1. Men on Fire Encounter Retreat

2. Aparecida Document 2007
Encounter
Community
Formation
Mission

3. The Good Man Club

4. He died to make dead men live.
Jesus did not
die to make
bad men good.
He died to make dead men live.

5. Into the Breach A Pastoral Letter to the Men of Phoenix Thomas J
Into the Breach A Pastoral Letter to the Men of Phoenix Thomas J. Olmsted Bishop of Phoenix

6. Conversations Where God is taking us vs. where the world is going
We owe the world an encounter with Jesus
I can’t do this by my own strength
I am wholly reliant on the Holy Spirit

7. The Culture of Death
The world is going to hell.
Do I need to say more?

8. Alexander Fraser Tytler, Lord Woodhouselee (d 1813)
- Judge, Professor and Historian:
Republics & Democracies
begin with social virtue,
which leads to prosperity.
Pride, selfishness and apathy
set in, leading to social
degradation & tyranny
Spiritual Faith
Courage
Liberty
Abundance
Selfishness
Apathy
Dependency
Bondage
Bondage persists
until and if
spiritual faith is
painfully
reawakened
“The Tytler Cycle”
1943
©City of the Lord, 2015

9. Lord of the Rings
Frodo: I wish this Responsibility had never come to me. I wish none of this had happened.
Gandalf: So do all who live to see such times. But that is not what is theirs to decide. All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given to us. There are other forces at work in this world besides the will of evil.

10. Regarding the Tytler Cycle:
1. What does it look like when a man believes in God, but he lives his life as if God doesn’t matter?
Regarding the Tytler Cycle:
Ascending: spiritual faith, courage, liberty, abundance
Descending: selfishness, apathy, dependency, bondage
2. Where are we on this cycle and what is your level of hope that things can improve soon?
Frodo and Gandalf
3. Discuss: All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given to us.
15 minutes.

11. Is this all Jesus had in mind for us?
I’m a good man.
I never killed anyone.
I never robbed a bank.
I hardly ever get drunk.
I go to church.
I pay my taxes.
I vote.
I get along with my neighbors.
I work an honest day.
I remember my wife’s birthday.
I go to my kid’s soccer game.
Is this all Jesus had in mind for us?
Do good. Get good. Do bad. Get bad.

12. The Church of Fine
How are you? Fine
How’s the wife? Fine
How are the kids doing? Fine
How’s the job going? Fine
How’s your walk with the LORD?
For many men, life and church have
become a matter of keeping the rules
and keeping our heads down.

13. There must be more than this!

14. Jesus is the only Savior of the world.
The Rich Young Ruler
Jesus is the only Savior of the world.

15. The risk is bigger, but so is the reward.
You have heard it said…
…but I say to you…
Jesus upped the ante
In poker, an ante is a forced bet that all players must risk.
Upping the ante simply means to raise stakes.
The risk is bigger, but so is the reward.

16. From Pope Francis Homily from October 11, 2015
The Rich Young Ruler

17. Jesus is the only Savior of the world.
The Bottom line is this:
The rich young man asked, “What must I do to be saved?”
It’s not about us. It’s about Jesus. We can’t save ourselves.
Jesus is the only Savior of the world.

18. Instead of seeming to impose new obligations...
...ministers of the new evangelization should appear as people who wish to share their joy, who point to a horizon of beauty, and who invite others to a delicious banquet. 12/2016

19. Fact:
Some men are better than other men.
In this room…
…some men are better than other men.

20. Discuss:
Can I be good enough to save myself?
Am I trying to be good enough for God to save me?
Is there such a thing as good enough?
10 minutes.

21. You foolish Galatians!

22. Pope Francis – Homily from
Self – sufficiency
or Humility?
Pope Francis – Homily from
October 11, 2016

23. Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth…
…and I will be their God and they will be my sons.

24. Lake of Fire Parade But as for the fearful, the unbelieving, the foul,
the murderers,
the fornicators (pornos),
the sorcerers (pharmakeus), the idolaters,
and all liars,
their place will be in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur, which is the second death."

25. the foul (root meaning is to stink), the murderers,
Reflect and discuss
the fearful,
the unbelieving,
the foul (root meaning is to stink),
the murderers,
the fornicators (pornos),
the sorcerers (pharmakeus), the idolaters,
and all liars
Am I ever fearful? Do I ever doubt God?
Am I ever foul in my words, deeds and attitudes?
Do I need a Savior?