Mentoring Men for the Master

M3 Essentials

Basic directions for M3 and answers to some FAQ’s.

  • Our Mission, and your reason for being a part of M3.
    • Encouraging, training, and equipping men to know and follow Jesus.

–       Everything we do and all of our goals at M3 are filtered through this one statement.  Everything is about knowing Jesus more, learning what it means to follow Him, and how to follow Him.  If we are engaged in an activity that does not produce these results at M3 then we will cease to do it.  It’s just that simple.  This one statement guides all of our decisions as a ministry.  It should also serve as a guide for you as you seek to be conformed to His image.

 

  • What is the Gentleman’s Agreement?
    • The Gentleman’s Agreement states that if you are unable to attend a scheduled M3 class you will notify your group leader.

–       One of the first great lessons that Dr. Bennett taught me was to be a man of integrity.  To be man that can be counted on.  To be a man of honor.  He taught me that this is what it means to represent Jesus.  He taught me that I should do what I said I would do and be where I said I would be.  In the event that I could not possibly fulfill a particular commitment, I should notify the other party out of integrity and courtesy.  He informed me that this is just the normal Christian life.

–       In addition to our integrity as men of God who represent Jesus, we also desire your attendance for another reason.  We cannot mentor/disciple you if we never see you or can’t “get our hands on you!!”

–       So please be present if at all possible but in the event that you cannot, be accountable and let your leader know.

 

  • What does it mean to “Internalize” the Word?
    • Many M3 students start out thinking that internalizing and memorizing are synonymous.  They are not.  Memorization is only 25% of internalization.  Lets look at a portion of The Pledge to the Bible in order to understand this.
    • Our Pledge to the Bible states that, “…..The Bible is God talking to me personally.  I will therefore Internalize it in my life by doing 4 things:

–       I will Know it in my head by diligent study,

–       I will Stow it in my heart by memorization and meditation,

–       I will Show it in my life by obeying its teachings and

–       I will Sow it in my world by my witness.

  • As you can see, memorization is only 25% of the internalization process.  This point may be best understood by looking at a key verse of Scripture.  In Joshua 1:8, God said the following to Joshua, “This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate in it day and night, that you may observe to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success.”  He spoke these words to Joshua as part of Him commissioning Joshua to assume the leadership role for Israel in the wake of Moses’ death.  This was an enormous responsibility and God gave Joshua a “recipe” for success.  He was to meditate on the Word of God day and night.  He was to do this in order to carefully obey it.  He assured Joshua that through his obedience to God’s Word, he would prosper and be successful at the things God had called him to do and be.  Now, you might say, “I see no mention of memorization in this text.”  You would be correct however, it is strongly implied.  If Joshua had not memorized the Scriptures, how could he meditate on them day and night and still accomplish his God-given duties and responsibilities to the people of Israel?  It is not possible to meditate on something that you don’t have in your heart and mind.
  • So we read and study the Bible but we don’t stop there.  We then memorize the Bible in order to get it on the inside of us.  We can then meditate on the Bible “Day and night.”  We do this in order to saturate our minds and heart with it so that we can obey.  It is through our obedience and holiness of life that we show or witness to the world the grace, goodness, and greatness of our God!!
  • Each of us can succeed at being the man God wants us to be if we will only obey Him.

 

  • I keep hearing about the “10 I’s,” what is that?
    • The 10 Scriptural Imperatives for Continuing Spiritual Growth or 10 I’s as M3 students like to call them, are ten areas in which we are seeking to discipline our lives according to the Bible (1 Tim. 4:7b).  They are listed below:

–       Internalizing the Word – (Joshua 1:8, James 1:18-25)

–       Infilling of the Holy Spirit – (Ephesians 5:18)

–       Intimacy with the Father – (Psalm 27:4)

–       Intentional Involvement in the World Mission of Christ – (Matthew 28:18-20)

–       Interrelating with others to share your life – (1Thess. 2:8)

–       Investing your money with the Lord – (Matthew 6:19-20)

–       Identification with, support of, and service in, a local church – (Hebrews 10:25)

–       Intense devotion to one’s family, especially his wife – (Ephesians 5:25-32)

–       Intentional discipline of the physical body – (1 Corinthians 9:27)

–       Instant repentance and cleansing from all sin –  (Matthew 5:4, 1 John 1:9)

  • In order to describe the 10 I’s, their meaning, and their purpose, it would be best to state what they are and what they are not.

