Category: Starting Friday study

Our series wraps up this week with a lesson on Paul.  Largely regarded by Biblical scholars as the greatest writer of Jesus’ message, Paul is also regarded as one of the most, if not the most, passionate of all of His followers.

“Passion” is a key message in our final chapter.

What drives our passion?  Are we passionate about our Creator or are do we simply, as our author says, carry around our Christian beliefs in a duffel bag, pulling out those beliefs when we need them….and storing them away when we don’t.

There’s a gap for some between a larger God and us.  How can we close that gap?

In this week’s reading you’ll see a story about Andre Agassi, speaking at the hall of fame induction of his wife, Steffi Graf.  In those remarks, Agassi talks about a roof built many years ago, before airplanes were even invented.  Why did the roof-makers not take shortcuts when there was not the ability to stand above the roof?

We’ll discuss those answers and more this week under the context of Paul’s passion.

Also, the author has a wonderful summary of all ten characters at the end of this week’s reading.  We’ll wrap up our book this week using that summary as a guide.

Gather at 7:30 am at The Cornwell Center.  We’ll start the lesson at 7:45 am.  Mike leads us this week.

Peace!

Full disclosure:  Peter is my kind of guy. Didn’t always get things right and sometimes let his emotions lead him to missing the point altogether. But in the end, when the chips were down, Peter comes through.

I also like Paul….but that will be next week’s full disclosure!

For me, the key message this week is on page 140 in the paragraph that starts out “Here’s the good news….”.  Hint, hint….that’s the Plan!  That’s discipleship!

I won’t steal our leader’s thunder but if you read that paragraph then you’re off to a good start!

John Ramey is our leader this week. I checked in with him earlier and he’s rearing to go!

Gather at 7:30 am. Lesson starts at 7:45 am. Cornwell Center.

Come hear about the “rock”!

Peace!

I missed the opportunity last week to title the weekly reminder as “down to the final FOUR (lessons)”….but you get my point.  Three lessons to go including this week:

• SEP 14:  Job:  The principle of suffering for no apparent reason (Rob Miller leading)
• SEP 21:  Peter:  The principle of making disciples (John Ramey leading)
• SEP 28:  Paul:  The principle of a surrendered life (Mike Lenhart leading) + Series Wrap-up

Mark your calendars for the Friday, OCT 5 FMMF Charlotte, where Leadership Ministries, Inc. president, Mark Maynard, will be our guest speaker that morning.  We’ll host Mark at our normal meeting location at the Cornwell Center.

This week, Rob Miller is on tap to lead us.  There’s a storm brewing, literally, off the coast of North Carolina this week, but I think we’ll be safe to meet on Friday morning.  I’m monitoring the conditions and in the event of a cancellation, I’ll post that message on this site.  Please keep our brothers and sisters along the Carolinas’ coastlines in your prayers as they brace for a certain direct hit of the hurricane.

I’ll see you this Friday at our normal time and location…..bring your coffee and umbrellas!

Peace!

 

We’re back this week at Friday Morning Men’s Fellowship (FMMF) Charlotte with the study of Nehemiah.  Chapter 7 in our book, “How God Makes Men“, for those of you following along!

The author’s focus this week is:  The Principle of a Passionate Calling”.

This week, we’ll learn about Nehemiah’s responding to the need of building (or rebuilding, rather) the walls around Jerusalem upon news of the Jews returning after 70 years in exile.  Now, insert your own James Earl Jones voice-over…..”If you build it they will come….”.

But the only difference for Nehemiah was that “they” were already coming!  Yikes!

Mike leads us this week in our discussion.  Come early….like 7:30 am-ish, and have some pre-meeting fellowship with others.  “Fellowship” is in our weekly name…so why not?

Lesson begins at 7:45 am.  See you then!

Peace!

Reminder that FMMF Charlotte will not meet this week.  We’re taking time off with family and friends….

Be safe!

Next week, we’ll dig back into our study of “How God Makes Men” with Chapter 7: Nehemiah….”the principle of passionate calling…”

While you’re without homework this week, take a moment to update your contact information for FMMF.  Information is not shared outside of Leadership Ministries….and you’ll receive timely information from the mother-ship in Atlanta!

LINK for updates

Have a great and safe Labor Day holiday weekend!

Peace!

Chapter 6 is our focus this week in our study of “How God Makes Men”.  We’re back at the Cornwell Center after last week’s “treehouse FMMF”.

This week, our author leads us with the question of “what and how do we define success?”

Is it wealth?

Is it material things?

Is it a beautiful family?

