete and Greg are mytwo huddle buddies.
I talk to them every week and Itell them the things that I
confess and the things that Icommit to.
The bad week I had husbanding,the good week I want to have, by
(38:56):
the Holy Spirit and God's help.
And I say help me, pray for me,talk to me, keep me on the road
and even when I blow it, theydon't look down on me.
We've shaken hands onconfidentiality and trust.
We've shaken hands on a nojudgment zone.
We've shaken hands on we're nothere to fix each other.
We are here to be brothers andcommitted friends.
(39:20):
Ecclesiastes says a triplebraided cord is not broken and
Tim.
Keller, who I'm quoting again.
He said a friend always letsyou in and doesn't let you down.
You got to let your friends in.
You got to.
Let them see the real you.
Tell them the abuse you wentthrough in the childhood.
Tell them your wounds.
(39:41):
Tell them your trauma.
Tell them the terrible, heinoussins you've committed.
Tell them what you'restruggling with right now.
Tell them you promised to beconfidential and you ask him for
confidentiality and then askhim to pray for you and you say
well, how can I pray for you?
What's the most important thing?
I can pray for you.
And then I tell men, getspontaneous pray right away.
(40:02):
Don't say, oh yeah, I'll prayfor you, brother, and don't pray
long and holy, just pray a manprayer which is tongue in cheek.
But it's like this Dear God,whatever's best for Ed and his
son and his daughters and hiswife, do it In Jesus' name, amen
.
Speaker 1 (40:16):
Ready Break.
Speaker 3 (40:19):
I'm not going to go too long.
I didn't try to guess what'sthe best thing to pray, I just
said God, you do what's best inyour beautiful, perfect mind.
Speaker 4 (40:28):
That's right.
That's friendship.
That is, you know, and theprinciple that I love, that I
see all through your life, isthat you're not trying to get
permission from God to dosomething.
You're going.
What are you doing so I can doit with you?
Oh, thank you.
So when you're following, youhave all the anointing and power
(40:50):
and gifting you need, but whenyou're leading the relationship,
god, I want you to do this.
I want you to do this Insteadof—I had this moment a few
months ago and it occurred to methat I not asked the Lord for a
couple weeks about—I saw thatmy wife, jill, was kind of going
(41:12):
through a hard time and I saidLord, what are you doing with my
wife?
So I'm driving home, I'm praying.
I started weeping because hejust gave me this incredible
heart for her.
So I started praying for herthat Jesus would just—because my
wife led all of her family toChrist, so I just prayed that
she'd have a new season.
She calls me 10 minutes later,weeping, going.
(41:35):
I said what's the matter?
She goes?
Just about 10 minutes ago, theHoly Spirit fell on me and he
started bringing out thatcalling that I had when I was a
young girl.
And I'm just sitting theregoing.
God, you are like, when Ifollow you that stuff gets done.
When I follow Ed boy, I mess itup.
So good stuff, oh boom.
Speaker 3 (42:00):
Someone's celebrating what you're saying in the
background and putting a bunchof those cool graphics on.
It's either the Holy Spirit orsomeone who knows how to use the
technology that we're on, whichisn't me.
Speaker 4 (42:13):
So, jeff, why don't you lead these guys?
Because there's a bunch of guys, and both you and I know this
we're never going to have aperfect dad to model everything
perfectly.
We're not going to be a perfectdad to model everything
perfectly.
But when we learn, throughChrist, to add the Father in our
story and begin to, like Jesussaid in John 5, 17, I can only
(42:37):
do what I see the Father doing.
When we live in that place whereour true core identity is not
football player or retiredfootball player or whatever, a
lot of guys' names are justtheir failure, their brokenness,
their weakness.
But when we begin to learn thatour core and true identity is
(42:58):
just to be a son, and from thatplace of being a son and
fathered like Jesus getsfathered, got fathered when he
walked on the earth we geteverything that we need.
We get every bounce back.
He shows us about every blitzthat's coming, and I mean he
prepares us to be a present,loving dad.
(43:20):
So could you pray these guysout and your best father's day
blessing prayer for these guys.
Speaker 3 (43:29):
I'm going to journey with you because you just
explained that we receiveeverything good.
We don't earn it.
Speaker 4 (43:35):
We don't achieve it, we receive it Because if we
achieve it, we'll win a trophy.
