Are you living with the end in mind, and how does your view of eternity shape the way you live today?

• Sacred Ground as a Mental and Physical Space: Robert Lewis introduces the concept of “sacred ground”—a moment or place, whether physical or internal, where we reflect deeply on what matters most. These encounters can reorient our lives, helping us clarify what is truly worth living and dying for.

• Orientation Determines Destination: Using the metaphor of an "adventurer's wiring," Lewis maps a man’s life from birth to death and eternity. Right orientation—knowing where you are going and aligning your present with that end—is essential for a meaningful life.

• The Power of Contemplating the End: Lewis urges men to regularly reflect on death and eternity—not as a morbid exercise, but as a life-shaping habit. This contemplation leads to better decisions, deeper satisfaction, and a clearer sense of purpose.

• Two Competing Worldviews: He contrasts the traditional religious worldview (which affirms divine origin, design, eternity, and ultimate meaning) with secular scientism (which views life as a random accident with no ultimate purpose). Every person lives according to one of these views, consciously or not.

• Peripheral Vision and Metaphysics: Just as athletes rely on peripheral vision, men need “metaphysical vision”—the ability to see the bigger picture beyond the immediate. This vision shapes our everyday choices and values.

• Four Views of the End:

  1. Dead End – Life ends with death, nothing follows.

  2. Blind Optimism – “Everything will be okay” without reason or clarity.

  3. Good Enough – Based on self-evaluation and comparison to others.

  4. I Need Help – Recognizes the need for grace and divine help—this is where Christianity uniquely speaks.

• Why the Christian Vision of the End Matters: Contrary to caricatures of heaven as boring or irrelevant, Lewis teases that the Bible offers a compelling vision of eternity—one worth exploring deeply in coming weeks. Christianity uniquely answers the human longing for meaning, justice, and hope beyond the grave.

• 2 Corinthians 4:18 – “...the things which are seen are temporal, but the things which are not seen are eternal.”

• Ecclesiastes 3:11 – “He has also set eternity in the human heart...”

• 1 Corinthians 15:32 – “Let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we die.” (Referenced indirectly through Paul's quote)

How does a man make wise, lasting decisions in the chaos of life—and what role does his unique wiring play in creating a meaningful legacy?

• Life Feels Like Air Traffic Control. With so many pressures, obligations, and decisions swirling around, it’s easy for a man to lose his way. Wise living depends on good "wiring."

• Wiring = How You're Made + What You've Lived + Where You're Headed. Robert Lewis presents a model where your design, past experiences, present convictions and problems, and future vision all feed into how you navigate life.

• Your Design Matters. Every man is uniquely made with talents, abilities, motivations, and God-given strengths (Psalm 139:14). Knowing your design helps you find energy and fulfillment in your pursuits.

• The Past Always Carries Over.

  • Positives (e.g., strong family, success, faith) can empower your present.

  • Negatives (e.g., wounds, broken relationships, shame) act like hidden cancers if unaddressed. Until past wounds are faced and healed, they will sabotage your current pursuits.

• Convictions Anchor You. Many men lack real convictions. True convictions aren’t just beliefs—they’re values you live by and can prove with your actions. Without convictions, men drift.

• Problems Are Destabilizers. The big four: marriage, children, job, and money. If unaddressed, these problems quietly wreck your wiring and pull you off course. Facing them honestly is part of godly manhood.

• Future Vision Pulls You Forward. Knowing where you’re going—your dreams and God’s purposes—keeps you moving with clarity. Most men lack defined dreams or plans and get lost in the fog of routine.

• Legacy and Destiny Matter. Life isn’t just about success—it’s about legacy and eternity. What happens when you die? Your answer to that shapes how you live today.

• Self-Evaluation is Key. Robert offers a "circuit tester" exercise: Evaluate each aspect of your wiring (design, past, convictions, etc.) and label it with a "+" (healthy) or "–" (unhealthy). Where you see a negative, that’s where your next life adventure must begin.

• The Goal is Full-Life Manhood. One path leads to a dead-end half-life manhood: pressured, lost, isolated. The other leads to life-giving adventure: healed, purposed, future-facing.

