WE ARE BECOMING MORE TRANSPARENT

Vision

- When we say we are building men we mean we are building disciples of Jesus. Matthew 4:19 is the mission. What is the cause of Christ? People! When we spend time with Jesus — when His Holy Spirit resides in us — we cannot help but care about what He cares about.”

Foundation

Jesus modeled the importance of relationship in making disciples. He was intentional with His disciples. He invested His life in them. He understood that more is “caught” than “ taught.” Discipleship requires conversation, modeling, encouragement, debriefing, and practice, all of which need to happen in the context of relationship. The point about the need for relationship has been made. Relationships are built by intentional leaders.

What makes a relational environment? Again, Jesus remains our standard how to create a relational environment. Jesus modeled how in a good growth environment there are four shepherding, transparency, accountability, and guided practice.

Last week we examined Shepherding. A shepherd must take care of vulnerable lambs (spiritual infants). They don’t realize they need spiritual protection. Shepherds lead their sheep to water and make sure they have spiritual food to eat. They protect their sheep from danger and from those who would love to cut them away from the flock and lead them astray.

This week we examine transparency. Transparent people don’t pretend to be something they are not; they allow others to see them for who they really are. They are not hypocrites. They understand that we all struggle, so when they are struggling, they don’t hide it. Who we see is who they are: the good, the bad, and the ugly.

Jesus was as transparent as He could be. He was not ashamed to show what was going on inside.

• He wept openly (John 11:35).
• He got angry (Mark 11:15-16).
• He experienced emotional pain, and He told His disciples about it (Mark 14:33-34; John 12:27).
• He was discouraged and amazed at the hard hearts of men (Matthew 11:20; Mark 6:6; 8:21).
• He went to the Cross and seemed to be afraid (Matthew 26:39).
• He was tempted in every way that we are, but He never gave into temptation (Hebrews 4:15).
• He felt discouraged and challenged at times (Matthew 17:17; John 12:36-37), but He kept going.

Jesus knows His disciples are going to experience difficulties. He doesn’t want us to have any illusions about that. We should desire the same for one another. Disciples are supposed to do the Christian life together. That is what it means to be a Christian, and that is especially what it means to be spiritually mature. When we disciples are transparent about our struggles, our tough circumstances, and our sin, we are saying to one another, “We are in this struggle together. I struggle too. I trust you enough to share my inner battles and you can trust me too.”

Christians fail; we ask for forgiveness (1 John 1:9) if we have wronged someone, we do our best to make things right, and then we move on.

James tells us to confess our sins to one another and be healed (James 5:16). When we confess our sins with other disciples, we — and they — learn that everyone struggles. We all struggle with our sin nature. We all stumble in what we say, think, and do. We all live in a broken world that causes us pain. It is a part of the human condition.

When we are transparent about our struggles, we take them from the darkness, where the Enemy can distort them, and bring them into the light. Our Enemy loves to distort our struggles. He also loves to tell us we are so bad no-one will accept us. He loves to tell believers that we are too unworthy or uneducated to share our faith. (Revelation 12:10) If he can convince us to hide our areas of struggle, he wins.

An intentional leader creates an authentic, transparent, safe environment; where people can be shepherded.

WE ARE DEVELOPING SHEPHERDS!

Vision

- When we say we are building men we mean we are building disciples of Jesus. Matthew 4:19 is the mission. What is the cause of Christ? People! When we spend time with Jesus — when His Holy Spirit resides in us — we cannot help but care about what He cares about.”

Foundation

- Jesus modeled the importance of relationship in making disciples. He was intentional with His disciples. He invested His life in them. He understood that more is “caught” than “ taught.” Discipleship requires conversation, modeling, encouragement, debriefing, and practice, all of which need to happen in the context of relationship. The point about the need for relationship has been made. Relationships are built by intentional leaders.

Foundation

What makes a relational environment? Again, Jesus remains our standard how to create a relational environment. Jesus modeled how in good growth environment there is shepherding, transparency, accountability, and guided practice.

Tonight we examine Shepherding. A shepherd must take care of vulnerable lambs (spiritual infants). Lambs, with infant faith, need help to grow up. They don’t know the danger of spiritual war and that they have a new Enemy, who wants to kill and destroy them (John 10:10; 1 Peter 5:8). They don’t realize they need spiritual protection. Shepherds lead their sheep to water and make sure they have spiritual food to eat. They protect their sheep from danger and from those who would love to cut them away from the flock and lead them astray. If a sheep is missing, the shepherd goes looking for it. Jesus, the Good Shepherd, was a great protector of His sheep, His group of disciples.

Foundation

- Likewise, as shepherds of God’s sheep, disciple-makers must also protect the sheep in our care. That means if we are leading a small group, we should follow up with those who are absent and do our best to ensure that everyone in the class is present. It requires work and commitment to chase the strays, bind up the wounded and hurting, and lead and feed those we are shepherding. True disciple-makers do all we can to guide those we disciple to safety and maturity.

WE ARE BUILDING RELATIONSHIPS!