Is it job status?

Surely, King Solomon had all those things and probably more!  And most of us think about Solomon and the wisest man who ever lived.

But there’s another side of the king that some might not be aware.  And, for that part, Jason Schubert will lead us this week!  You might be astounded by the lessons we can take from Solomon’s tumble!

See you at the Cornwell Center.  Jason launched into our lesson at 7:45 am.

Peace!

Chapter 5 of “How God Makes Men” (HGMM) is upon us this week!  And this week’s Biblical character is one of the greatest…..King David!  Some might argue that David was God’s chosen one.  I mean…think about it….kill Goliath, and the rest of your life is set!

Well….not quite.

David’s life took one if not many tailspins well after the slaying of the giant.  Our theme this week is “how God rescues men when they go astray”.  Mike leads this week.

PLEASE NOTE LOCATION CHANGE.  We’ve having great morning weather this week in Charlotte so please plan on gathering at the tree house in Mike’s backyard (1609 Sterling Road).  We’ll have coffee and biscuits as well!

We’ll return to the Cornwell Center next Friday for Chapter 6.

Gather this Friday, starting at 7:30 am.  Watch out for the “killer” backyard chickens!  Lesson starts promptly at 7:45 am.

Peace!

This week’s chapter is on Gideon.  Our author titles the chapter, “The Principle of the Unexpected Leader–How God Turns a Man’s Fears and Weakness into Strength”.  I’m SO looking forward to this week’s reading!  Who among us cannot relate?

Some of you know my personal connection with Gideon.  Several years ago, when my (now) wife was in the hospital fighting for her life against a very serious infection, a friend from her church’s Bible study would come into the room as she lay asleep in a medically induced coma, and read the story of Gideon.

Days later, when she awoke from the coma, my wife recalls having dreams about a fierce battle, where she was in the streets of Athens, Georgia, defending the University of Georgia from a surging enemy!  We believe, that while she lay asleep in an unconscious state, her mind was listening to the story of Gideon, and adding her own “modern” twist!

Strange, maybe, but like my wife, the story of Gideon pits a seemingly weak individual against a formable foe.  As we’ll see, our hero, Gideon, was not necessarily on board when God called him into action.

Rob Miller leads us this week, fresh of the bench from a summer flu, but chomping at the bit to get back in the game!

See everyone beginning at 7:30 am at the Cornwell Center.  Rob kicks things into gear promptly at 7:45 am.

Peace!

We’re doubling up this week on Chapters 2 and 3, which discuss the lives of Joseph and Moses respectively.

Think about Joseph.  Poor guy didn’t sign up for any of this….but he quickly realizes, sort of, that God is shaping him for a greater good.  And then there’s Moses.  Similar to Joseph, Moses certainly tried to talk God out of the assignments given to him.  Nice try, Moses….and we’ll see in this week’s lesson how Moses goes through shaping of his character.

Interestingly, both men when confronted by the Almighty, seemed to first say….“….but God……!”

Mike will lead us this week.  Please gather starting at 7:30 am.  We’ll spend about 20 minutes on each of this week’s characters from the Bible.  Bring your own coffee and get buckled up quickly!

See everyone on Friday!

Peace!

Welcome to a new study…..!

This week, we’ll launch into our new book, “How God Makes Men” by Patrick Morley.  Check last week’s post to see how you can order the book and sign up to lead one or more of the ten planned lessons of this series.

Mike will kick off the series by covering Chapter 1:  Abraham: The Principle of Believing in God Anyway.  Your homework is to read chapter 1 ahead of time…..but, as always, if life gets in the way this week….still come on Friday!  You will always pick up a thing or two even if you didn’t read the chapter ahead of time.  (Just don’t make it a habit!)

Abraham is often called one of the founding fathers of Biblical history.  What made him so great?

Well, as we’ll see this week, Abraham is not a whole lot different than you and me.  Maybe more so to some than others…but still, he was a flawed man among flawed men.

Shocked?

God presents Abraham with three significant tests, and we’ll discuss all three this Friday.  Key your reflections ahead of time to the three questions at the end of the chapter on page 17:

• What is God calling you to trust Him for that makes you say, “Are you kidding me, God?”
• What was the operative principle in Abraham’s life according to Hebrews 11:8, 11, and 17?  And how did this principle play out in the three tests for Abraham?
• Which of these three tests are you currently facing?  How is God showing you to believe in Him anyway?

Good stuff!

See you on Friday at the Cornwell Center.  Gather at 7:30 am.  Mike kicks off the lesson at 7:45 am.

Peace!