New Around the Mission
Men’s Fraternity at Christ Church
April 13, 2011
Men’s Fraternity is a series of three one-year-long studies by Robert Lewis, Pastor of Fellowship Bible Church in Little Rock, Arkansas, and author of numerous books on Christian Living designed to “engage the heart as well as the mind, strip away the myths of manhood, and focus on how each individual can be transformed into a true man of God”.
When a group of men from Christ Church in Murrell’s Inlet, South Carolina, completed the first 24 weeks in the series called “The Quest for Authentic Manhood,” their unanimous response became, “Every man needs to hear this, let’s do it again”. They offered the study a second time and invited their friends and co-workers from the community. As a result, not only were the men changed by the meetings, their family members became the benefactors of the transformation as well.
“It is a great bible study, and I have seen firsthand how a man’s life changes,” reports Van Weston, Director of Community Connections. “My husband Rich has been touched in such a powerful way by this study. He has loved the Lord for a long time, but he has truly stepped into spiritual leadership in our family and in his friendships.”
The men gather early, eat breakfast together around tables while watching a 35-40 minute video and then engage in a 30-minute small group discussion afterward. Small groups are affinity based, not pre-arranged.
As a 28-year old pastor experiencing the early stages of marriage and parenthood, Dan Ott, Youth Missioner at Christ Church says, “The best thing about the study is the conversation that takes place around the tables,” where he has learned from the triumphs and regrets of men between the ages of 25 and 75 in his small group. “I lean on their every word,” he notes.
While biblically based, the strength of the study is the practical application for any man, at any stage of life. Ott reports that their group is comprised of men from several places around the community and that many have stepped up their commitment and participation in church since their involvement in Men’s Fraternity.
“Being a part of Men's Fraternity has taken me into a deeper, more real, more life giving relationship with my Father in Heaven,” emphasizes Adam Brantley, Chick-Fil-A Owner. “I now have a greater understanding about what authentic manhood is from a Biblical perspective. There is a confidence that I have in being the man that I was created to be.”
Though the men recently completed their first year of the study, they still gather early for breakfast once a week to continue to cultivate their friendships and remain accountable until the next session begins in the fall, proving that even though schedules are full, there is plenty of time for what is most important.
For more information visit Men’s Fraternity at Christ Church.
Posted By: Cynthia P. Brust
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