Home Run - Study Guide - Sample

S T U DY

CAL RYCHENER

G U I D E

NORTHWOODS COMMUNITY CHURCH

HOME RUN

by Cal Rychener

Copyright © 2015 by Northwoods Community Church.

ALL RIGHTS RESERVED Published by: LifeTogether Ministries.

No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means -- electronic, mechanical, photocopy, recording, or otherwise -- except for brief quotations in printed reviews, without the prior written permission of the publisher.

Copyright and use of the curriculum template is retained

by Brett Eastman.

Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture quotes are taken from the HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®. Copyright 1973, 1978, 1984 and 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

ISBN: 978-1-940077-53-6 Printed in the United States of America

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Contents

HOME RUN

by Cal Rychener

Acknowledgments 05 Welcome 06 to Home Run Using 08

This workbook (Read This First)

Outline 10

of each session

Session One Overview of the Home Run Life

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Session Two Home Plate How to Win with God

30

Session Three First Base How to Win Within

50

Session Four Second Base How to Win with Others

70

Session Five Third Base How to Win Results

90

Session Six Scoring How to Keep Living and Winning God’s Way

110

Appendix Frequently Asked Questions Small Group Agreement Small Group Calendar Spiritual Partners’ Check-In S.O.A.P. Bible Study Method A.C.T.S. of Prayer Tips for Scripture Memory Memory Verses Prayer and Praise Report

Small Group Leaders 130 134 136 137 138 141 142 143 144

Hosting an Open House Leading for the First Time Leadership Training 101 Small Group Roster Notes

148 150 152 154 155

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Acknowledgments Creating this kind of small group resource and the accompanying DVD does not happen by itself. It takes a crew of dedicated, talented, God loving folks.

We are grateful for the book that inspired this series, Home Run by Kevin Myers and John C Maxwell. We hope you will read it and discuss it in your small group.

Thank you to Brett Eastman, Allen White and the team from LifeTogether who were passionate partners and coaches in this process. Keith Holland put the finishing touches on the video clips. Neil Wilson took Pastor Cal’s messages and did his magic in writing meaningful content for this workbook. Hailey Henry helped bring all the pieces together so that Tommy Owen could design this beautiful layout. Thank you to all of you.

Blessings to Rocky Vonachen & the Peoria Chiefs for allowing us to film late into the night at Dozer Stadium. Thank you Dawn Minch for arranging this unique setting.

Northwoods Small Group staff… you guys are awesome! You challenge us to make community a high priority. That ambition has led to the creation of this series. Rod Bell, Danielle Flanagan & Deb Beyer, thank you for joining me in countless hours of writing, editing and proofing.

Northwoods Creative Arts Team … Dave Marks is a genius behind a camera.

Thanks for making me smile. Kirt Manuel’s critique, guidance and oversight are invaluable.

Pastor Cal, you are my super hero. The hours you put into praying, writing, and filming were extraordinary. All with enthusiasm and a smile. Thank you for the wisdom & vulnerability delivered in these episodes.

The unsung heroes are Small Group Leaders, Connection Center volunteers, and the Small Group Leadership Team who help people find their way out of the auditorium into loving small groups in their homes.

And lastly, thank you to the generous support of the people of Northwoods Community Church. You help make this ministry possible.

Gratefully yours,

John Chaney Establish Pastor H O ME

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welcome to Home Run I’m a baseball fan… A Detroit Tiger fan to be exact! I speak baseball— which means that baseball language and analogies drift into my conversations as smoothly as a hanging curve ball on a hot summer day.

I’m just begging you to hit it out of the ballpark. (Oh, if only my beloved Green Bay Packers were a baseball team!)

I don’t blame you if that last sentence made no sense to you! I promise to keep the illustrations to those things about baseball that are commonly understood. We’ve got six amazing weeks ahead of us and I’m praying you’ll touch every base and make it home. I hope you’ll stay with us all the way as we look at life through the rules of baseball.

Wait ’til you get to see where I got to stand as I taught the sessions for this series! I was on site at Dozer Park in downtown Peoria. Talk about atmosphere! All that was missing was the crack of the bat.

We’re going to see together how life has certain rules and steps that are certain and unchanging—like the basics of baseball. God designed us and He had a certain kind of living in mind when he did it. The progression of living God’s way is as predictable as running the bases from first to second to third base and then home.

There’s a purpose to living, too, and you can’t skip part of it and end up with a Home Run life. That’s what these weeks are all about: discovering God’s instructions about the basics of the game of life.