–       The 10 I’s are NOT…

  1. An exhaustive list of the spiritual disciplines.
  2. A list of “Do’s” that will make you holy or righteous.

–       The 10 I’s ARE…

  1. Ten areas in which we are seeking to discipline our lives and obey God.  They cover much of the Christian life.
  2. Spiritual disciplines that when obeyed, help us to know Jesus more, to cultivate a deeper relationship with Him, and it is Jesus who makes us holy by conforming us to His image.
    • We do not obey the 10 I’s in order to check them off of our spiritual “to do” list and pat ourselves on the back because we are so spiritual.  We obey them because we love Jesus and want to know Him more!!
    • The spiritual disciplines are not the end in and of themselves.  They are the means to the end.  The “end, or purpose” is to know and follow Jesus in a close, intimate relationship.

 

  • What is the purpose of a one-on-one accountability partner?
    • At M3 we try make sure that each man has an accountability partner.  It is important that we come alongside of each other in this manner.  Proverbs 27:17 says, “As iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another.”
    • You will notice during your small group time that the table leader will ask each man this question, “Did you contact your accountability partner this week?”  When the leader asks this question, he is really asking three questions which are at the root of this relationship at M3.  The three questions are:
  1. Is your partner coming to class?  This seems like a simple question but it isn’t.  It implies a couple of things:

–       That I did in fact contact him this week to hold him accountable.

–       That he let me know if he must be absent because he desires to be a man of integrity who represents Jesus with honor.

  1. Did he do his internalization assignment this week?  This means that:

–       I know if he did the assignment.

–       I heard him quote the assignment.

–       We discussed the meaning of the verses.

–       We discussed the application to our lives.

  1. Did he have a meaningful time with God daily this week?  This question helps us to hold each other accountable for continuing to cultivate and develop the most important relationship in our lives, our relationship with Jesus.
    • It is of the utmost importance that these are the main areas of focus in these relationships.  It is our responsibility under God to ask the hard questions and not just talk about our favorite sport ect., claiming that we held each other accountable and checked it off of our religion list.  We must invest in each other’s lives.  This is one of the primary ways that God works in our lives, through each other as we give our lives away to each other.
    • Remember, sometimes when iron sharpens iron there are sparks, but the end result is a sharper instrument that can be used for the glory of Jesus!!
    • If you don’t have an accountability partner be sure to contact your group leader and get started right away.

 

  • What is an M3 small group table supposed to “look like?”
    • What is the purpose of the small group table?
  1. Eph. 4:16 says, “…from whom the whole body, joined and knit together by what every joint supplies, according to the effective working by which every part does its share, causes growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love.”  The purpose of the small group is to come alongside of each other through relationships focused on love, accountability, and the spiritual disciplines, helping each other to cultivate and develop our relationship with Jesus as we continue in the process of spiritual growth and maturity.
  • How do we do that?  What actually takes place at the table?
  1. The table leader will facilitate 5 things during the session from each table member.  He will start with one man and move around the table until each man has had an opportunity to be held accountable and share in the following manner:

–       Did you do the internalization assignment? Please quote it.

–       What did The Lord show you about the verses as you meditated on them this week?

–       What is the application of the verses to YOUR life and YOUR circumstances?

–       Did you contact your accountability partner this week?

–       How can we pray for you?

  • Table etiquette.
    1. Please be sure that EACH man has an opportunity to share.
    2. Please DO NOT preach. This includes table members as well as leaders.
    3. Please DO NOT hijack the table by taking up too much time.  Each man must have the opportunity to speak.  If you have much to say, your leader will stay after class to hear you out.  It is very important to us that we hear you and minister to you.  It is also important that we do the same for the next man….so please be mindful of the time!!

 

  • What am I working towards?  Is there an end to this?
    • M3 is bringing each man through a simple 3-step process.
    1. We begin the mentoring/disciple-making process with any man, whether he is a new believer or has walked with Jesus for decades.  All that is required is a sincere desire to know Jesus more and to follow Him as a disciple who makes disciples.
    2. We then come alongside of him through relationships focused on love, accountability, and the spiritual disciplines, helping him to cultivate and develop his relationship with Jesus as he continues in the process of spiritual growth and maturity.
    3. The final part of the process is to help him find and fulfill the ministry that God has prepared for him as a disciple-maker and leader in the home, the church, and the world.
  • There may come a day when your time at M3 concludes but discipleship will never end.  Our obedience to the spiritual disciplines will never end.  Our desire to know and follow Jesus will never end!! Amen?!?!

There is nothing that would bring us more joy than to release you from M3 because you have fulfilled the 3-step process and are now in a place of leadership yourself where you are actively giving your life away by making disciples, who make disciples.