We take credit for it.
Speaker 3 (43:44):
And then our pride would make us idiots again and
we'd mess up, just like how theworld started.
I mean, guys, put anexclamation point on this.
Pride divides and kills.
Humility heals and unites,that's exactly right.
Look at Philippians, chaptertwo, and you'll find that
there's no one ever been morehumble than Jesus.
It's the nature that made him goto the cross.
(44:06):
For us it's the nature thatmade him.
You know, get on.
All the guys that wanted tostone the woman called an
adultery, when they didn't evenbring the guy that caused the
adultery.
And he said if anyone's neversinned you could throw the first
stone.
Right?
And he said if anyone's neversinned you could throw the first
stone.
It was Jesus's humility thatdid everything great.
And he always said I'm going todepend on my dad because I can
(44:26):
do nothing apart from my dad.
So that's my prayer First ofall, receive Jesus Christ as
their complete solution toeverything wrong in their life
(44:47):
and their Savior and their Lord,so that life becomes abundant
even when your circumstancessuck.
You've got joy, peace and you'vegot the Holy Spirit.
You can make incrediblelemonade out of lemons, you can
turn your mess into a message,but you got to receive Jesus,
who is the blitz overcomer.
You got to receive Jesus andthat might mean surrendering to
(45:11):
him for the first time insteadof Sunday school.
Yeah, I signed up to say I'm aChristian because I went in
church.
Guys, I pray that you wouldsurrender and receive Jesus and
in receiving him, you receivewhat you gain automatically
adoption by your perfect father.
So, father, I pray that youwould convince these men that
(45:32):
you have chosen them in Jesusand adopted them as your beloved
son, unconditionally agapeloved, and that they would
receive that as their identityand stop striving and trying to
achieve and trying to performtheir Christianity or their
fatherhood or their husbandingor anything else.
They can't.
It wouldn't work that way.
It's just received.
(45:53):
So help them to receive and thenmake every one of us daily
dependent sons who live likeJesus did, who say I can do
nothing apart from the Fatherand I'd be an idiot to do
anything apart from the Father.
I need him to tell me what todo before I do it, and then I
need his power to do it, andthen I'll give you the credit
when it happens and I won'tbecome a jerk who's arrogant.
So you're so good in every way.
(46:14):
Give guys the receive principleinto their lives of living as
sons who receive it all inguidance from the Father.
And then, lord, I pray that youwould help them learn to, in
humility, be strong byapologizing, by asking what they
can learn from their son ordaughter with the question how
can I love you better?
(46:35):
And the same thing to theirwife.
How can I love you better?
And apologizing it's the mostmanly, gutsy thing to do and it
heals because it's humble.
Father give them the courage todo that.
And then, lord, finally, I praythat every single guy here
knows that two other guys needhim as their level five friend
(46:58):
and he needs them, and I prayyou'd talk to them as they ask
you to guide them to who theirlevel five friends should be.
They're Jesus type friends.
They're intentional, consistent, weekly, connecting huddle
buddies.
God may they get intentional tochoose full friendship and full
(47:18):
disclosure and full partnershipin one another's success.
It's an awesome way to live.
It's the way Jesus, peter,james and John lived and he
wants it for us.
Lord, I pray you'd do that forthem, in Jesus' name amen, amen.
Speaker 4 (47:34):
Thank you, buddy, that was just awesome.
Always love being with you andguys right on the screen Right
here, see that book he's holdingup.
I want you to go right now tojeffcampteamcom slash, receive
and get this book.
And he's got a beautifulprogram Like fully endorse him.
(47:56):
And I got to snap the ball to areal quarterback today and he
just threw a touchdown.
Baby, the received touchdown.
Speaker 3 (48:04):
And then I gave you the ball to spike in the end
zone and, man, you did a fancydance and there's fireworks in
the background.
You spiked in.
It didn't even bounce up andhit you in the groin, so
everyone's.
Speaker 4 (48:17):
You know it's funny.
Oh, there we go.
Speaker 3 (48:21):
This, this little free, 10 page level five
friendship playbook, is whatyou've been offering at my
website all day.
That's that's the tool I wantto help men grow in friendship.
It doesn't cost anything.
It's Jesus idea.
I don't want to charge for it.
