Wild at Heart - Chapter 3 - Week of May 25th

Read Chapter 3 - The Question that Haunts Every Man

Discussion Questions

1. What is your response to Eldridge's premise that "If a man does not find those things for which his heart is made, if he is never even invited to live for them from his deep heart, he will look for them in some other way."


2. Be honest with yourself - what role does fear play in your life? In what way does it shape who you are as a man? Do you ever fear being "exposed?"


3. How do we move from "posers" to "real men" on Sunday mornings (or even Friday mornings). What can we do to create an environment where we can be real with each other as men?

Wild at Heart - Chapter 2 - Week of May 18th

Read Chapter 2 - The Wild One whose Image we Bear

Discussion Questions:

1. What three words would describe your father? Which of your father's attributes do you think you inherited?
2. What is Godliness? What do you think of when someone is described as a real Godly man?
3. How do you think a man of God would act if the Spirit of God got a hold of him (e.g. Sampson)?
4. On a scale of 1 to 10, rate your willingness to take risk: (a) at work, (b) your relationships, (c) in general?

Scripture Memory Challenge

I mentioned to several of you today, that I am looking for a "few good men" to join me in getting more serious about committing scripture to memory. The first challenge I submit is to memorize a passage from Ephesians, a book that should be familiar to us all. Parallel to the Wild at Heart study, we are going to memorize one verse a week from Ephesians 1:3-14. By the time the Wild at Heart study is over, we should have the whole passage committed to memory.

I encourage both those who attend the study on Friday and those just on the email list to join in. If you cannot attend, just email me the memorized passage weekly (just reply to my weekly email and let me know what version you are memorizing) and no cheating :). I think you will see that the cumulative impact of memorizing a passage versus individual verses should help a bit. The key is to not fall behind.

Due by next Friday, May 16th:

"Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ." Eph 1:3 (NIV)

Wild at Heart - Chapter 1 - Week of May 11

Read Intro & Chapter 1

Discussion Questions

1. What is your reaction to the author's depiction of "authentic masculinity?" - see page 12 and 13
2. How would you honestly answer the questions: What brings you alive? What stirs your heart?
3. Did this chapter validate anything about you? Did it give you a kind of permission? In what way?
4. Do you agree that the Church has a tendency to tell men "this is what you ought to be...this is what you ought to do?" If yes, do you believe this reflects what it means to be a Christ-follower?
5. If you had a bankrolled 3-month sabbatical coming up and could go anywhere, where would you go, what would you do?

This Week - May 4, 2008 - Launching the Wild at Heart Study

We will meet on Friday of this week to introduce Wild at Heart by John Eldridge. I will have books available for sale - $12 scores you one. Please read the Amazon.com editorial review and product description below and start to think about what male Christian role models have most influenced you in your life and why they had the impact that they did. We will talk about these items and address general misconceptions about the Christian Life.

Editorial Review
If Christian men are going to change from a pitiful, wimpy bunch of "really nice guys" to men who are made in the image of God, they must reexamine their preconceptions about who God is and recover their true "wild" hearts, writes bestselling author John Eldredge in Wild at Heart: Discovering a Life of Passion, Freedom, and Adventure. Eldredge throws down the gauntlet--men are bored; they fear risk, they refuse to pay attention to their deepest desires. He challenges Christian men to return to authentic masculinity without resorting to a "macho man" mentality. Men often seek validation in venues such as work, or in the conquest of women, Eldredge observes. He urges men to take time out and come to grips with the "secret longings" of their hearts. Although the book succeeds best in its slant toward a male audience, it also strives to help women understand the implications of authentic masculinity in their relationships with men. Eldredge frames the book around his outdoor experiences and appealing anecdotes about his family, sprinkling the text with touches of humor and overlying everything with heartfelt passion. Even as he mixes eclectic ideas about masculinity from popular movies such as Braveheart with classic words from Oswald Chambers, and lyrics from the Dixie Chicks with stories from the Bible, he points to only one answer for men searching for their true wildness of heart. Writes Eldredge, "The only way to live in this adventure ... with all its danger and unpredictability and immensely high stakes ... is in an ongoing, intimate relationship with God." --Cindy Crosby

Product Description
God designed men to be dangerous, says John Eldredge. Simply look at the dreams and desires written in the heart of every boy: To be a hero, to be a warrior, to live a life of adventure and risk. Sadly, most men abandon those dreams and desires-aided by a Christianity that feels like nothing more than pressure to be a "nice guy." It is no wonder that many men avoid church, and those who go are often passive and bored to death. In this provocative book, Eldredge gives women a look inside the true heart of a man and gives men permission to be what God designed them to be-dangerous, passionate, alive, and free.

SESSION NOTES:

• Qualities of Christian Role models - boldness, empathy, consistency, love for family, there when you hit bottom, vulnerable, track record, hope-filled, confidence, healthy relationships
• Book mentioned: Questions for My Father by Vincent Stainforth