The bedrock of our growth and improvement is in the SPIRITUAL arena.

In order to become what God has called us to be, we must know God intimately. The only way to do this is to spend time with Him. One way this manifests in our lives by reading the Bible daily and meditating on its applications, so that we can know God’s heart and desires for us

• Joshua 1:8: “This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it.”

• Hebrews 4:12: “For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.”

Another way we grow spiritually is to memorize scripture so that when we are confronted with challenges, temptations and fears; we can easily call to mind God’s promises that will guide us through even the most difficult of times

• Psalms 119:11: “I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you.”

A final way we grow spiritually in Fight Club is to spend time in prayer. In the physical world, the way we get to know people is to talk with them, and the more we talk, the deeper the relationship and connection grows. The same is true spiritually. In order to know God deeply, we must spend time talking with Him. He wants us to share our joys and our struggles, our highs and lows, our successes and failures, but He also wants to speak into our lives because it is a two-way relationship.

• Psalm 17:6: “I call on you, my God, for you will answer me; turn your ear to me and hear my prayer.”

• Philipians 4:6: “Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.”

Fight Club will challenge you to work on each aspect of your SPIRITUAL life over the ten weeks so that you can better know God and His plans for your life

The second pillar focuses on how we RELATE to other people.

We are commanded to live our lives in such a way that we draw others into relationship with Christ through how we live and interact with them

• Matthew 28:19-20: “Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”

In order to accomplish this, we have to work on building deep connections with those in our lives contrary to the shallow relationships advocated by our culture.

• Matthew 10:18: “On my account you will be brought before governors and kings as witnesses to them and to the Gentiles.”

In Fight Club you will work on developing deeper relationships within your family so that we can be the spiritual leaders for those closest to us.

• Ephesians 5:33: “...each one of you also must love his wife as he loves himself.”

You will also be challenged to become vulnerable with other Christian men in your accountability triads about your trials, struggles and triumphs so that you can develop a strong support network that will walk with you through all of the seasons of live and help you stay the course.

• Proverbs 27:17: “As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another.”

You will also be challenged to reconnect with people who have hurt you or you have hurt as well as reactivating relationship that you may have just let drift away so that you can reflect Christ to those that have been put in your life.

• Acts 1:8: “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”

Finally, you will have the option to continue meeting with Fight Club participants between rounds because we know that we are called to live a life that shows God’s love and invitation to new life in Him all the time and want you to feel supported in that

• Hebrews 10:24-25: “And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.”

The third pillar is that of the MIND.

In Fight Club we focus on training our minds for spiritual battle because we know that as children of God, we are under constant attack in this world. The Bible commands us to focus our thoughts on the spiritual which ultimately lead to action so that we are in the right mindset to fend off the enemy.

• Colossians 3:2: “Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things.”

The mental pillar allows us to bring together the teachings of the spiritual pillar and the connections formed under the relational pillar so that we can accomplish the work God has assigned us during our time on Earth as witnesses and examples.

• 1 Peter 1:13: “Therefore, with minds that are alert and fully sober, set your hope on the grace to be brought to you when Jesus Christ is revealed at his coming.”

We have weekly readings from books by Christian authors that focus on aspects of male life and behaviors that we all struggle with and these readings show us various ways to change how we think in our lives so that we may be better representatives of God’s love to others.

• 1 Corinthians 10:13: “No temptation has overtaken you which is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it.”

• Romans 12:2: “Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.”

We also fast and pray over our thoughts and actions, as well as contemplating the meanings of the scriptures and books we read through journaling and assignments that put the readings into action.

The final pillar is that of the BODY.

In this, we focus on the earthly vessel that God has given us to worship Him

• 1 Corinthians 6:19-20: “Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your bodies.”

We are charged with mastering our bodies as this is a sign that we belong to Christ and that we have died to our old ways.

• Romans 6:6-7: “For we know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body ruled by sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves to sin—because anyone who has died has been set free from sin.”

We may need to work on various physical aspects of our bodies such as what we put in our bodies, how we treat our bodies and how we use our bodies. In Fight Club you will be challenged weekly to improve your nutrition, eliminate those things that damage our bodies, and work to reshape your body to be a tool for God’s Kingdom.

• Romans 7:4: “So, my brothers and sisters, you also died to the law through the body of Christ, that you might belong to another, to him who was raised from the dead, in order that we might bear fruit for God.”