Starting Friday: Men's Fellowship Through Accountability

Quick reminder that FMMF Charlotte is taking a “break” this week…..Spring Break, more likely.  We’ll gather next Friday, April 13th, to kick off a new series:  “Jesus Outside the Lines: A Way Forward for Those Who Are Tired of Taking Sides” by Scott Saul.

If you haven’t ordered the book yet, please do that in advance.  Mike will lead the first week’s session, giving an overview of the book and our planned schedule for the study.  Rumor has it that he’s also bringing Dunkin’ Donuts Munchkins for the “kick-off”. There’s some additional motivation!

Who can you invite to join us as we start a new series?  Extend out the invitation to a friend, family member, or work colleague today!

In the meantime, enjoy the week off!  We’ll see you NEXT Friday….in Fellowship!

This Friday, we’ll gather in fellowship at the Charlotte Cafe in the Park Road Shopping Center to celebrate wrapping up another great series!  Please gather at the normal time….around 7:30 am.  I will be their briefly, but have to be behind a computer screen at 8:00 am to sign up our boys scouts for this year’s summer camp.  Registration for merit badge classes opens up at 8:00 am so I’m committed to getting that done for our troop.

Unless there’s any objection, I’d like to recommend we tackle our next study by exploring the book, “Jesus Outside the Lines” by Scott Sauls.  Great topic for our world that seems more and more polarizing every day!  The author explains how to find Jesus without having to “choose sides”.  Please order the book at your earliest convenience.

Lastly, next week is Holy Week so we won’t meet on Good Friday.  And we’ll take the following week off as well since that’s Spring Break here for many schools around Charlotte.

Our next gathering after this Friday will be on April 13th at the Cornwell Center.  Think about who you’d like to invite to join us for our new series staring in April!

I look forward to seeing the gang Friday at the Charlotte Cafe!

Peace!

This week marks the formal end of our study of “Twelve Ordinary Men” as we cover the twelfth disciple, Judas –the traitor.  It’s been a great study, not just from my point of view, but by the comments many have responded to me.  And this week, we cover the “outsider” within the group of apostles; the one, solely responsible for the betrayal of Jesus.

The quote, “Keep your friends close, and your enemies closer” probably has a few different origins.  However, it’s famous from the movie, The Godfather 2.  But why would we keep our enemies closer to us than our friends?  Is this to say that we should treat those unkind to use, our enemies, much better than those who are kind to us?

One might say that the reason you keep your enemies closer is because it gives that “enemy” a false sense of security.  It allows them to drop their guard.  So, of course, in that regard we should always keep our enemies closer.

Jesus knew well in advance that Judas would betray Him.  Yet, he allowed him to become close to all the disciples.  And maybe in this way, Jesus too was keeping his enemies closer.

We’ll find out this week as Aaron Harper leads us in the final week’s discussion.

As for next week, we’ll wrap up the book, informally, by gathering at The Charlotte Cafe off Park Road for breakfast.

But that’s next week…..

This Friday, meet at The Cornwell Center beginning at 7:30 am in fellowship.  Aaron will kick things off around 7:45 am.

Have a great week until then!

Peace!

Ironically, as we lean forward towards another NCAA basketball playoff tournament, we are also down to our own “final four” when it comes to our study of the twelve disciples.  This week, we’ll look at three of the last four, James (son of Alphaeus), Simon (the Zealot), and Judas (not Iscariot).  Let the “March Madness” begin!

Chapter 9 is a fairly easy read with much of the focus on the durability of the disciples’ faith, especially as it relates to the final group where not much is written about them.  This chapter, more so than the others, is really about drawing out some extrapolations based on what “IS” written.  Big word, I know…..extrapolation…!

Final three weeks also means we need to start thinking about our next study.  Come with a few ideas, if you want.

Rob Miller leads us this week.  Gather at 7:30 am.  Rob will lead us beginning at 7:45 am

Have a great week until we meet on Friday!

Peace!

This week brings us not just one, but two disciples for discussion:  Matthew and Thomas.

As you read through this week’s assignment, Chapter 8 of our study, two passages from scripture may guide your focus.

First, with respect to Matthew, the despised tax-collector, the scribes and pharisees question Jesus after attending a gathering arranged by Matthew that included other tax collectors and sinners.

“Why do you eat and drink with tax collectors and sinners?” (they said to Jesus).

