Warrior Culture

Every human deals with three universal truths apart from Jesus: (1) nothing will satisfy you, (2) you will die, and (3) you won’t be remembered. However depressing it is, Jesus rescues us from this and allows us to make an impact-based legacy instead of a name-based legacy. DISCIPLESHIP DEBRIEF: Take a trip to a local graveyard and read several epitaphs on the tombstones. Then, during that week, create your own epitaph. Write out how you want to be remembered – your last message to the world. This will springboard next week’s conversation.

We all suffer. But we rarely understand why. Which hurts us. To know that God isn’t chiefly committed to our ease, but His glory unlocks a whole new way of living in this broken world. He uses our scars to display His goodness. DISCIPLESHIP DEBRIEF: Share times of distress/suffering in life, asking each other, “Do you think God had anything to do with that? If so, in what way?”

The most effective warriors of the King should be the sons (or disciples) of the King’s current warriors. This is the beauty of discipleship, of passing down fortified manhood. It is the greatest of honors to serve the King; and it is the dearest of responsibilities to pass that task down, generation by generation. DISCIPLESHIP DEBRIEF: (1) For the teen, what pressure do you feel in your home/society to become a true man of God? Once you’ve discussed this, come back in a few days for #2. (2) For the Dad/Discipler, bring a list of things you deal with on a weekly basis. Begin to talk through these items, one by one. Be honest and real, fielding questions, connecting as much as you can to Scripture and the gospel.

You are not a man of heaven if you fail to fortify your local church here on earth. Church isn’t a sissy sport. It’s demonic combat. It’s infiltration of enemy territory. And if men aren’t laying themselves down to fortify it, that body of believers is exposed to danger. DISCIPLESHIP DEBRIEF: Create a strategy to fortify a part of your local church, to meet a need, to make something - *anything* - stronger. Be sure the need aligns with your gifting. Lacking ideas? Ask the pastor, or elders, or key ministry leaders.

Although having a wifey is years away (or the gift of singleness is given to you by the Lord), the prep starts now. Admittedly, the training is intense. The Warrior-Cultured man fortifies his bride with himself, discarding “me-first” desires to best serve her, all the while following Jesus down the “thorn-ridden” trail. DISCIPLESHIP DEBRIEF: (1) List out some attributes you want to see if your future wife. Why these? (2) Talk through what y’all think *she* desires in her future husband. (3) Make connections, especially how these attributes require the husband to spend himself on her.

Warrior-Cultured men fortify (or build up) the friends around them into a new level of friends: brother-friends. This often starts by becoming one yourself. It’s necessary for wield such friends, as Satan preys on isolated men. We must fight for each other, for the battle, though easily underestimated, is real. DISCIPLESHIP DEBRIEF: Share and discuss stories of your life involving bullies. What are the details? Was it you bullied or a friend, and what happened? Did you stand up or not, and why?

What if today’s Christians kept the ferocity, aggression, and offense of the Vikings, but instead of lopping off the heads of people with glistening axes, they gutsily spent themselves for the betterment of others, sacrificing all they are for the King, uncaring of the personal costs? Whoa. Dream with me. DISCIPLESHIP DEBRIEF: Talk through your gifts together, found in these four places in the New Testament: Romans 12:3-8, 1 Corinthians 12:4-11, 27-31, Ephesians 4:7-13, and 1 Pet 4:10-11. Finally, talk through how to apply them with passion right now, in this season of life.

What is your purpose? It’s a question we all must ask. Thankfully, we don’t just make it up. Our purpose is linked to Christ’s purpose – which is to elevate His glory by redeeming people. We join Him there, with our Creed and Conduct, to both declare and demonstrate how awesome Jesus is. DISCIPLESHIP DEBRIEF: When something wrong takes place at school this week, the challenge is to stay on the side of right. Report the incident to your Dad/Discipler. Did you succeed or fail? What were the details? Does that sort of life shine light to others, and in what way?

With culture mounting to derail your faith, what is your stability? With a busy devil prowling to devour you, where is your stake in the ground? If it’s in anything else but the Bible you will stray off-course, become dull, and forsake fortified manhood. Welcome to the fight of daily, habitual Bible study. DISCIPLESHIP DEBRIEF: Study 2 Timothy 3:16-17 together. (1) Does the fact Scripture is “breathed out by God” separate it from all other literature? (2) What are the four things Scripture is used for, and what’s the significance of each? (3) If the Bible “completes” us, what happens when we ignore it?

What is the *culture* of Warrior Culture? Ah, it is a culture of grace – where sinful screw-ups are accepted and celebrated. This is what Jesus established offers us. And it is the foundation of fortified manhood. DISCIPLESHIP DEBRIEF: Each share a story concerning something dumb and sinful you once did, then “pick it apart,” exposing the folly of it. End in prayer, receiving Jesus’s grace and forgiveness.

Warrior Culture starts with the True Warrior – Jesus. But why have we failed to view Him as such? He conquered Satan, Death, and us…that’s kinda a big deal! Jesus now radiates His culture through us in order to elevate His glory. DISCIPLESHIP DEBRIEF: Watch the movie Braveheart together, afterwards have a quick discussion. (1) What makes Wallace such a good warrior? (2) What would the culture have felt like to be around him? (3) In what ways does Wallace (imperfectly) point to Jesus?

The most important thing about a boy is his culture. Is it posturing him towards a fortified manhood? Is it answering his soul-deep questions? Or is it leaving him alone and guessing about all things masculine? DISCIPLESHIP DEBRIEF: (1) Write down three adjectives (each with an explanation) describing your household culture growing up. (2) Write down three adjectives (each with an explanation) describing what you *wish* described your household culture growing up. (3) Observe the two lists, the six words, and make some connections. Then start a dialogue with your Dad/Discipler over the matter.