The Arena

WEEK 1: GUIDING PRINCIPLES & TRUTH

Download the App: YouVersion Bible bible.com

Read the following:

• Lifelong Learning, Supporting, and Encouraging One Another

• Life is a Team Sport

  • Philippians 3:12-14

• Support - Encourage - Strengthen - Resiliency

  • 1 Thessalonians Chapter 3

• Seasons of Life

  • Galatians 5:13-14

  • 1 Timothy 4:12

• Guiding Principle of Truth Seeking

  • Colossians 2:8

WEEK 2: BE ALERT

Be on the alert,

stand firm in the faith,

act like men,

be strong.

Let all that you do be done in love.

-1 Corinthians 16:13-14 NASB

Use the Compare feature in the YouVersion Bible App to explore alternative translations of the "be on the alert" part of the verse to provide insight and understanding. 

• Make notes of any discussion points.

Translation notes reference “be alert” “be on guard” “be watchful”

• Use the NLT Dictionary/Concordance in the back of our “Blue Bibles” to explore two different verses providing insight/instruction on something we are to be alert, on guard, or watchful for in our lives.

  • Examples:

    • Page 1779: “ALERT” lists three verses to explore.

    • Page 1838: “GUARD”, “GUARD, GUARDING, GUARDS”, “GUARDIAN” list multiple verses

    • Page 1942: “WATCH”, “WATCH, WATCHES, WATCHING”, “WATCHMAN” list multiple verses

• Make discussion point notes from two verses of your choice.

The quote on our Station whiteboard this week is:

The thoughts you keep in a loop determine the direction of your life.

• How does this relate to "be on the alert"?

• Is this quote Truth - or - High-sounding nonsense?

SEASON OF LIFE EXERCISE

WEEK 3: FAITH

Be on the alert,

stand firm in the faith,

act like men,

be strong.

Let all that you do be done in love.

-1 Corinthians 16:13-14 NASB

Use the Compare feature in the YouVersion Bible App to explore alternative translations of the "stand firm in the faith" part of the verse to provide insight and understanding. 

• Make notes of any discussion points.

Use the NLT Dictionary/Concordance in the back of our “Blue Bibles” to explore two different verses providing insight/instruction on faith in our lives.

• • Page 1821: “FAITH” lists multiple verses to explore.

    • Make discussion point notes from two verses of your choice.

Discussion quote of the week:

Faith, in the sense in which I am here using the word, is the art of holding on to things your reason has once accepted, in spite of your changing moods. - C.S. Lewis

• Is this quote Truth - or - High-sounding nonsense?

WEEK 4: MANHOOD

Be on the alert,

stand firm in the faith,

act like men,

be strong.

Let all that you do be done in love.

-1 Corinthians 16:13-14 NASB

Use the Compare feature in the YouVersion Bible App to explore alternative translations of the "act like men" part of the verse to provide insight and understanding. 

• Make notes of any discussion points.

Blog Post: 

Read the following blog post and watch the Gerber video "Unstoppable" (link included in the blog).

https://becomegoodsoil.com/2014/02/11/castration-a-case-for-carrying-a-knife/

• Make notes of discussion points.

  • Are there points of truth?

  • Are there points of high-sounding nonsense?

WEEK 5: STRENGTH

Be on the alert,

stand firm in the faith,

act like men,

be strong.

Let all that you do be done in love.

-1 Corinthians 16:13-14 NASB

Use the Compare feature in the YouVersion Bible App to explore alternative translations of the "be strong" part of the verse to provide insight and understanding. 

• Make notes of any discussion points.

Matthew 5:5: Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth. - NIV

• "meek" is translated from the Greek "praeis", also translated "gentle" and "humble"

• Read the following blog post: http://www.anaturewalkwithgod.com/posts/2017/11/22/meek-like-a-horse

• Make notes of any discussion points comparing/contrasting "strength" with "meekness", "gentleness", and "humility"

We have discussed balancing three components of manhood (see graph below). Use the NLT Dictionary/Concordance in the back of our “Blue Bibles” to explore three different verses providing insight/instruction on strength in our lives as it relates to these three components (Physical, Intellectual, Emotional).

• • Pages 1923 & 1924: “STRENGTH”, "STRENGTHEN", "STRENGTHENED", "STRENGTHENS" list multiple verses

  • Make discussion point notes from the three verses of your choice