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Getting Started

Several years ago, I read the book The Finest Hours, the story of the greatest and most heroic Coast Guard rescue off the coast of Boston. It is the story of an oil tanker that splits in two and in a horrific blizzard, an officer is charged with taking a 36-foot boat out into the ocean. He went into the kitchen to ask three men to join him on this endeavor. The first two were easy yes’s as they were good friends of his and veterans of the water. After that, the place went silent with everyone's heads turned down looking at the floor, not wanting to make eye contact. Finally, a seaman just passing through said, “Our job is to go out and save men’s lives!” There was a short pause and then he said, “Isn’t that what we signed up to do? Of course I will go.” 

 

Every local church goer has a choice to make. He can park in his usual spot in the church parking lot, make his way to his comfortable seat in his favorite row, watch a good service, chat with a few friends, and then go home. That choice makes for a nice, safe Sunday experience. Or he can throw himself into an adventure of being a ‘Rescuer’, discovering God’s purpose for their life and living it. Life is too short, God’s mission is too important, and what you can give is too significant. ‘Isn’t that what we signed up to do? Of course I will go.’ In this lesson, we will examine what it means for us to get out of the pew and get into the game. 

Warm-Up Question 

A Disciple is defined as someone who is, “following after Jesus, becoming like Jesus and on mission for Jesus.” What does it look like for you to be ‘on mission’ for Jesus?

 

Bible Study

Paul’s ministry to the church in Thessalonica began during his second missionary journey and can be studied further in Acts 17:1-10. He came to them in 49 AD and this book was written just one year later in 50 AD. It is one of the first books in the New Testament. In this specific passage, Paul shares his heart with the church and provides a number of wonderful principles for influencing those around us. 

 

Read 1 Thessalonians 2:6-13

 

Discussion Questions

Why do so many people not see themselves as Ambassadors for Jesus?

 

What are some key observations from the passage? 

 

What do we learn about influencing others from this passage?

 

Each man share an application for them.

 

Video

The World Needs a Rescue - Joby Martin

 

Joby Martin is the Founder and Lead Pastor of The Church of Eleven22 in Jacksonville, Florida. Since launching the church in 2012, he has led a movement for all people to discover and deepen a relationship with Jesus Christ. In addition to providing The Church of Eleven22 with vision and leadership, Pastor Joby is an author, as well as a national and international preacher and teacher. He has been married to his wife, Gretchen, for over 20 years and they have a son, JP and a daughter, Reagan.

 

Discussion Questions

What strategies do you use to fight pride in your life?  Joby suggests that worship is an important way to deal with our pride.  What do you need to do to make your worship more effective at honoring God and waring against Satan?

 

Joby suggests that men who are isolated from regular fellowship are easy targets for Satan’s attack schemes.  As an example, he relates the story of the paralyzed man and his four faithful friends [Mark 2:1-12].  Do you have four names that you can list now? If you lack what Joby calls “corner totting brothers,” how can you develop this type of relationship with some other men?  

 

Joby suggests that lust is a common temptation faced by men, and that it requires a different strategy to avoid it.  What are successful strategies that you use to flee this type of temptation?

 

Closing

Share and Prayer Time

 

Everyone share the main thing that they have been most challenged or encouraged by in the last six weeks of this study. 

 

What is one thing the men can pray about for each person as the study wraps up?

 

Read Paul's prayer in Colossians 1:9-14 and close your time praying this prayer for one another. Consider committing to praying this prayer daily for the next month and see what God does.

Prayer Requests/Notes:

 

Wrap Up

 

For the past six weeks, you have been working together as a team to learn how to follow Christ and engage with one another and your community. You have looked at how to more effectively live out your faith in the world, to experience God’s love at a deeper level, be led by the Spirit and impact those around you. Guys, it is one thing to know these truths, it is another to stand up and take action. You need to get in the game. The choice is yours. In order to put these things into practice, you will need the encouragement and camaraderie of your “band of brothers.” So make sure to stay together, cheer each other on, and fearlessly pursue Christ and the life He has for each of you.

Congratulations! So what's next?

 

Basecamp is a series of short digital Bible studies that are foundational, practical, and written by men for men. Each study has approximately eight lessons and includes video instruction, Scripture memorization and Bible reading with thought-provoking questions for your small group discussion. 

 

The Basecamp experience will give you and your small group the tools necessary to become the men God has created you to be! In other words, Basecamp is discipleship with a purpose.

 

As a group, look over the first study and decide if this is what you want to do. If not, make sure to find and do something else together. 

 

In order to continue the momentum you have started, we would encourage you to go through the Basecamp Bible Studies for men that can be found on the No Regrets Website: noregretsmen.org/resources/

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