Kurt Braun has one of the coolest titles ever! He also has an amazing life story. Scott and Kurt discuss the unique challenges Kurt has faced from being in New York on 911 to making the transition from the business world to full time ministry.

Group Questions:

1. A huge part of Kurt Braun’s testimony is being in New York City on 9/11. Where were you on that day and what do you remember about the day and following week?
2. When you hear the word “finances,” what is your first reaction? Do you have peace or anxiety? Do you feel like you have financial freedom and stability, or financial fear and uncertainty?
3. Before Kurt came on staff at Southland, he was a Christian man working in the business world, and had some encounters where his faith and work were opposing one another. have you ever  been in that situation? What did you learn?
4. What tensions do you face at your specific job where you find yourself being torn between maintaining integrity and excelling at work?
5. Because of his interactions in NYC on 9/11, Kurt said “we all have those moments in our lives where we maybe get the sense that there is more going on than just what we are witnessing.”  Looking back, can you see God’s hand and provision at work in a moment when it seemed he was absent?
6. Read Colossians 3:23-24. How can you work with all your heart for the Lord in your current employment? Do you ever struggle with the tension of working for “human masters” and working for the Lord?
7. As a Christian, you are the church. Wherever you go, the church goes. When you’re at work, you have an opportunity to bring Jesus into conversations and dealings with people everyday. What are some conversations you know you will have this week and how can you bring Jesus into the conversation?
8. A phrase around our church is “do for the one what you wish you could do for the many.” Who is one person you can go above and beyond for this week at your workplace? How can you show them God's love?

Scott, Derrick and Wade discuss the unique opportunities and challenges that single men face.

Group Questions:

1. How old were you when you got married? Did you want to get married earlier or later in life, and why? If you are not married, do you wish you were? Or, do you prefer being single, and if so why?
2. Read 1 Corinthians 7:7. How does Paul describe singleness? Do Paul’s words line up with the culture’s view of singleness and marriage?
3. How does it feel to be single in the church? If you’re married, how do you view single adults in the church? How can single and married adults better love one another in the church?
4. Greg Chandler says, “being single gives you the chance (time and freedom) to become whole.” If you are single, how are you moving towards wholeness? How are you using your time and energy? If married, how would you encourage a single person to use that freedom?
5. What guys are you sharpening? How are they sharpening you?
6. Navigating sexual desires in a healthy and biblical way is a huge struggle for men who are single and married. Why doesn’t marriage fix our sexual struggles? How can men encourage each other to remain pure in singleness and faithful in marriage?
7. Read Proverbs 5. Wade said, “Purity is worth it. It’s hard and it takes discipline, but it’s so worth it.” Do you believe this? If not, what is keeping you from it?
8. Wade mentioned that being single allows the unique opportunity to honor women and value them in a way that they may not be used to. How are you going to value and take care of the women in your life this week?

Taylor is a former Division 1 basketball player and devoted follower of Jesus. Scott and Taylor discuss value and importance of having good

Group Questions:

1. Growing up, what was your favorite sport or hobby? What were your favorite and least favorite teams you were apart of? What is your favorite sports memory of all time?
2. How has a coach or mentor influenced your life? What was it about them that made you want to listen to and follow them?
3. Taylor mentioned his coach, Tommy Huston, mimicked Jesus' servant attitude. When was a time someone served you? Who is someone you could be serving today? What keeps us from having a humble spirit?
4. In life, there are always ups and downs. When was a low moment in your life? And how has God redeemed that or brought reconciliation and healing through the pain?
5. The discipleship process is one that never ends. We are always growing more like Christ. Who is someone that is pouring into you? If no one, who is someone you could ask? Who is someone that you could be pouring into?
6. When was a time that you were misunderstood, or judged by someone from a different generation? Is there a generation that you have a harder time understanding? If so, why?
7. This week, what is one way that you could humble yourself and serve your family? What is one way that you could invest in someone of the next generation?

