Manathon Series: Where we went
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We had four main sessions during the week, each of them revolving around the manhood principle – “A true man expects a greater reward, God’s reward” (taken from Robert Lewis’ “Men’s Fraternity”).
We approached the principle from the angle of the final goal by studying John 18:1-11. In this short passage we can see how the ultimate goal of Jesus Christ was how he remained strong in the face of incredible trials. He had many options in various circumstances, but he chose only those which would lead him to his final goal.
The application of the lessons was the formulation of the “Man Plan.” Each guy filled out a portion of this plan each lesson:
“In order to arrive at the end of my life and consider it effective and meaningful, I will need to have accomplished/gained/done/etc. _____________________. This is my final goal, and right now my current location reveals that in order to reach that, I need to ___________________. Before me I have these available options ____________________________. I am going to take this option, _______________________, and begin by ___________________________.”
In addition to our studies in John 18, each young man also presented a biographical sketch of an influential man of history such as George Washington, Jackie Robinson, Eric Liddell, William Wilberforce, Dietrich Bonhoeffer, Chuck Colson, and Martin Luther. They had to read a chapter in Eric Metaxas’ book, “7 Men” and then compile more information from other sources. We focused on the goal of the individual’s life, where they began, what obstacles they faced, and what possibilities they passed on in order to achieve their goal.
I think we had a good mix of Bible study, teaching, and contribution. The guys did a great job at presenting their biographies.