Jesus replies, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick.  I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners, to repentance.”  LUKE 5:29-32

And for Thomas, aka “doubting Thomas”….the says early on in scripture:

“Then Thomas, who is called the Twin, said to his fellow disciples: ‘Let us also go, that we may die with Him.’ ” JOHN 11:16

Jonathan Smith leads us this week in our discussions about the transformations of both Matthew and Thomas.

As always, please gather at the Cornwell Center starting at 7:30 am.  Jonathan kicks things off at 7:45 am.

Peace!

Our study this week leads us to Nathanael, aka “Bartholomew“.  Yes….another week, another disciple, another name, I mean, other name!  Nathanael is buddies with Phillip, who we learned about last week.  And this pairing marks the third group of friends:  Simon/Peter and Andrew; James and John; and now, Phillip and Nathanael.

Unique to Nathanael is perhaps that he is already very versed in scripture, especially the Old Testament.  And while he knew the Messiah would be coming, he is somewhat taken back when Phillip comes racing to him one afternoon saying, “We have found Him of whom Moses, in the law, and also the profits, wrote…” (John 1:45)

But, instead of feeling overjoyed and elated, when Nathanael hears where Jesus is from, he’s taken back and says:

“Can anything good come out of Nazareth?”

This week’s lesson peels back onion to reveal this disciple’s deep rooted prejudices.  And we’ll talk about that.

Is it possible to teach an old dog new tricks?

That answer and more will be our focus for this Friday.  Short reading of Chapter 7: Nathanael – The Guileless One.

Mike Lenhart leads the conversation about Nathanael.  Join us starting at 7:30 am in fellowship, with the lesson kicking off at 7:45 am.

Have a great week!

Peace!

We’ve wrapped up the leading four apostles, Peter, Andrew, John and James.  This week, we’ll dip into the second set of four, starting with Phillip.  As you’ll find, not much is written about Phillip.  In fact, he’s only mentioned in one of the four gospels; Book of John.  Although, there are many who think other gospels’ statements of unnamed others, points us towards Phillip and one of his closest buddies, Andrew.

A fishermen like the other four we’ve already studied, Phillip was also tasked with the responsibility as the group’s “bean counter”.  In that role, he was the guy who was the “apostolic administrator” (because every group needs an “admin”) charged with arranging meals and logistics.  He is tested by Jesus in the loaves and fishes miracle story as our Lord turns to him saying “Where shall we buy bread, that these may eat?”

Phillip is puzzled probably because he had already been doing the math in his head.

Phillip answered Him, “Two hundred denarii worth of bread is not enough sufficient for them, that every one of them may have a little.  JOHN 6:7

Join us this Friday as John Ramey leads our study of the apostle Phillip.  Please gather in fellowship beginning at 7:30 am, with our discussions starting at 7:45 am.

See you then!

Our fourth apostle is up this week, John, the younger brother of James, who we studied last week.  John is often described as the “great author” of the group, as the human author of the gospel that bears his name as well as three epistles.

John shares the temperament of his brother, the dynamic duo of “sons of thunder”.  But there is some uniqueness about his personality that you’ll learn from reading this week’s chapter.  John outlives all the others, which is one aspect that makes him unique.  More importantly, perhaps, is that to John, things were very much “black and white”.  He was very passionate about his ministry, his calling, and therefore has little tolerance for the “gray areas” of our lives.

Focus your reading on Chapter 5:  John-The Apostle of Love.

Mike leads us this Friday.  Come early and join in the fellowship beginning at 7:30 am.  We’ll begin the lesson at 7:45 am.

Speaking of leading.  Don’t forget Mike’s “ask” last week for individuals to take on some of the upcoming lessons.  Here’s where are current needs are:

• FEB 16 (Phillip)
• FEB 23 (Nathanael)
• MAR 2 (Matthew and Thomas)
• MAR 16 (Judas)

If any of these dates and topics appeal to you, then SIGN UP HERE.

See you this week on Friday!

Peace!

Last week’s “doubled-up” lesson revealed the brothers, Simon (Peter) and Andrew, two distinct personalities.  This week, we’ll discuss the first in another pair of brothers, James, brother of John.  And we’ll learn through this week’s reading of Chapter 4, the Jesus had his own nickname for these brothers, “Sons of Thunder”.  I won’t give away the entire “punchline” behind the nickname, but hopefully you’ll understand completely after reading this week’s section!

Jason Schubert will lead us this week in covering James.  Focus your efforts on the two stories that our author covers in this week’s chapter.  And if you’re a “momma’s boy”, you’ll especially like the second story in the chapter!

Gather on Friday starting at 7:30 am.  Jason will lead us beginning at 7:45 am.

Have a great start to your week!