Send us Fan Mail The Men of Iron Podcast, a Christian podcast for men, welcomes Pastor Leonard “Tanks” Tanks of Reach City Church in Cleveland, Ohio, for a powerful conversation on redemption, discipleship, men’s ministry, and fitness. Leonard shares his story of growing up in Cleveland, facing serious charges, encountering God while in jail, and eventually surrendering his life to Jesus. From there, he explains how God used community, prayer, discipleship, and faithful men to transform his life and call him into ministry. This episode also dives into how Reach City Church is building a disciple-making culture, why men’s ministry has to be more than a quarterly breakfast, and how fitness can become a tool for faithfulness instead of an idol. If you are a pastor, church leader, men’s ministry leader, mentor, or a man looking to grow in your faith, family, fitness, and purpose, this conversation will challenge and encourage you. Men of Iron exists to change a culture one man at a time by equipping men to know God, know their purpose, and thrive in the Core5: faith, family, friends, fitness, and finances. Timestamps 00:00 — Leonard Tanks hears the voice of God 00:31 — Growing up in Cleveland and Leonard’s early story 00:56 — Jail, felonies, and the beginning of redemption 03:59 — Score your Core5 and set a goal 04:50 — Reading Scripture in jail and realizing his life needed to change 06:30 — Praying a desperate prayer and making a deal with God 08:15 — Getting released from jail and hearing God speak 09:45 — The power of a praying community 10:37 — Why it’s never too late for God to use a man 11:54 — Reach City Church and planting during COVID 13:30 — Making disciples instead of chasing Sunday attendance 15:05 — Building a disciple-making culture in Cleveland 18:00 — Why discipleship is a culture, not a program 21:25 — Men’s ministry that goes beyond pancakes and events 22:24 — How Monday night discipleship became men’s Bible study 24:20 — Prayer walks, evangelism, and getting men outside the church walls 27:59 — Fitness, faith, and stewarding the body 29:45 — Why physical health matters for pastors, fathers, and leaders 34:00 — How to pursue fitness without making it an idol 37:37 — Advice for men looking for discipleship 38:51 — How church leaders can begin building a discipleship culture 41:39 — The courage to ask another man to walk with you 43:15 — How to connect with Men of Iron Take the Core5 Assessment: See where you stand in Faith, Family, Friends, Fitness, and Finances—and identify your next step. Complete it and receive a small thank-you from Men of Iron. 👉 https://menofiron.org/score-your-core5/ Keep growing: 🧗 Basecamp (Start Here) Free, self-paced resources to build discipline and grow in your Core5 👉 https://menofiron.org/basecamp-free/ 🏔 Ridgeline (Grow with Others) Group-based environments built on consistency and accountability 👉 https://menofiron.org/resources/small-group-resources/ 👥 Summit (Go Deeper) One-on-one mentorship and coaching for long-term growth 👉 https://menofiron.org/resources/mentorship-resources/ #mensdiscipleship #faithandfitness #leadershipdevelopment #christianmen #familyleadership #menofiron #lifetransformation Support the show Ready for More? Click the links to join our mission to change a culture, one man at a time. 🌟 Kick off with free resources at Basecamp 🤝 Join a small group at Ridgeline ⛰️ Get a mentor at the Summit 🧢 Rep the mission with our gear at Men of Iron Shop 💸 Invest in our mission HERE. 🎙️ Watch this Episode on YouTube. #MenOfIron #Core5 #IronSharpensIron #MensMentorship #LifeCoaching
