What is EARNEST EXPEDITION^™?

EARNEST EXPEDITION, LLC (“EARNEST EXPEDITION”) is an organization with the chief goal of helping men become fully alive in Christ. This is not accomplished by striving on a self-imporovement moral hamster wheel, but by thinking differently about who Jesus is and ultimately yielding to Him and that reality. In Revelation 3:19, Jesus is speaking to (and rebuking) the church at Laodicea because the church members had become “lukewarm,” relying on their material wealth and resulting comfort as an insulator from the world and its associated risks and dangers. Although they felt they were in a comfortable place, Jesus had a different perspective. He told them they were “wretched, pitiful, poor blind, and naked”—a stark contrast from where they thought they were. In verses 19-20, Jesus says the following:

Those whom I love I rebuke and discipline. So be earnest and repent. Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with that person, and they with me.

Revelation 3:19-20 (NIV) (emphasis added).

To “be earnest” is to be sincere, sober-minded, and committed. To “repent” (taken from the original Greek “metanoeo”) is to change (“meta”) your thinking/understanding (“noeo”) after or afterward. After what? After the specific special revelation of Jesus Christ. The word “repent” is often taught as meaning us using our own willpower to change ourselves by acting differently, but it is more about changing an understanding or belief pattern that ultimately results in different actions moving forward. 

As Americans, we are very much like the church at Laodicea. We have many comforts (e.g., as simple as potable water flowing to homes or apartments) that are basic and critical forms of “wealth” that we often take for granted. We have comforts that our ancestors could only dream of. Yet, many men—despite having accumulated skills, experience, and/or know-how resulting in a relatively reliable income stream—have turned their lives on cruise control, reached an acceptable (but often not optimal) cruising altitude, and checked out of any search for deeper meaning. When asked, “What is your purpose?”, many such men give a blank and sometimes confused stare, as if the question makes no sense. Many such men are often saddled by the responsibilities associated with providing for a family, and their chief concern has become to protect their current income stream at all costs. 

In the passage from Revelation above, Jesus is saying “wake up!” He literally says, “Here I am!” as if waving His arms to get our attention. A primary goal of EARNEST EXPEDITION is to help men “wake up” to His call and engage in living coherent lives filled with impact and purpose. At our core, men want an adventure and yearn for a deeper purpose than merely providing for a family (which is already an understood responsibility to most men). Jesus calls us on an expedition with Him. But we must be earnest, and we must be made to think in a different way than we have before.

EARNEST EXPEDITION is Against Forces of Evil

It is EARNEST EXPEDITION’s position that good and evil are real, objective concepts that permeate our experience in life on this planet. We are unequivocally and unapologetically against all forms of evil and the spiritual forces that drive such evil. See Ephesians 6:12. We believe that the concepts of good and evil are defined and explained through scripture, and that these are not subjective concepts operating on a slippery slope to meaninglessness. Rather, such concepts are objectively defined by the Creator of all things. 

EARNEST EXPEDITION is not a political organization and is not concerned with political power. The focus is on powers beyond human politics. The ultimate power comes from God who exists as three persons—the Father, Son (Jesus Christ), and the Holy Spirit. When a person is born again as described by Jesus in the book of John chapter 3 and the Holy Spirit indwells a person, such person is transformed into a new creation and is capable of almost immeasurable things through the power of God. See 2 Corinthians 5:17; Galatians 6:15; and Romans 6:4. This is not “fringe” Christianity–this is foundational truth as taught by the person of Jesus Christ. It is step 1. Life is not about being a “good person” and trying to pass some ambiguous cosmic test of morality. Rather, it is about thinking differently about who the person of Jesus Christ is and trusting Him as your sole means of righteousness. This is counterintuitive to what many people believe “christianity” is.     

EARNEST EXPEDITION is for Men Who Are Ready to be Earnest About and Discover Their Unique Purpose

One of the mottos of Earnest Expedition is “Be Earnest.” Every person is different and has a unique set of experiences, skills, and paths to accomplish their unique purpose that has been assigned to them. For people that are born again as defined in the Book of John chapter 3,  our ultimate purpose is tied together to honor and glorify God. But the way each of us accomplishes our own specific journey with our own unique and specific role differs from person to person. The general vision of EARNEST EXPEDITION is to help, motivate, and educate men to discover and/or better focus on their role in the overall purposes of God. To expedire (original Latin root of “expedition”) is to “free the feet” and get moving with aggressive intent and purpose. We want to assist men with stepping into the vision that has been cast for them to walk through their unique path through the help and guidance of the Holy Spirit. We aim to execute this general vision through providing a blog/vlog covering various relevant topics, providing men’s support groups, providing men’s retreats, and publishing educational/motivational materials.

About the Founder

Earnest Expedition, LLC was founded in 2025 by Michael E. “Roby” Robinson. Roby is a husband of 25 years and father of two grown children. He operates professionally as a patent attorney who founded ROBINSON IP LAW, PLLC in 2013 in Knoxville, Tennessee. Roby has been practicing law in intellectual property matters (e.g., patent, trademark, copyright) since 2005 when he graduated cum laude from the University of Tennessee College of Law with his juris doctorate degree. For his undergraduate degree, Roby graduated from Auburn University with a Bachelor of Science degree in Chemical Engineering and with a minor in music. As an Eagle Scout, he is no stranger to enjoying the outdoors, and he finds great purpose in walking with other men in various stages of life in a process of seeking deeper levels of authenticity, healthy vulnerability, and Biblical masculinity.