1. Starting next week: Kingdom come... what? Life-changing answers from Jesus What is reality? Who is well-off/blessed? Who is a truly good person? How do you become a truly good person?

2. The powerful presence of spiritual women in the church Many women are listed as workers and leaders in New Testament churches (Romans 16). In China the ratio is 9:1, maybe 15:1 in the north. Thank God for women, but where are the men?

3. Where men position themselves

4. How men become spiritual Get captured by an idea and decide to... 1. say yes to Jesus and keep saying yes 2. say no to the culture, the flesh and the devil and keep saying no 3. get close to a spiritual leader and let them train you

5. Be a Timothy: the Helper Choices Timothy made to give his best: He chose to get close to Paul as an apprentice and traveling companion. If the Lord Jesus is willing, I hope to send Timothy to you soon... I have no one else like Timothy (2.19-20) Get close to someone who’s a serious Jesus-follower and learn from their successes, struggles and failures.

6. Be a Timothy: the Helper He chose to value and invest in God’s family the church...Timothy, who genuinely cares about your welfare. All the others care only for themselves and not for what matters to Jesus Christ. (2.20) Find out what matters to Jesus and make it matter to you.

7. Be a Timothy: the Helper He chose to become a worker in spreading the good news...you know how Timothy has proved himself. Like a son with his father, he has served with me in preaching the Good News. (2.22) Learn the art of helping others find God and follow Jesus, and practice it.

8. Be an Epaphroditus: the Hero How Paul described Epaphraditus (how would people describe you?) True brother (2.25) "Rare as is true love, true friendship is rarer" (Jean de La Fontaine) The church isn’t a club, it’s a family. Be family!

9. Be an Epaphroditus: the Hero How Paul described Epaphraditus Companion (2.25) Walk the Jesus-Way journey with others and do life together with them.

10. Be an Epaphroditus: the Hero How Paul described Epaphraditus Fellow Soldier (2.25) We sleep soundly in our beds because rough men stand ready in the night to visit violence on those who would do us harm. Soldiers have very high identity fusion. They’ll die for their buddies. Let’s.

11. Be an Epaphroditus: the Hero How Paul described Epaphraditus Messenger (2.25) The church trusted him to find Paul and care for him. Be dependable to complete the task.

12. Be an Epaphroditus: the Hero Decisions Epaphroditus made which enabled him to give his very best Become a People Lover. He loved Paul and longed for his church back home. Question: Do you love & long for people?

13. Be an Epaphroditus: the Hero Decisions Epaphroditus made which enabled him to give his very best Become a Risk Taker. Paul termed him a soldier. He risked his life for the work of Christ, traveling to Rome to visit Paul in prison. He almost lost his life doing it. Question: Do you play it safe or take risks?

14. Be an Epaphroditus: the Hero Decisions Epaphroditus made which enabled him to give his very best Become a Hard Worker Paul called him a laborer, what Jesus told us to pray for. (Matt 9:37) They’re gifts from God and rare. His sickness was due to his hard work for Christ. Question: Do you work hard or hardly work?

15. Be an Epaphroditus: the Hero Decisions Epaphroditus made which enabled him to give his very best Become a Servant-Leader Paul called him a minister and a messenger. He was a pioneer, doing what no one else would do. Paul said to honor him. Question: Do you lead the way in some area of service? Do you excel?

16. And you? What decisions are you making to be a helper like Timothy? What decisions are you making to be a hero like Epaphroditus?

17. And ROOTS? Imagine ROOTS full of helpers and heroes. Including men...