“In February of 1980 my father passed away. I was just in the 5th grade. The next summer I was sitting in my living room floor with my aunt and her preacher. That summer day I was led to Jesus Christ and saved. I started attending her church as a new very young christian. I was baptized and became a member of the church. After all this the church gave me a pamphlet called “What Baptist Believe and Why They Believe It”. That was it. I was left to study and walk on my own it seemed like. My father was gone and could not help me. There was not a father figure in my life I essentially had to grow up and be the man of my home for my mom and little sister. Now after three failed marriages, several hardships, and many years later I was introduced to my current church home, great men, and the Fire Team concept and more great men. The Fire Team studies and gatherings have really helped me grow to become a better Christian and better man. The studies have helped me fill the information void that I was lacking and have certainly taught me how to get closer, understand, and follow Jesus. Now I know who I am and what I have to do to deal with the daily battles within me. I just have to be “willing” and Jesus will take it from there. Thank you very much Tim for all the information, study material, and the time you have put into this. God bless you and everyone involved.”
“These men have been a blessing to be around. God always reveals something to us when we are together. It has definitely been life changing to me. I can tell a difference in my thought processes, my decision-making, and my personal relationships at home and abroad. It has definitely strengthened my relationship with HIM and made me more passionate about my walk!”
“I feel very blessed to be involved with a group of men with whom I can share my innermost thoughts and concerns as it relates to my life and my walk with Jesus. As I’ve stated many times, I spent years trying to do all of this my way – that doesn’t work. In 1624 John Donne said, “No man is an island.” There is no truer statement. We need others to help us. Others who know and understand our strengths and weaknesses, other who will share in our successes and who will lift us up when we fail. To some small degree, I was moving on a parallel path to the path God wanted me on for years, but I was not ON the path. Fellowship with a Fire Team helps me to stay ON the path. Being in a group like this is a meaningful step to becoming the kind of leader my family needs me to be.”
“What an impact God has had on my life through my Fire Team and the I4 personal growth plan. I have learned being a man of God is not living under a set of rules or about working for Him in order to get to heaven. It’s about having a real relationship with a real person Jesus Christ!”
“What I’ve gotten out of the Fire Team to date is accountability, confidence, motivation, affirmation and fellowship with other men that I respect. I think a real key though is not what I’ve gotten out of the experience, but what my family has gotten as a result. I find myself being more confident to take on a leadership role in many aspects around the house. By taking the time to read and study daily (or almost daily) I’m also giving confidence to my wife that she can trust me as a spiritual leader.”
“Tim this adventure has been just that – an adventure. I’m thankful for the guys in my Fire Team and have already seen the fruit of pursuing HIM. Also I think it’s safe to say that the enemy is trying his best to get us off track. I’m as busy as ever and still trying to be the best husband, dad, son, baseball coach, etc. I can be. With that there’s always going to be the opportunity to let up and with good reason. What’s different now though is that I don’t want to let up. If God is as important to me as I say He is, then why wouldn’t I want to pursue HIM and what His word teaches with all the energy I have? Please share the story again about doing 4-5 things to guarantee success at work and that we’d all have those done before noon… what an eye opener.”
“In short, the Fire Team has helped me be accountable to myself, my brothers in Christ, and more importantly to God. It wasn’t until listening to my pastor talking about trying to go solo that I realized how important Fire Teams are 1. Our theology goes bad because there is no one to correct you 2. Our attitude will go bad because there is no one to keep you accountable and 3. Our emotions grow cold because there is no one to love us or for us to love sacrificially. It takes a lot to get out of bed in the morning after a long week and meet with guys to tell them what you’re doing right or wrong. I think of the scripture in Eph 4:27 that says, “and do not give the devil a foothold.” Having brothers in Christ helps keep us from falling into the devils’ trap.”
“This is an adventure into Christian Brotherhood. Discernment and wisdom through biblical understanding, along with creating a safe harbor for accountability and “true” friendship is the perfect strategy for becoming a man after GOD’s heart. I can see now how Paul and Silas grew in friendship as they sought the LORD during their dangerous mission trips, and why David and Jonathan made a covenant of loyalty to one another. This is just such an adventure! “Finding the way” to get closer to “HIM” during the heat of everyday life with the help of my brothers who let me lean on them when the going gets tough, but who love me enough to lean on me when I’m not tough enough! If David and Paul needed other men to help them understand GOD’s will for “their” lives, then why wouldn’t we? My “FIRE TEAM” makes me strong for the battle and patches me up when I’m wounded. I feel much more confident in the fight, they always remind me that it’s not about me – “its’ all about HIM!”