Shepherds Society: Equipping Men to Lead and Serve
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OUR THREE-FOLD PURPOSE:
1) Spiritually Train Men: We want to train men for godliness, that is: God-glorifying, gospel-advancing lives (1 Tim. 4:6-8; 2 Tim 2:1-7; 1 Cor 10:31). We train men in the faith so that, strengthened by God’s grace, they are further equipped by God’s Word to be servant-leaders and shepherds in their homes (Eph. 5:25-33, 6:4; Col. 3:19,21), the church (1 Tim. 3:1-7; Titus 1:5-9), and the world (Matt. 5:14).
2) Strengthen Entire Families: We don’t train aimlessly or “box at the wind” (1 Cor 9:24-27). We want this time of discipleship to impact your nearest neighbors: Your family. If you are married and have children, we want your family to be the first witnesses and beneficiaries of the fruit of this discipleship. We believe that strong, godly men produce stronger, godlier families & societies at large.
3) Strengthen the Church & Her Mission: Lastly, we want to train faithful men (2 Tim 2:2), who are not just willing to be trained, but are willing to multiply themselves by caring for, and investing in the lives of others in the church. We want to train faithful men with shepherd’s hearts who are willing to go after the lost sheep to evangelize them (Luk 15:4; 2 Tim 4:2, 5), and to teach new believers to obey all that Christ has commanded (Matt 28:18-20).
OUR TOP VALUES:
1. Humility
2. Faithfulness
3.Teachability
OUR EXPECTATIONS & REQUIREMENTS:
The Shepherds Society will meet every Monday morning from September 8th, 2025 – April 27th, 2026 from 6-7:30am @ the Church House (see FULL SCHEDULE details here). We will meet for a total of 25 weeks (11 weeks in the Fall & 14 Weeks in the Spring).
Your commitment to this group is critical. Each week, we expect that you will (1) be here, (2) be on time, & (3) be prepared to discuss the required reading. “Age wrinkles the body. Quitting wrinkles the soul” (General Douglas MacArthur). Life happens, family and work responsibilities are a given, but we want you here to further grow in the grace of Christ and lead well. So, we expect you to be here each week if you commit to joining us. If you feel like this is not the season to be a part of Shepherds Society, we would be glad to have you participate another year. We are excited about what God may do through this time of discipleship at our church, and are hopeful you will join us! But please review the calendar and syllabus carefully, and count the cost of this discipleship before committing with a “Yes” (Matt 5:37). The reading is extensive, but it is in no way a substitute for your personal devotional life in God’s Word & prayer. So, again, before committing to join us, please review the syllabus, pray and develop a plan that will enable you to get your reading done each week.
In addition to attendance, it is required that all Shepherd Society men be serving at CRC in some capacity throughout the duration of this time of discipleship. If you are not already actively serving, reach out to an elder to help you find a place to use your gifts.
Lastly, to be abundantly clear about our mission and our hopes for this time of discipleship, let me state explicitly what the Shepherds Society wants to avoid: We have no interest in raising up arrogant, puffed up, ego-stroking, theological pontificators. Nor do we want to multiply contentious instigators on X (&/or other social media platforms). God despises the proud and exalts the humble (Prov 3:34, Matt 23:12, Jam 4:6, 1 Pet 5:5). Our world has enough critical and divisive people, who merely enjoy speculating and debating in coffee houses, and operating as theology police in the church. We need truth speakers! Yes, and amen! But men who just want to talk theology & not act, or who say “hard things” just to get attention or a reaction from people, are operating immaturely. Such persons need to re-examine their heart’s motivation, repent, and take heed of what the Bible says about the tongue (Prov 18:21, Jam 1:19, 5:6). Instead, it is our great hope and eager expectation to train humble men of Christ-like character, theological conviction, courage and compassion. Men who want to GROW, in faithfully, joyfully, boldly, and lovingly leading in their homes, the church, and the world for the glory of God and advancement of the gospel of Jesus Christ.
BOOKS & LINKS YOU WILL NEED TO PURCHASE BELOW....
READING MATERIAL:
