The Story of the Vision and Transformation of Restored Warriors
On January 13, 2020, during a church service, I experienced a moment that would change my life forever. As I lifted my hand to God, I felt an overwhelming sense of His presence, and from that moment on, nothing was ever the same. For years, I had been living a double life—one marked by same-sex attraction, deceit, and a struggle with pornography. I was looking for love in all the wrong places, finding it only to have it shatter, leaving me empty and unfulfilled. I had been living a lie to my family, presenting one image to them while living a life of sin and perversion behind their backs. But on that day in January, God began to radically transform my life.
As I surrendered to Jesus, I started to dive deeper into His Word and spend more time in prayer. One night in mid-March, during one of these prayerful moments, God revealed the first layer of His plan for me. It was like watching a movie play out in my mind. In this vision, I saw myself standing before a massive crowd, reaching out my hands, and watching as people were set free. Excited and unsure of what this meant, I shared the vision with my close friends, Kim and Dwight Tanksley. Given my background and experiences, I initially assumed that the ministry God was calling me to would focus on setting men free from same-sex attraction.
A few weeks later, God gave me another vision. This time, I saw hundreds of men, myself included, sitting behind computer monitors, and as we interacted, their lives began to change. It was clear to me at that moment that this ministry would be an all-digital one. I vividly remember sitting with Kim and Dwight, sharing my visions and discussing how God was going to use me. They were supportive but admitted that they had no experience with digital ministries, leaving us all wondering how this would unfold.
As time passed, more visions came, and the ministry of Restored Warriors began to take shape, but I was still under the impression that it would focus on helping men with same-sex attraction. It wasn’t until one June night, during a church service, that God redirected my understanding of the ministry’s purpose.
A guest speaker approached me during the service and said, “God has shown me that you are going to be in a great ministry. This ministry, however, will be the hardest ground that can be plowed. No church wants to plow this ground, but God has called you to do the work.” This was a powerful confirmation of the vision God had given me, but I still wasn’t entirely sure what it all meant.
A few days later, a friend gave me a DVD set on pornography addiction, a program designed to help men overcome pornography and sexual addictions. I watched every episode that night, and it was then that God made it clear to me: the ministry He was calling me to was for men struggling with pornography and sexual addictions. This realization hit hard—this truly was the hardest ground to be plowed. Statistics showed that only 7% of pastors reported their churches offered ministry programs for those struggling with these issues. It was clear that this ministry would face significant challenges.
Determined to follow God’s call, I began developing the first website and reaching out to men struggling with these addictions. The response was immediate and overwhelming. Men were eager to join, and by September 2020, Restored Warriors was officially launched with two groups meeting at 7 p.m. and 9 p.m. each week. Within a few months, the ministry had grown to 10 groups, and by the start of 2021, we had 14 groups being led by myself and two other leaders.
In February 2021, we held our first Restored Warriors Retreat in Nashville, Tennessee. Seven men came together for a weekend of sharing, praying, and encouraging one another. It was a powerful time of connection and healing. By this point, Restored Warriors was ministering to over 100 men weekly, and in June 2021, I made the decision to go full-time into the ministry.
As Restored Warriors approached its first full year, we began planning a Fall Reunion. Initially, we expected over 150 men to participate, and we prayed fervently for God to show up in a mighty way. However, two weeks before the Reunion, only 13 people had signed up. I felt defeated, but a Restored Warriors brother reminded me that small beginnings often have more longevity than large ones. We adjusted our plans, moving the event to Kim and Dwight Tanksley’s home for a more intimate and family-oriented setting.
On September 16, 2021, the Reunion began, but two of the men had to back out due to illness and family conflicts, leaving just 11 of us. Despite the smaller numbers, God moved powerfully. By Saturday night, the men reported feeling like things would never be the same again. I proclaimed, “A line has been drawn; let’s cross it and never look back.”
As the Reunion came to a close, the men began to return home, only to find that seven of us, including myself, had been infected with a virus. It was clear that Satan was angry about the work we were doing, but we fought through the sickness and emerged victorious on the other side.
Restored Warriors continued to grow, ministering to men struggling with pornography and sexual addictions. What began as a vision had transformed into a powerful ministry, touching lives and bringing freedom to those who needed it most.
Then, in March of 2022, God revealed another layer of His plan. He showed me that the focus of Restored Warriors needed to shift from solely addressing addictions to emphasizing discipleship. This led to the development of “The Restored Warriors,” a six-month discipleship program designed to help men grow deeper in their faith and walk closely with Jesus. But this was just the beginning. God showed me that there were to be a total of six six-month programs, each building upon the last, to guide men through a comprehensive journey of transformation and spiritual growth.
This new direction has opened up even more opportunities to impact lives and help men find their true identity in Christ. It’s a journey that began with my own brokenness and redemption and has now expanded into a ministry that is leading others to experience the same freedom and newness of life in Christ.
As Restored Warriors continues to evolve, I’m excited to see how God will use these discipleship programs to bring even more men into the fullness of their calling and purpose in Him. The story of Restored Warriors is far from over, and I am grateful to be part of God’s incredible work in the lives of so many.
All teachings are prayerfully written by Daniel Glasco, utilizing available resources to faithfully present biblical truth and discipleship encouragement.