Metaphor

- The building process -> planning -> foundation -> framing -> rough in -> etc.

Each of us are planning, digging & pouring a foundation, building a framework, in the construction of something bigger than ourselves.

Vision

- When we say we are building men we mean we are building disciples of Jesus. Matthew 4:19 is the mission. What is the cause of Christ? People! When we spend time with Jesus — when His Holy Spirit resides in us — we cannot help but care about what He cares about.”

• Following Christ (head). A disciple has surrendered to Jesus as Savior and Lord of his life. A disciple is one who says, “I know He is Lord and Savior and I accept Him as my authority.”
• Being changed by Jesus (heart). Jesus said we would know a tree by its fruit (see Matthew 7:17-20). He did not mean perfect fruit; He meant growing fruit. As we spend time following Jesus, He changes us internally — He changes who we are.
• Committed to Jesus’ mission - Making Disciples (hands). Jesus saved us for a purpose. Some believe we are given a “get out of jail free” card and are free to do what we want with our lives — not true. God’s mission is now our mission, and we recognize that we are responsible for our own slice of history. Our hands are for His service.

Foundation

- Jesus modeled the importance of relationship in the way He taught His disciples. Jesus relationship with His disciples was the conduit by which He could deliver all that they needed. Jesus was intentional with His disciples. He invested His life in the Twelve. He chose to be in relationship with His disciples because He understood that more is “caught” than taught.”

Discipleship requires real teaching and real learning. It requires conversation, modeling, encouragement, debriefing, and practice, all of which need to happen in the context of relationship.

Matthew 22:37-40 [Jesus] He said to him, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind. 38 This is the greatest and most important[b] command. 39 The second is like it: Love your neighbor as yourself. 40 All the Law and the Prophets depend on these two commands.

John 13:34-35 [Jesus] “I give you a new command: Love one another. Just as I have loved you, you must also love one another. 35 By this all people will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.”

The men in this room must demonstrate this kind of love Christ talked about. True relationships with other disciples can give us the support and accountability we need to change and grow in our love for God and others.

True relationship gives nonbelievers a picture of what Jesus can do in and for them. Jesus really does offer us peace, and it is like water to a thirsty soul. Most men know they need love. It’s just that most men are looking in all the wrong places (drugs & alcohol addiction, sexual experiences, money, etc.).

When they see they can find in our church what they know they need, their hearts soften and doors are opened.

Foundation

- Discipleship requires real teaching and real learning. It requires conversation, modeling, encouragement, debriefing, and practice, all of which need to happen in the context of relationship.

Without relationship between believers, there is no model to follow, no authenticity, no accountability, no application, and no support for the journey. These things come through personal contact. And because that relational context for learning is lacking, life change is much rarer than it should be among Christians today.

Schedule:

6:30 - Early arrival time (ping pong, billiards, etc.)

6:40 - Large Group Time - (Phil, Sankie, Terry, etc.)

7:00 - Small Group Time

8:00 - “Sent!”

Guidelines for NBMen Group Time

We are creating an environment that is secure for authenticity, clarity, and growing closer in relationship with each other and with God.

In this room we have men fighting alcoholism, drug addiction, pornography addiction, marital problems, aloneness, financial failure, and a number of other problem too many to list.

• We are not going to allow our pasts to define us, or to direct our futures.
• We are not going to be satisfied with shallow, anonymous, slow/no spiritual growth.
• We are going to care enough to hear another man's story and respond with genuine spiritual support.

WE ARE MAKING DISCIPLES!

Metaphor

- The building process -> planning -> foundation -> framing -> rough in -> etc.

Each of us are planning, digging & pouring a foundation, building a framework, in the construction of something bigger than ourselves.

Vision

- Jesus says that all authority belongs to Him. He is Lord. He is in charge; we are His followers. As Christians, we exist for His glory and for His purposes. He has given us a sacred mission: to go and make disciples. It is the job of every believer to be a disciple who make disciples. The church is supposed to equip its people (every man) to be an army released on his marriage, his family, his work, and his community.

In this room we have men fighting alcoholism, drug addiction, pornography addiction, marital problems, aloneness, financial failure, and a number of other problem too many to list.

• We are not going to allow our pasts to define us, or to direct our futures.
• We are not going to be satisfied with shallow, anonymous, slow/no spiritual growth.
• We are going to care enough to hear another man's story and respond with genuine spiritual support.

Foundation

Foundation

- Discipleship requires real teaching and real learning. It requires conversation, modeling, encouragement, debriefing, and practice, all of which need to happen in the context of relationship.

Without relationship between believers, there is no model to follow, no authenticity, no accountability, no application, and no support for the journey. These things come through personal contact. And because that relational context for learning is lacking, life change is much rarer than it should be among Christians today.

Schedule:

6:30 - Early arrival time (ping pong, billiards, etc.)

6:40 - Large Group Time - (Phil, Sankie, Terry, etc.)

7:00 - Small Group Time

8:00 - “Sent!”

Guidelines for NBMen Group Time

We are creating an environment that is secure for authenticity, clarity, and growing closer in relationship with each other and with God.