As we strap on Benaiah’s sandals and unsheathe his sword, we’ll learn seven lion-chasing skills (defying odds, facing fears, reframing problems, embracing uncertainty, taking risks, seizing opportunities, looking foolish) to help us become the sons, the brothers, the husbands, the fathers, the friends … the men that God created us to be.

The Sugarloaf Men’s Network invites you to join our “Lion Hunting Party” on Thursday evenings as we discuss Mark Batterson’s book, In a Pit With A Lion On A Snowy Day. Bring your Benaiah table group, your small group, or just come and join the “hunt” from 7-8:30 p.m. on March 13th, March 20th, March 27th and April 3rd in the Worship Arts Center at Sugarloaf United Methodist Church, 1795 Old Peachtree Road, in Duluth. Coffee and soft drinks will be provided.

Books are available online or at local booksellers if you don’t already have one. But if you don’t have one, don’t let that stop you from coming; we’ll make do. We strongly believe that God is providing a great opportunity to strengthen both vertical and horizontal relationships, to build new relationships and to simply allow men to experience small-group accountability.

Exercises & Handouts

March 13th
Exercise: If I Had Only …
Exercise: Chasing The Lion
Handout: How To Chase A Lion

March 20th
Exercise: Against The odds
Exercise: Empire Of Fear
Exercise: The Art Of Reframing
Handout: Lion Chasing Skills

Guest speaker Kelly Talamo will share a message titled Tight Spots . . . Places for Spiritual Growth. He is the founder and president of The LifeSkills Company in Cumming, GA, and a published author and speaker who specializes in high-energy corporate training and team-building events. He also founded Men Step Up, an Atlanta-based men’s group which focuses on the personal leadership development of men in the marketplace.

“All of us try to make our lives comfortable. We want room to roam. We want margin. Mentally and physically, we fight everything that would or could put us in a bind,” Kelly says. “But God is committed to our growth. And because He is, He not only allows us to be in tight spots, He creates them.”

“My message will reveal the types of tight spots Christ puts us in. And He does it for a reason,” Kelly continues. “He is committed to make us like Himself.”

Other features at this year’s retreat will include worship with the Men’s Network band, great food (including a special meal prepared by the Men’s Network chefs) and Saturday free-time activities including riflery, archery, a climbing wall and the Sugarloaf gladiators!

The cost is $129 and includes accommodations, three meals, speakers, handouts and free-time activities on Saturday. Online registration is available as well as offline registration by completing and returning the printed form in the 2008 Men’s Retreat Brochure.

At the same time, participants can also register for optional “foreplay” activities — golf or sporting clays — on Friday, March 7th. The registration deadline for golf and sporting clays is Friday, February 22nd.

GOLF will be played at Gold Creek Golf Club in Dawsonville. Check-in is at 10:30 a.m. The first tee time is at 11 a.m. Play will conclude by 3:30 p.m. The cost is $66 and includes 18 holes of golf, greens fees, cart (shared) and box lunch. For more information, contact Tim Arnold at 404-630-2194.

SPORTING CLAYS will be shot at Etowah Valley Sporting Clays Park in Dawsonville. Check-in is at 12:30 p.m. The first shooters will begin at 1 p.m. Shooting will conclude by 3:30 p.m. The cost is $54 and includes 100 rounds of sporting clays, ammunition and a shared cart. Lunch is NOT included, so participants should eat beforehand or “brown bag” it. For more information, contact Brad Catron at 404-372-7656.

The Benaiah logo represents the three basic enemies — self, world and Satan — that every man faces every day in his relationships with God, family and others at work and in the community.

Benaiah was a man of valor who is remembered as one of King David’s top military leaders and the captain of his bodyguard. As recounted in 2 Samuel 23:20-21 and 1 Chronicles 11:22-25, Benaiah killed two Moabites, a 7′6″ Egyptian and a lion in a pit on a snowy day.

Benaiah’s victory over the two Moabites represents victory over self because they were distant relatives. The Moabites were the descendants of the incestuous relationships between Lot (Abraham’s nephew) and his daughters after the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah.

Benaiah’s victory over the Egyptian (killed with his own weapon which Benaiah had snatched from him) represents victory over the world. At that time, Egypt was the greatest nation in the world and all that was Egypt — socially, politically and religiously — was considered the best. And yet God had brought his people out of Egypt because Egypt was not focused on Him. Thus Benaiah’s victory over the Egyptian warrior reminds us that we must live in the world but fight against what God deems unworthy of His chosen people.

Benaiah’s victory over the lion (the “king of beasts”) represents victory over Satan, the most dangerous of the three enemies. Benaiah was fearless in facing the lion, even in the worst of circumstances — in the middle of a pit, when it was snowing!

The mighty warriors in the Bible were men who understood that God’s call is not to an easy, well-worn path but one that is lined with thorns, vicious animals and often bones. Nonetheless, by virtue of their faith in the power and strength of God, they understood that God’s path is the right way to go.

We pray that you will make Benaiah a priority for 2008.

As an additional tool to help communicate the group’s theme…”Connecting. Challenging. Changing”… the website has valuable information about their small groups, monthly breakfast, service opportunities, and photos.

In order to keep their members up to date on upcoming events and to share inspiring stories, the group has also incorporated a blog into the site. Other church groups and pastors have seen huge success in using this medium to communicate and interact with their congregations online in this way. Check out Pastor Steven Furtick, for example.

Check out all the site has to offer, then share it with your friends!