Jonathan and David Bond of Brotherhood Questions

1. What encouragements or successes have you had this week
2. Share a Biblical truth that has stood out or spiritual lesson you have learned this week
3. What has been the most difficult part of being the spiritual leader of your family lately?
4. What needs of your wife have you been focusing on meeting
5. How has your daily time with God been going?
6. What spiritual battles can I help you fight through my prayer for you?

Explanation of Questions

1. I. Thess. 5:11 instructs, “encourage one another and build each other up.” Many men feel beaten down by life. We need to celebrate each other’s successes. Making this the starting point is also a great way to diffuse the normal male competitiveness
2. Col. 3:16 says, “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly.” The word, “you” refers to the assembled believers. Jonathan and David relationships differ from Bible studies in that there is not time to do a full study. But it is important that such bonds be nurtured through discussion of the Word of God.
3. Most men feel less spiritual than their wives and uncertain what it means to be a spiritual leader at home. This question provides the opportunity to encourage one another, and to be reminded of this Biblical responsibility.
4. Married men have a clear command and priority from the Lord: “Love your wife as I love my bride, the church and gave myself for her.” Agape love means sacrificing whatever is required to meet my wife’s needs. Such love requires me, therefore, to be focused on what her needs are.
5. The Christian faith is about being restored to fellowship with God through the atoning work of Christ. He is the vine, we are the branches. The Christian life is about abiding in Christ. For most of us, this “abiding” relationship implies some “one to one” time with Christ on a daily basis, as much as possible.
6. Jonathan and David were warriors whose souls were knit together initially because of very similar, mighty, victories over the Philistines—victories that reflected their trust in God’s power for victory. Christian men need brothers to join them in fighting their spiritual battles through prayer.

After using the above questions to build a close bond of brotherhood, it is possible to move to more serious accountability questions such as, “Have you looked at sexually explicit material since last meeting together?” or, “Have you allowed yourself to be too emotionally or physically close to a woman who is not your wife?”

(The above questions were composed by Gary Yagel and were taken largely from the booklet, Forging Bonds of Brotherhood which includes the Check 6 tool.)

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