Yes, you can buy the Receivebook and you'll get information
on both those things there.
(48:42):
But, man, we love investing inmen, don't we, Ed and we?
Speaker 4 (48:47):
love giving men.
Well, you know what.
So goes your father, so goesthe town, the county, the state,
the nation, the world.
That's why God's first prioritywasn't to build government or
even the church.
His first priority was to buildfamily.
Speaker 3 (49:05):
All right, as we wrap up, I got to do something
special for you.
Speaker 4 (49:08):
Okay, tell me, tell me.
Speaker 3 (49:10):
All of you, all of you, uh, ed McGlashan fans out
there there.
This game ball is honorarilybeing presented to Ed Tandy
McGlasson on behalf of his dadthat sacrificed his life in the
Navy, and his other dad thatraised him macho tough to get
(49:30):
him in the NFL, and his thirddad who did it perfectly.
Who's the heavenly father?
So, ed, for all you've done tohelp other men get refathered.
Speaker 4 (49:39):
Oh man, thank you.
Speaker 3 (49:41):
I grant you this game , ball 2025, and you and I
haven't even played football in40 years.
Speaker 4 (49:50):
I take it.
I take it.
I love you, man.
I'm so blessed by you.
Again, if you're just tuning in, make sure you get to his
website.
And right here, jeffteamkempteamcom, I got a little
outro video.
I'm going to play a little bitabout what we do as well, but,
(50:10):
jeff, you're one of my heroes,man.
Speaker 3 (50:13):
Love you, praying for you.
Speaker 4 (50:17):
And, just a matter of fact, our wives are very
similar.
When I first met Jeff, he builta soundproof room for his boys
in the garage, remember that,and it was padded so they
couldn't hurt themselves.
And Stacy was in the kitchenand had a monitor.
Well, my wife wears noisereduction headphones when the
(50:40):
grandkids get too loud, or mykids, and so she doesn't hear me
all the time she goes.
They're just really loud.
Speaker 3 (50:50):
She needs those.
For you, you alone, there's alot to handle.
Speaker 4 (50:55):
Yeah, you ain't lying .
You ain't lying.
She told me somebody said well,how's it being with that?
He goes.
Well, it all depends on whattime it's in the tornado All
right, my bro.
Thank you very much.
God bless you Happy.
Father's Day, you're a champman Happy.
Speaker 3 (51:13):
Father's Day to you and all the dads, it matters.
Speaker 4 (51:15):
Amen, praise the Lord Bye.
Speaker 2 (51:17):
Dear friends, imagine a world where every father
feels equipped to lead withfaith, love and purpose, A world
where families thrive andcommunities grow stronger
because of devoted,Christ-centered fathers.
You know, beloved.
Speaker 4 (51:33):
That is the vision that God's put in my heart for
every single family.
You know he is on the move.
I believe he promises inMalachi that before the great
and coming day of the Lord, he'sgoing to do something profound.
He's going to turn the heartsof fathers back towards their
(51:54):
children, so the hearts of theirchildren will turn back to
their father.
That's what God is doing.
I meet dads daily who want tolearn to be better fathers.
Yet many have never been shownhow Too many families are being
fractured through bitterness andwith parents and grandparents
(52:14):
even being canceled.
That's why we're launching anonline community to equip men to
be the fathers that God hascalled them to be.
It's more than a program.
It's part of a movement thatGod is already doing to reshape
fatherhood as a sacred callingrooted in the teachings of
(52:35):
Christ, and we're calling thisthe Fatherhood Academy, where
men will embark on a journey ofhealing and spiritual
restoration that helps themtransform their family
relationship.
And to make this vision areality, would you consider
(52:56):
partnering with us financiallyas we continue to reach and
disciple every man, dad andgrandpa that comes our way?
Your donation will help createa ripple across the
neighborhoods, communities youknow and, ultimately, our nation
.
Anchoring each child, here's avision in the unwavering love
(53:19):
and guidance of a devoted dad,will you partner with us?
Speaker 2 (53:25):
Your gift, whether a one-time donation or ongoing
monthly support, will help totransform lives.
Together, we can equip fathersand grandfathers to lead with
faith and create a brighter,hope-filled future for
generations to come.
Click the link to donate today.
(53:45):
Thank you for believing in thismission and joining us on this
transformative journey.
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