Act Like Men Ministries

Act Like Men | Sobriety Houses

Located in the greater Chicago area, our sobriety houses provide transitional housing, spiritual counsel, lifestyle support, and accountability for men getting free from incarceration and/or substance addiction. Dr. James MacDonald’s inspiration for Act Like Men Sobriety Houses is drawn from Matthew 25:40 and Jesus’ promise “in that you did it to the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.”

APPLY FOR RESIDENCY ➡

Watch “Changing Lives from Rock Bottom” for more information and resident testimonies…

ROCK BOTTOM

…When There’s Nowhere to Look But Up | Our first ALM Sobriety House and the location of our headquarters is affectionately known as Rock Bottom. Additional ALM Houses are also located in greater Chicagoland – apply for residency here.

Act Like Men | Bible Studies

On Saturdays throughout the summer, Pastor James preaches at our Rock Bottom headquarters. In addition, he and our sobriety ministry leaders spend themselves building into the men who reside in our ALM Houses, and those who have graduated but still desire to be part of our ministry family.

A new season of in-person Bible study is underway! All adults are welcome. 

Bible Study Details ➡

Act Like Men | 40 Days to Biblical Manhood

To equip as many men as possible with this in depth, 40-day teaching, Pastor James is giving away his Act Like Men book for the cost of shipping + a nominal handling fee.

Get the book ➡

The Crisis of Biblical Illiteracy

TAKEAWAYS with Kirk Cameron

I had a great time with my friend Kirk Cameron talking about the crisis of biblical illiteracy on his TBN show, “Takeaways,” on May 15, 2022. View the entire program here.

5 Essentials for High Impact Preaching (things most preachers don’t do)

What do you want from your sermon at the end of the day?

“Vertical Church” preaching is all about the expectation that God blesses the unapologetic, Spirit-dependent heralding of His Word…

But is there more a preacher can do to be effective? Beyond the requisite faithfulness to Christ and His Word, can a preacher do more to amplify the sermon’s impact? If you want to see your message make a difference, reach the lost, heal the wounded, lift the discouraged, instruct the weak, etc., give attention to these additional elements of a high-impact sermon. (more…)

The Danger of Reductionism in Preaching

As a recovering addict of overstatement…

I want to be careful in the words I choose to warn fellow ministers about the danger of reductionism in our preaching and teaching. Dictionary.com defines reductionism as: “The practice of simplifying a complex idea, issue, condition, or the like, especially to the point of minimizing, obscuring, or distorting it.” Few things discourage young Christians, or those considering the faith, more than an over simplification of the many complex issues current residents of this planet are grappling with. (more…)

Jesus Christ is Stronger!

Ok, here’s the truth.

I was a really skinny kid. To look at me now you wouldn’t know it, but my arms were like pipe cleaners and my legs like pick-up sticks. Really.

I was embarrassed at swimming parties and felt ashamed to wear my basketball jersey ‘cause my shoulders could barely keep the straps up. I remember going to picnics and participating in tug-o-wars with futility. A close personal friend, who was as strong as I was weak, could grip my wrists and slap me silly with my own hands. I know the feeling of physical weakness and it is very uncomfortable. (more…)

Forthcoming

Best of archive coming soon!