• Psalm 139:14 – “I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made…” (Affirms God’s intentional design in every person.)

• Proverbs 15:22 – “Plans fail for lack of counsel, but with many advisers they succeed.” (Wise men seek help.)

• Ecclesiastes 12:1, 7 – "Remember your Creator… the spirit returns to God." (Life is short. Eternity is real.)

• Ecclesiastes 2:24; 3:11; 5:18; 9:9 – Various calls to enjoy life as a gift, yet live with eternity in view.

• John 10:10 – “I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.” (True life comes through Christ.)

What does it take to make a life, not just a living—and how do I re-engage when life starts to feel flat, numb, or overly burdened?

• Anyone can make a living—but it takes adventure to make a life. Many men settle into half-life manhood: successful but unsatisfied, responsible but restless.

• Four core life adventures define whole-life manhood:

  1. Family Adventure – Reproducing life in your children through intentional, hands-on fatherhood that shapes their character and future.

  2. Noble Cause Adventure – Fighting for something bigger than yourself that contributes to others’ lives, moving from mere success to significance.

  3. Man-Size Adventure – Making space for fun and rejuvenating experiences; planning for joy and making memories that sustain you.

  4. Spiritual Adventure – Experiencing a relationship with God that brings eternal perspective, peace, and purpose.

• Time for a "timeout": This session was intentionally a pause to reflect, process, and realign with the journey so far. Life is like mountain climbing—you need rest stops.

• Tension is a gift. The restlessness many feel isn’t something to run from—it’s a signpost, revealing areas of needed growth or change.

• Fun must be reinvented. Especially as men age, meaningful recreation becomes something you must plan and pursue with intentionality.

• Finding your unique design matters. Robert introduces a future exercise (led by Bill Wellons) to help men discover what makes them come alive and how they’re wired to thrive.

• Work is a means, not the end. Work should serve your life’s adventures—not be the thing that swallows them whole.

• It's okay to need change. For some, that may mean adjusting work roles; for others, it might require the bold step of changing jobs entirely.

• For younger men: Be realistic, pursue wise mentors, and take God seriously. Avoid chasing a dream version of manhood that leads to burnout or boredom.

• Not religion—relationship. Robert clarifies he’s not pushing religious tradition, but offering the Bible’s wisdom and the reality of a spiritual life with God.

• Genesis 1:28 – The foundational call to be fruitful, multiply, and subdue the earth, revealing God’s original design for man’s adventures.

• Ecclesiastes 3:11 – God has set eternity in the human heart.

• Ecclesiastes 2:24, 5:18, 9:9 – Emphasize enjoying one’s work and life as gifts from God.

• Third John 1:4 – “I have no greater joy than to hear that my children are walking in the truth.”

• John 10:10 – Jesus promises life, and life abundantly.

• Augustine (quoted): “There is a God-shaped vacuum in every human heart that can only be filled by God.”

Guiding Question: What if your life as a man could be more than responsibilities and routines—what if it could be a great adventure, full of purpose, meaning, and joy?

• Responsibility Alone Will Drain You Robert Lewis warns that when a man's life becomes nothing more than duties—family, work, obligations—he becomes exhausted emotionally, spiritually, and mentally. Anger, sadness, or fear often creep in when adventure and passion are absent.

• Men Need More Than Survival—They Need Purpose Real manhood isn’t just about showing up; it's about showing up with vision. Men were never meant to just survive life but to live it with mission, balance, and joy.

• The Great Adventure = Purpose + Fit + Destiny Every man should strive to find a life that:

  • Aligns with a sense of calling (purpose),

  • Matches his personal design (fit),

  • Builds toward a meaningful impact (destiny).

• Three Core Adventures for Every Man Drawing from Genesis 1:28–30, Lewis outlines God's original commission to men as the basis for a threefold adventure:

  1. The Family Adventure – Engaging hands-on to shape a virtuous next generation.

  2. The Noble Cause Adventure – Fighting for something bigger than yourself that benefits others.

  3. The Man-Sized Adventure – Having fun, taking risks, and doing things that make you come alive.

• Self-Discovery is Critical in a World of Options In today's culture of endless career paths and distractions, men must become pioneers of their inner world. This means asking: Who am I? Why am I here? Where am I going?

