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QUESTIONS ABOUT MEN’S FRATERNITY:
What do you mean by the words fraternal and biblical?
To answer this question, let’s simply look at a common dictionary to define these terms because we are using them in their normal sense.
Fraternal:
adj 1: of or relating to a fraternity or society of usually men; "a fraternal order" 2: like or characteristic of or befitting a brother; "close fraternal ties"; Showing comradeship; brotherly.
Biblical:
adj 1: of or pertaining to or contained in or in accordance with the Bible; 2: in keeping with the nature of the Bible, its teachings or its times or people
So what exactly is this Men's Fraternity?
Men's Fraternity is not "an event"; it is "a process" that enables men to experience real life-change together with other men over time. It is a movement of Christian men who began this fraternal order to teach guys about manhood from a biblical perspective. This biblical fraternal movement meets once a week in over 16,000 places around the world. So if you join our Men’s Fraternity group you will be a part of a larger movement that is changing men’s lives.
More than just a rally or a Bible study, Men’s Fraternity, provides men with an encouraging process that teaches them how to live lives of authentic manhood as modeled by Jesus Christ and as taught in the Bible.
Men’s Fraternity was designed to help men come together and strengthen each other through weekly sessions that combine biblical teaching and fraternal interaction.
What’s the history of Men’s Fraternity?
Men's Fraternity began in 1990 at a nondenominational church in Little Rock, Arkansas, in response to a request from the men of this church asking for more than a Bible study. They felt they needed some time-tested wisdom and practical insight in how to live as biblical men and they needed a safe place each week where they could process these truths with other men. They said, "We want an environment of openness and brotherhood, like we had back at the fraternity in college, only more helpful and spiritually constructive." The Men's Fraternity meeting began in Little Rock is attended by nearly 1,400 men weekly and the curriculum developed out of it is being used by thousands of churches around the world.
Who made up this Men’s Fraternity stuff?
Men's Fraternity was created by Dr. Robert Lewis, pastor-at-large of Fellowship Bible Church in Little Rock, Arkansas, and author of Raising a Modern Day Knight. It began in 1990 with 30 participants as Dr. Lewis strived to connect with and challenge the men of his church. Over the years, it has developed into a series of studies designed to engage the heart as well as the mind, stripping away the myths of manhood, and focusing on how each individual can be transformed into a true man of God. Now, more than 16,000 groups of men attend a weekly Men's Fraternity meeting globally.
Dr. Lewis has been pastoring for over 20 years. In addition to his pastoring and writing, he serves on the Board of Directors for the Leadership Network, and is on the Board of Fellowship Associates, a church consulting and leadership training organization. Dr. Lewis graduated from the University of Arkansas in 1971 with a degree in Management. Robert went on to obtain both an M.A. in New Testament Greek and Master of Divinity degree from Western Seminary in Portland, Oregon, in 1977, and then completed the Doctor of Ministry degree from Talbot Theological Seminary in La Mirada, California, in 1985.
What do I bring to the weekly meetings?
The weekly meetings simply require an eager heart and a present body. What do you bring? Yourself. To make the most of your time, we encourage you to bring a Bible and something for taking notes. Men who commit to the fraternity will be given a special workbook to bring every week.
Why do you meet so early in the morning (6AM)?
A key part of learning how to be a man is having time to practice. The young men in our church often have busy schedules at night, so we thought mornings would be the best time to reach them. Since many of the older men in our church have families, we want them to be home at night practicing what they are learning. Churches often have so many activities on weeknights that they can work against the family unit. We want men at home with their families. They can come to group early, while their family is asleep to maximize their time before work. Also, we want men from various churches to come, so it’s easier to meet in the morning instead of juggling various church schedules that are usually busy in the evenings.
Getting up that early is too hard for me, do you meet at another time?
No. Toughen up buttercup and make it happen. The discipline of getting up early plays an important role in the discipline of becoming a man. It’s hard work and there’s no easy way around that.
If you have to be at work by 6am or earlier we are sorry. Anytime we picked would exclude some. With that said, maybe you could arrange coming in late once a week. Tell your boss, “This is important, it will make me a better employee.” Heck, invite your boss to come (if he’s a he, of course).
What is the format of the weekly meetings?
The format is simple: Men come together for weekly 1¼ hour sessions (6:00AM-7:15AM). We spend about 45 minutes of that time going over a lecture by Dr. Lewis and then 30 minutes in a small group environment of interaction where men are free to talk openly and confidentially about what they heard and express mutual support for one another. If you need to leave early, feel free. It’s very important to come on time, but if you have to leave early to get to work that is fine.
Is the Men’s Fraternity thing a part of a denomination?
No. The Men’s Fraternity movement began in a nondenominational Bible church and it has spread through a wide variety of churches and denominations. It is a multi-denominational movement that has been endorsed by the leaders of Promise Keepers, The National Coalition of Men’s Ministries, and Family Life ministries. All of that to say, Men’s Fraternity is denominationally friendly – anyone will enjoy it.
Do I have to be a Christian to come to the Men’s Fraternity?
No. Men’s Fraternity is great for anyone. If you are interested in learning more about manhood from the Christian perspective we welcome you to come – we’d love to have you join us. Understand that we approach the topic from the Bible and we really do believe Jesus is the key to true manhood. So anyone who is cool with that will enjoy the fraternity and we hope many will also find the group as a safe place to learn more about the Christian faith in an open and honest environment.
Why is the fraternity three years long?
We believe time is a critical tool in shaping character. We also believe that learning takes time. The curriculum of the fraternity is designed much like college. We take breaks for summer, winter, and holidays. There’s basically two semesters a year and each semester focuses on a different aspect of manhood. Below you will find a brief overview of each year.
YEAR 1: “The Quest for Authentic Manhood”
The Quest for Authentic Manhood is the foundational level or ground floor of manhood. It will help men deal with various identity issues by looking back at past wounds and other things that may have distorted their idea of biblical masculinity. Throughout the course of the study, men will learn how to clearly define manhood and will finally be able to give a succinct and passionate answer to the questions, "What is a man?" and "What am I living to be?"
YEAR 2: “Winning at Work and Home”
Winning at Work and Home focuses on the two areas that are central to a man‘s life: career and family. It will begin to build the walls of manhood through study dealing with a man‘s chief responsibilities. It explores how a man can enjoy and engage his work and how he can relate to a woman in a whole new way.
YEAR 3: “The Great Adventure”
The Great Adventure explores a man and his world beyond the everyday. The study puts the roof on the house of masculinity and creates a vision for a man‘s future and destiny. This study will help men rediscover the adventure in life through a greater understanding of who they are. Men will uncover the uniqueness they have as a man and discover a satisfying life focus.
Do you have to start at year 1?
No. You can join the fraternity at any point, but when it cycles back again you will need to complete whatever was missed. This means if you start at year two, you will have to complete year one later. Ideally, starting at Year One is best because the fraternity builds on what you learn. However, it is fine to join at any point. We just want guys to join so jump in at any stage.
What if I miss a session?
We have a way for guys to do make up sessions. Just speak with one of our pastors or leaders and we’ll show you how. |
