Start the adventure of sharpening, encountering God, affirmation, and genuine repentance.
Our SPAR groups are our weekly men's groups and provide a strong Biblical format for discipling men. SPAR stands for Sharpening, Prayer, Affirmation, and Repentance. Men have a hunger to be real, confess their sins, and encounter the living God with other men. In SPAR groups, men are empowered when they realize that they are not alone in their weaknesses, pain, and temptation.
Each SPAR meeting is an epic journey consisting of three steps of faith. The first step focuses on a man’s story. Each man is given the opportunity to be vulnerable and share about his challenges and struggles in life. He may confess a past sin or discuss a painful conversation he had with his teenager. Every man has a God-given desire to have a safe place to share his story.
The second step of faith in a SPAR meeting focuses on the issue of the heart. Proverbs 4:23 tells us that “everything in our lives flows from the heart.” It takes courage and some probing questions from a few good brothers to discover what is going on in a man’s heart. And when a man realizes his struggle is not his circumstances, genuine spiritual growth begins to happen.
The last step of faith in SPAR is encountering God. This is the highlight of a SPAR meeting! One man may pray the prayer of surrender concerning his daughter, while another man might pray a prayer of gratitude concerning his struggles at work. Each man prays out loud and encounters God right where he is at in life. It is a powerful thing to experience. The result? Men always leave SPAR with more freedom and peace.
Most SPAR Groups meet for 90 minutes every week in a home, church, or office. We provide all of the leadership training needed to equip a man to effectively lead a SPAR Group. If you have struggled with men's small groups, Bible studies, or accountability groups, try a SPAR Group!
SPAR is the foundation for all that we do in helping men disciple men. The weekly SPAR meeting is the core activity for men who are serious about relationally making disciples. It is for all ages, and all levels of spiritual maturity. It is for those who want to impact and lead men, and for those who want to be mentored and discipled.
Men’s Bootcamp changed the trajectory of my life but SPAR has taken that shift and empowered me to grow deeper and deeper. Having true brothers smashed the isolation that was suffocating me. I meet every week with three men who seem so different, but in reality are just like me. My Friday morning SPAR meeting has become my favorite part of the week. Jesus is revealing Himself every time we meet and helping me see how He lives through me in ways that I don’t believe would have happened without SPAR. God is using SPAR to destroy religion… and revealing a relationship.
I’ve been in SPAR for just over a year with four men. Because of their transparency and honesty, I’ve become a better friend, husband, and father. It’s as simple as seeing another man acknowledge that he blew it by getting angry at his wife, or that he overreacted to a setback at work. Watching men have the guts to take responsibility for their actions and allow the Holy Spirit to transform them is changing my life- one SPAR meeting at a time.
SPAR has redefined what “ministry” is to me by showing me that ministry is my life and not just something connected with a church. It’s showed me the impact that vulnerability can have on men. And it has shown me how much I need other men in my life; challenging me to be the man God made me to be.
I’ve been showing up to SPAR meetings every week for over a decade. I will never stop. It is the most powerful thing I do for my spiritual life. Putting a voice to my sins, fears, temptations, and pain is huge. Every week I get deceived in some area of my life. Every week I believe a lie about who I am as a man. My brothers always provide a safe place where I can recognize the lies and encounter God’s truth. There is no way that I could be the powerful husband and father that I am without my SPAR brothers.
Here’s a few frequently asked questions. If you can’t find what you are looking for, we encourage you to ask questions directly via email.