• Culture Offers Confusion; God Offers Clarity While modern culture defines men by performance, pleasure, or possessions, Scripture roots manhood in being:

  • Created by God – I am not random; I am a man made on purpose.

  • Commissioned by God – I am called to live fruitfully and with impact.

  • Accountable to God – I will one day answer to Him for how I lived.

• Your Job Should Serve Your Life, Not Define It Work is meant to be a means to the adventure—not the entirety of it. If your career is crushing your sense of family, passion, and mission, something’s off.

• To Find Life, You Must Risk Something Real adventure will always require courage—facing fears, asking hard questions, making bold choices, and sometimes breaking from the norm.

• Genesis 1:28–30 – “Be fruitful and multiply…subdue the earth…enjoy all I have given.” (The foundational mandate for manhood—reproduction, contribution, enjoyment.)

• Ecclesiastes 12:7 – “The body returns to the earth… the spirit returns to God who gave it.” (We are spiritual beings accountable to our Creator.)

• 2 Corinthians 5:10 – “We must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ…” (Each life is headed toward a divine evaluation.)

• 3 John 1:4 – “I have no greater joy than to hear that my children are walking in the truth.” (A father’s greatest joy is seeing his legacy live on.)

• Deuteronomy 30:19 – “Choose life so that you may live…” (Life is a series of choices with eternal consequence.)

• Men’s Fraternity is a Journey of Rediscovery Robert Lewis frames this session as the start of a meaningful journey for men to uncover their true identity, understand their design, and live with purpose. This is not just a Bible study—it’s a bold initiative to challenge passivity and embrace courageous manhood.

• Three-Year Structure of Men's Fraternity:

  • Year 1: The Quest for Authentic Manhood – Focused on core identity and rejecting passivity.

  • Year 2: A Man at Work and at Home – Emphasizes responsibility in vocation and relationships.

  • Year 3: The Great Adventure – Invites men to step into their destiny and lead courageously.

• Men are Often Disconnected Many men are drifting—successful on the outside but unclear on the inside. They lack spaces to be real and honest about their struggles, dreams, and fears. Men’s Fraternity offers a safe, supportive environment to change that.

• Rediscovering the Spirit of Adventure Somewhere along life’s path, many men lose their sense of adventure. Responsibilities pile up, passions fade, and life becomes maintenance rather than mission. This year’s focus aims to reignite that inner fire and clarify life’s direction.

• Masculinity Must Be Defined and Lived Intentionally Without a clear, compelling definition of manhood, men default to culture’s confusion or retreat into passivity. Lewis emphasizes the need to establish personal mission, reflect on one’s design, and step forward with conviction.

• Life is a Choice—Choose Adventure Men can either live managed by circumstances or step into life with intention. This means rethinking careers, risks, passions, and even how we approach aging. The goal: to finish life satisfied, with a sense of "mission accomplished."

• Genesis 1:28 – “Be fruitful and multiply…subdue the earth.” (God’s original mandate to Adam was adventurous and expansive.)

• John 10:10 – “I have come that they may have life, and have it more abundantly.” (Jesus invites men into a full, flourishing life.)

• Psalm 90:12-14 – “Teach us to number our days…that we may present to You a heart of wisdom…that we may sing for joy and be glad all our days.” (A call to live with purpose, joy, and reflection.)

• Ephesians 5:15-16 – “Be careful how you walk…making the most of your time.” (An urging to live wisely and not waste life’s opportunity.)

• Deuteronomy 30:19 – “Choose life so that you may live…” (Life and death are choices—men must decide how they’ll live.)

• Genesis 25:8 – “Abraham died…satisfied with life.” (A beautiful picture of finishing life well, having lived a full adventure.)

Guiding Question: What is a husband really called to be—and how does a man step into that role with confidence and clarity?

Summary

Description: Robert Lewis delivers a deeply practical and inspiring message on biblical manhood and marriage, focusing on Ephesians 5:22–33. Speaking directly to married men—but also with applications for single men and parents—Lewis explains what it means to be the “head” in a marriage. Far from a model of dominance or superiority, biblical headship is a call to Christ-like leadership through love, guidance, and provision.