Aaron is a leader with FCA at the University of Kentucky, a husband and a father. Scott and Aaron discuss our identity and purpose apart from vocation and deal with the question, “why do I do what I do?”

Group Questions:

1. Who are some of the great coaches or mentors you’ve had? What made them impactful in your life?
2. The questions Aaron loves to ask coaches are: Why do you coach? What’s your purpose? Why do you coach the way you coach? What does it feel like to be coached that way?  Substitute your roles in life: husband, father, leader, etc. Why do you do what you do?
3. Passion will run out, but purpose will sustain you. What does that mean for your life? Are you fueled by passion or purpose?
4.  “There are three hard things: Steel. Diamonds. And to know one’s self.” - Benjamin Franklin. Who is helping you see the blind spots in your life?
5. Read Ecclesiastes 4:8-12. How does this passage speak about purpose? Why do we need others in our lives?
6. Men tend to isolate themselves. Looking for an escape or driven by fear we think we are pursuing safety. We’re actually putting ourselves in real danger. Where do you see this in your own life?
7. How can you be more intentional in your relationships this week (at home, at work, at church, etc.)? Share some good practices.
8. Aaron ends with a question - would you rather have a map or a mentor? Who is someone you could ask to invest in you?

Dave is a pastor and author. Dave will talk about how to build strong dating and marriage relationships.

Group Questions:

1. Discuss Dave’s seven keys to a successful marriage:
   1. Pray together every day. (Spiritual Leadership)
   2. Answer the phone when she calls. (Availability)
   3. Turn off the phone when you're together. (Distractions)
   4. Be playful and fun. (Joy)
   5. Be an encourager, not a critic. (Build Up)
   6. Always be there for each other. (Covenant)
   7. Never give up on each other. (Commitment)
2. Which of these keys is easiest for you? Hardest?
3. Is it easier to pray for your wife or with her? Why? 
4. How does technology currently impact your marriage?
5. Would people around you know that you prioritize your wife by what you say and do?
6. How do you currently handle conflict in your marriage? What are some healthy ways you can manage conflict? What unhealthy practices do you need to guard against?
7. Read Ephesians 5:25-26.
8. We are called to give, pursue, and forgive with radical grace. As a group pray for one another to do that in our marriages.

Scott walks us through some important applications from the life of Joseph from the Old Testament.

Group Questions:

1. Read Genesis 39:8-9 & 50:19-21. Carve out some time to read Genesis 37-50 individually this week.
2. Read Psalm 51:3-4. How did David view his sin? Who did he realize he had sinned against?
3. How does our perspective of who we are sinning against change our view of sin?
4. Do you see God as the One you are ultimately accountable to? 
5. How did Joseph keep from becoming bitter and resentful? What perspective did he have of God?
6. Do you believe God is able to redeem even the worst and most painful moments in your life? 
7. Scott defines integrity as the "consistency of who you are in private with who you are in public." Many times in Joseph’s story, he is in positions of leadership, authority and power. How does he act with integrity in those positions?
8. Where are you most tempted to compromise your integrity?
9. Pray together to be men who see God's sovereignty this week. Ask God to help you live with integrity at home and in the workplace.

Scott and Patrick talk specifically about the importance of acknowledging your sexual history.

Group Questions:

1. This episode uncovers some deep and hurtful experiences such as sexual abuse, same-sex attraction, and childhood abuse. If you are in a group setting, be aware that this is sensitive for many people to discuss. Reach out to the Southland staff if someone in your group wants or needs to discuss further.
2. In Patrick’s book ‘Grace and Sexuality’ he says, “To be born into the American culture is to be born into trauma”. Do you agree with his thoughts?
3. Why is there so much shame associated with our sexual history? Why do we want to hide and cover up?
4. How early would you say your first sexual experiences occurred?
5. Were you taught about your sexual desires as a child? Who talked to you about how to express them in a healthy way? If not, where did you learn from?
6. There’s a big difference in these two sayings: “Sex is dirty and let’s not talk about it,” and  “God created sex. He created our bodies this way and he created marriage between and man and a woman. What a great God we serve!” Which view resonates with you? Why?
7. Patrick said, “I am what happened to me, but what choices and decisions do I have now to glorify God?” How could that perspective help us move past our sexual histories?
8. Read 1 Thessalonians 4:3-7.
9. How can your sexual struggles help you put your trust in God rather than being a victim?

