Our 2022 Manliest Man

The Results Are in for Our Annual Award

Each Father’s Day, we celebrate God’s grace in the life of one man from our congregation. There are many men in our church who could have received this award—and we thank God for that! However, Joe was selected to represent them all. And it’s easy to see why. Joe loves the Lord and faithfully serves his family and the church. But don’t take our word for it. Read below to see what Jonathan, another church member, has to say about Joe.

Hi. For those of you who don’t know me, my name is Jonathan Le. For those of you who do know me, you know that I think public speaking is the worst. But when we were asked to share about God’s grace in Joe’s life, I just couldn’t say no. I met Joe about 3 years ago when my wife Jennifer and I first started attending Sovereign Grace. Over those 3 years, Joe has become a great friend to us both. We’ve been able to witness first-hand the evidences of grace in his life in a few ways: in how he serves the church in various ministries, his hospitality towards many of us, and his growth in becoming a father.

When we first joined Sovereign Grace, it was a little hard for us. We were both at our previous church for over a decade, and making that jump to a new church is not easy, as I’m sure many of you know. Joe (and Karissa) were one of the first ones to come meet us and quickly opened their home to us. We were the guinea pigs for a series of dinners they hosted called, “Pho with Friends”. As the other resident Vietnamese couple, they obviously needed our expert advice. Not just a cute name, it was an intentional effort to share the blessings God has given them and to get to know other people in the church. At the time, they were relatively new to the church as well, but they didn’t just sit back and expect the church to serve their every need. They made conscious efforts to love and care for the fellowship that God has blessed them with.

Another way that God has shown his grace in Joe’s life is through his ministry with the church. We all have benefited from that today as he leads the church in worship. On top of that, he also leads a small group! The time and sacrifice it takes for those ministries is only possible because he lives out the gospel in his service to the church.

The last aspect I wanted to mention is how he’s taken on the role of a father. Jen and I have had the honor of being witnesses of his loving sacrifice to his family. From working the long hours at his less than ideal job, to researching the best (and coolest) gadgets to serve his family, Joe has taken on the role of fatherhood with grace and humility that is clearly from the Lord.

People today may be confused about what makes a manly man. But we don't have to be. Joe exhibits the very characteristics God looks for in men: hospitality, servant-heartedness, and sacrifice for his family. He also smokes a mean brisket. Congratulations Joe!