He highlights three essential roles every husband must embrace: being a lover, a standard bearer, and a provider. Each role is unpacked with vivid illustrations, cultural observations, and personal reflections. Lewis also explains the modern confusion around headship and submission and offers a redemptive vision for how those principles create health and strength in marriage.

Lewis appeals especially to men to gain direction—not domination—and calls fathers to pass this vision on to their sons. He ends with practical steps for husbands to engage their wives more deeply, starting with discovering their love language.

Outline:

1. The Challenge of Modern Headship – Cultural confusion, resistance to submission, and the loss of clear direction.

2. Setting the Context – Marriage as a sacred calling for men; not superiority, but responsibility.

3. Perspective Check:

   • Men need clear direction to thrive.

   • Headship in Scripture is modeled after Christ, not power.

   • Submission is space for responsibility, not oppression.

   • Neglectful husbands push wives into damaging fallback roles.

4. Three Best Practices for Husbands:

   • Lover – Show your heart, connect emotionally, learn your wife’s love language.

   • Standard Bearer – Hold up God’s Word, protect the home morally and spiritually.

   • Provider – Enable your wife to become all God intended, including financial provision where possible.

5. Why Respect Comes Last – True respect from a wife is earned through a husband’s consistent, sacrificial love.

6. Sociological Backing – Contemporary studies support biblical principles for husband roles in happiness and stability.

7. Applications:

   • Fathers teaching sons.

   • Single men embracing these roles as preparation.

   • Married men identifying their weakest area and taking steps to grow.

Key Takeaways

• Biblical headship is about responsibility, not rights—modeled after Christ, not culture.

• A husband must actively love, lead, and provide for his wife to foster a healthy and joyful marriage.

• Emotional connection is vital; husbands must learn and act on their wife’s love language.

• Leading spiritually means holding up the Word as a guide and guard for the home.

• Providing includes enabling a wife’s calling—financially and otherwise.

• Respect from a wife is the fruit of a man’s sacrificial, consistent love.

• These roles must be taught to young men early; most flounder without vision.

Scriptural References

• Ephesians 5:22–33 – Roles of husbands and wives in marriage.

• Genesis 2:24 – “Leave and cleave” foundation for marriage.

• Genesis 3:1–6 – Adam’s failure to lead as standard bearer.

• Proverbs 29:18 – “Without vision, the people perish.”

• 1 Peter 3:7 – Husbands live with their wives in an understanding way.

Recorded 3/4/07

Guiding Question: What does it mean to truly follow Jesus—not just by coming to church, but by going out into the world as His representatives?

Summary

Description: In this bold and energizing message, Robert Lewis challenges believers to rethink their understanding of the Christian life. Drawing from Genesis 12 and Matthew 28, Lewis identifies a single word—“Go”—as the defining call of both Israel and the Church. The Christian life isn’t about endlessly attending services; it’s about being sent out, equipped to make disciples and bless others.

Lewis unpacks three key ingredients for “go living”: conviction (believing this is the best way to live), finding a personal fit (discovering how you are uniquely wired to serve), and being equipped (having the confidence to effectively help others). Through stories of real people—like a man leading Men's Fraternity in Iraq and a car dealer starting spiritual conversations at work—he illustrates how “going” leads to the most vibrant, Spirit-filled Christian life.

He also casts vision for how the church might release everyday believers to be local missionaries, start “mini-churches,” or lead high-impact equipping sessions using trusted resources. The message is both a wake-up call and a blueprint for turning passive attenders into active ambassadors for Christ.

Outline:

1. The Problem of Passive Christianity – Too many believers repeat basic training without engaging the mission.

2. The “Go” Command – Genesis 12 and Matthew 28 as pivotal moments in redemptive history.

3. Three Essentials for Going:

   • Be convinced it’s the best way to live.

   • Find your personal fit.

   • Get equipped to make a real impact.

