His scream from the field was piercing. Everything and everyone putting up hay in our barn stopped. We were sure something dreadful happened.

Covered in hay dust and peering out the barn doors we watched and heard him making his way across the mowed hay toward us – screaming and limping.

He was in his twenty’s and making quite a scene.

When we finally settled him down to assess the problem, we were a bit stunned.

“Bee sting – right on my foot!”

For five minutes, a grown man let our community know he got stung by a bee.

Later, he asked a question we could all use a little more of:

Will you teach me how to be a man?

Certainly, the question is going to be different for every one of us.

Will you teach me how to:

Be a better mother or wife?

Be a better father or husband?

Work, cook, turn a wrench, sew?

Listen, love, become more disciplined?

Handle finances? Learn the Bible? Lose this anger? Get unstuck?

This young man had some wonderful qualities yet knew he missed some stuff growing up with a disconnected father and sheltered life.

He wanted to know how to work with his hands. And get prepared for marriage someday.

Hours of working the hay, splitting and stacking wood, campfires, long discussions and a few book suggestions gave him some of the help he was seeking.

And those hours together created fond memories that feel like yesterday.

I’m sure you can find a YouTube video or make an AI query and get answers to almost any question.

But in the process, you’ll lose the vital and spiritual connection that community creates.

“Will you help me with this” is the universal call to friendship and discipleship that the Bible says so much about.

All that it takes is one person a little further down the road relationally, spiritually, professionally or financially saying “yes” and then doing it together.

The Bible calls this sound doctrine with lots of examples in Titus 2.

It’s also a lot of fun.

You and I can take what we’ve learned, received, heard and seen and pass it to or receive it from others so we won’t have to figure it out on our own — or ask a machine (Phil. 4:9).

“Let me help you with that” sounds like amazing grace when heard or spoken.

It might just help someone from making quite a scene in your community. And your hours together will not soon be forgotten.

God’s word calls it “growing up” and that young man was eager to get started (Eph. 4:13-16).

So, here’s my question for you: Who can you ask to teach you or who can you offer to teach before you hear the “screams” and build some connection with others?

I’d love to hear your response. I read them all. Reply and share it with me, or better yet, share your comments about this post with others in our community space.

PS: Forwarding this email regularly is a great way to encourage others and partner with me in growing this ministry. Can you forward it to a few people you know and encourage them to subscribe? Thank you.

New (8/28) Upcoming Book Excerpt:

…Things were getting exciting, and Lorie wasn't even home yet. Both Scott and Brad offered some encouragement and helpful advice about where and how to begin reading Scripture. One week later, Lorie too had the most important conversation of her life with God and was more than ready to venture into our new life together with God.

It didn’t take long for questions to start pouring into my mind. Whose views about God, Jesus and the Bible are correct? Why do Christians argue and disagree on so much? Whose brand of Christianity was most aligned with Scripture and how would I know? Why are churches so different and why do some make such sensational claims?

But determined to start somewhere, I started in the beginning with God. Page one, chapter one, verse one. It immediately captured my attention, and I found the Bible hard to put down. But not too far into my journey through Genesis my eyes started to glaze over. I wondered if something was wrong with me. By the time I got to Leviticus, it was getting hard to pick up. I didn’t understand it and it was becoming intimidating and overwhelming.

We knew some friends who went to a large denominational church nearby and soon that became our church. We knew next to nothing about what was “biblical” but soon felt uneasy about some things we were hearing from the pulpit and experiencing in that church. Questions were piling up and discouragement was setting in.…

You can read the rest of the excerpt in the community space. Just click on the link below:

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