Scott walks us through some important applications from the life of Abram/Abraham.

Group Questions:

1. Read Genesis 12:1-9
2. Think through the practicality of God calling Abram to “leave and go to the land that I will show you”. Who did he have to talk to? What was their response? How long did this take? What if God said that to you today?
3. God’s command doesn’t start with much clarity, but becomes clearer as he trusts God and walks in obedience. Has that ever been true in your walk with God?
4. Scott points out the names of the places Abram is between: “Bethel” = house of God and “Ai” = ruin. Throughout your day do you think of how your decisions are leading you to God or away from God? Are you going to walk in obedience toward God or are you going to takes steps in disobedience away from God. One leads to ruin/destruction and one leads to life/joy/peace.
5. Read Genesis 12:10-20 & 16:1-6
6. When things got difficult Abram leaves and takes things into his own hands. Scott notes that we want to control things and we value self-preservation. How was Abram’s decision driven by fear?
7. Abraham is one of those Bible characters that we tend to hold up as a hero. How does it affect your view of him when we read about all the times he disobeyed God? What does it say about God that he chooses this man to be the father of the nation of Israel?
8. Look back at decisions in your past when you’ve been at a crossroads to trust God or take things into your own hands. When you have disobeyed and made decisions from a lack of trust what happened? Who suffered because of your decision? What have been the consequences?
9. On the flip side, what about the times you have trusted Him and obeyed? Who has benefitted from those decisions? What have been the results of that obedience?

AJ is a professional baseball player.  AJ will talk about how to be patient during difficult seasons of life.

Group Questions:

1. AJ talked about patience during his baseball career and shared about the moments of frustration, bitterness and feeling upset. Why is patience so unnatural for us?
2. Would you consider yourself a patient person?
   1. Do the people around you add fuel to the fire when you are complaining? Do they agree with your thoughts of unfairness and entitlement?  
   2. Or do the people around you encourage you when you’re down? Are they people who are going to help you make wise decisions? Walk with the wise and you’ll grow wise.
   3. Are you being that kind of friend to any guys in your life? Who is it?
3. AJ talked a lot about the company that you keep.
4. When AJ’s friend Travis reminded him “You don’t write your story. Your job is to serve”, it became a turning point in his life. How does the idea of entitlement: “ I deserve, I deserve, I deserve” fight against the mentality of “I’m here to serve”?
5. Read and discuss 1 Peter 5:6-10
6. How can we practically improve/grow in our patience? Are the things around us helping us or hurting us in that pursuit?

Dan is the Campus Leader for Southland’s Georgetown campus. Scott and Dan talk about learning to be fully present with those around us.

Group Questions:

1. When you ask people how they are doing, how do people typically respond?
2. Do you tend to value tasks and projects too highly? Do you tend to validate “being busy” as a good thing?
3. Do you shrug off personal time with Jesus because you are too busy?
   1. What types of friendships do you have (lifelong, surface level, seasonal, etc)?
   2. Is this something you see men struggling with?
4. Are you “friend-poor and acquaintance-rich” as Dan put it?
5. What do good, healthy, deep friendships look like?
6. Are you really known well? Do you actually know anyone else really well?
7. Read Galatians 4:8-9. How should being known by God affect us?
8. Do you attach your value to job success, children’s involvement, or other external factors?
9. How can you be more present with your wife, your kids, and with your friends this week?