4. Modern Examples of “Go People” – Personal stories of mission in Iraq, local businesses, and church members.

5. Jesus' Catch-and-Release Model – Discipleship was never meant to be stagnant.

6. Vision for a “Go Church” – Dreaming of house churches, equipping ministries, and spiritual entrepreneurship.

7. Practical Models for Going:

   • High-touch mini churches.

   • High-interest equipping.

   • High-impact family training.

8. Conclusion & Prayer – Asking God to make Fellowship a church of movement, not maintenance.

Key Takeaways

• The call to “go” is foundational to both Old and New Testament faithfulness.

• Many believers feel spiritually bored or disconnected because they’ve stopped moving outward.

• Going isn’t just about missions; it’s about finding your fit and serving in meaningful, everyday ways.

• Real spiritual growth and experiences of God’s power happen most often on the “front lines.”

• The church must shift from being event-driven to being mission-driven.

• You don’t have to be a preacher—just a willing participant with a passion to reach others.

Scriptural References

• Genesis 12:1–3 – God’s call to Abraham: “Go…and you will be a blessing.”

• Matthew 28:18–20 – The Great Commission: “Go and make disciples…”

• Titus 2:14 – God redeems us to be “zealous for good deeds.”

• John 10:10 – Life to the full comes through following Jesus actively.

• 2 Corinthians 5:20 – We are Christ’s ambassadors.

Recorded 3/19/06

Guiding Question: What does it really mean to experience the Shepherd’s care in our lives—and how do we follow Him to the high ground of faith?

Summary

Description: Robert Lewis unpacks Psalm 23:5 in this deeply reflective and encouraging message, helping believers understand how God’s care is both profoundly personal and powerfully transformative. This message explores the imagery of the Shepherd preparing a table, anointing with oil, and filling the cup to overflowing—each symbolizing how God provides, heals, and blesses His people.

Lewis begins by reminding the congregation that biblical belief is inseparable from action—true belief means following. With humor and honesty, he describes how failing to follow leads to isolation and trouble. He then dives into the three word pictures in Psalm 23:5: the table, representing the Shepherd’s advance preparation; the oil, symbolizing healing through the Holy Spirit; and the cup, representing a life overflowing with God’s presence and provision.

The message is rich with applications, including stories of healing from conflict and emotional wounds. One particularly powerful example involves a pastor reconciling with his aging father—a real-life picture of how the Shepherd’s care restores brokenness.

Outline:

1. Intro & Psalm Recitation – Congregational reading of Psalm 23 to frame the message.

2. The Psalm’s Two Big Themes – Following and experiencing “better.”

3. Defining Biblical Belief – Belief equals following; passive faith is unbiblical.

4. Three Word Pictures in Psalm 23:5:

   • The Table – God's provision prepared in advance, like lush tablelands for sheep.

   • The Oil – Healing for irritations and infections; symbolic of the Holy Spirit.

   • The Cup – A life that overflows with God’s presence, peace, and hope.

5. Personal and Pastoral Stories – Including the Civil War letter from Robert’s family, illustrating God’s care even in death.

6. Practical Application – Believe in God's preparation and keep applying the Spirit's "oil" through surrender and listening.

Key Takeaways

• Biblical belief always leads to action—it means following Jesus as Shepherd.

• God's care is active, intentional, and preemptive; He prepares “tablelands” for our good.

• The Holy Spirit is our healing oil, bringing peace amid irritations and freedom from infections like unresolved conflict or unrepentant sin.

• When we follow, our lives overflow with spiritual abundance, even in hardship.

• Yielding to God through quiet, honest reflection is the pathway to ongoing spiritual vitality.

• The Shepherd’s care reaches all the way to eternity—our future home is already being prepared.

Scriptural References

• Psalm 23:5 – “You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies…”

• John 10:10 – Jesus came to give life “more abundantly.”

• John 14:2–3 – Jesus prepares a place for His followers.

• Ephesians 2:10 – God has prepared good works in advance for us.

• Revelation 19:9 – The marriage supper of the Lamb.

• 2 Corinthians 1:21–22 – Anointing and sealing by the Holy Spirit.

• Romans 8:14 – Led by the Spirit of God.

Recorded 6/5/05