Why study your faith in a group?
Disclaimer: F3 is open to all faiths. Although the following refers to studying the Bible, the overarching point, is that every man should gather to invigorate their faith in something outside themself.
Before 2012 I had never attended a Bible study. As a child I rarely went to Sunday school, although I did sing in the choir for years – anything not to have to go to Sunday school – after all, the other kids in Sunday school knew a lot more than me about anything in the Bible. I also attended an Episcopal school where we had chapel every day and Reverend Burke would tell us stories. The ones I remember most were about when he attended the World Series. He probably shared some Bible stories but none of those stuck with me as much as anything he said about sports.
Enough of that, bottom line, I had not picked up a Bible to see what was there until 2012. I owe it to being busy with kids, work, wife, me – you all know the deal – I was an undiagnosed “Sad Clown”. Let me jump to what put the shock paddles on me and sent me into studying the Bible. Divorce! That is not the subject of this, but it is the turning point in my life for my faith. I do not wish any such thing on anyone, and I know there are other “shock paddle” incidents out there that upend our lives. But as part of my recovery, God led me back to Church to where a group of men were studying the Bible.