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We’re also going to have a lot of fun together.

We’ll listen to each other, talk to each other, and spend time giving special attention to God and the book He wrote. This is your chance to experience life with a growing group of friends.

We’ve also planned some things for you to do between the small group sessions to keep things moving during the week. We trust you will find these helpful and challenging as you’re practicing how to live the Home Run life.

We’ve got six amazing weeks ahead of us and I’m praying you’ll touch every base and make it home.

If you’re a veteran of small groups, here’s your chance to help some other people get in the game. If this small group experience is new to you, you won’t need a batting helmet, but step up to the plate and participate. You will be glad you did.

Be assured that I will be praying for you during these weeks we are meeting. I know God longs for you to have a Home Run life. And I know He intends Northwoods to be a place where teams are built, where the players depend on each other, cheer for each other, and celebrate each other’s victories!

Thanks again for taking the time to be a part of this series and study. I am honored to have the chance to share it with you.

Blessings,

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using this workbook TOOLS TO HELP YOU HAVE A GREAT SMALL GROUP EXPERIENCE. 1. Notice in the Table of Contents there are three sections: (1) Sessions; (2) Appendices; and (3) Small Group Leaders. Familiarize yourself with the Appendices. Some of them will be used in the sessions themselves.

2. If you are facilitating/leading or co-leading a

small group, the section Small Group Leaders will give you some hard-learned experiences of others that will encourage you and help you avoid many common obstacles to effective small group leadership.

3. Use this workbook as a guide. If the group

responds to the lesson in an unexpected but honest way, go with that. If you think of a better question than the next one in the lesson, ask it. Take to heart the insights included in the Frequently Asked Questions pages and the Small Group Leaders section.

4. Enjoy your small group experience. Have fun.

5. Pray before each session—for your group members, for your time together, and for wisdom and insights.

6. Read the Outline for Each Session on the next

pages so that you understand how the sessions will flow.

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outline of each session A typical group session for the Home Run study will include the following sections: INTRODUCTION. (2 minutes suggested) - Each lesson opens with a brief thought that will help you prepare for the session and get you thinking about the particular subject you will explore with your group. Make it a practice to read these before the session.

OPEN UP. (20 minutes suggested) - The foundation for spiritual growth is an intimate connection with God and God’s family. You build that connection by sharing your experience with a few people who really know you and who earn your trust. This is helpful preparation for being able to share what Christ has done in your life with anyone you meet—which is what a disciple is ready to do. This section includes some simple questions to get you talking—letting you share as much or as little of your story as you feel comfortable doing. Each session typically offers you two options. You can get to know your whole group by using the icebreaker question(s), or you can check in with one or two group members, your spiritual partner(s), for a deeper connection and encouragement in your spiritual journey.

TAKE IT IN. (Approximately 12 minutes) - Each week we will watch a brief video with Pastor Cal’s teaching for the session. Space is provided to take notes.

TALK IT OVER. (20 minutes suggested) - In this section, you’ll read the Bible and reflect together on the teaching, in order to hear God’s story told through the life of Joseph—and begin to see how that story aligns with your story. Take turns reading the questions and make the decision to participate in the conversation.

WORK IT OUT. (20 minutes suggested) - During this section the focus will be on personal application. Helping one another see how the insights from

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the teaching and from Scripture can affect life where we live it and lead us further down the base path to a Home Run life. There will also be some time for quiet personal reflection in this section.

STUDY NOTES. This section provides additional commentary, background or insights on the passage you will study in the Take It In and the Talk It Over sections.

MOVE IT FORWARD. God wants you to be a part of God’s Kingdom—to weave your story into God’s story. That will mean change. It will require you to go His way rather than your own. This will not happen overnight, but it should happen steadily.

By making small, simple choices, we can begin to change our direction. This is where the Bible’s instructions to “be doers of the Word, not just hearers” (James 1:22) comes into play. Many people skip over this aspect of the Christian life because it’s scary, relationally awkward, or simply too much work for their busy schedules.

But Jesus wanted all of His disciples to know Him personally, carry out His commands, and help others connect with Him. This doesn’t necessarily mean preaching on street corners. It could mean welcoming newcomers, hosting a short-term group in your home, or walking through this study with a friend. In this study, you’ll have an opportunity to go beyond Bible study to biblical living.

Part of Move It Forward will be an opportunity for WEEKLY MEMORY VERSES. Each session includes a Memory Verse that emphasizes an important truth from the session. This is an optional exercise, but we believe that memorizing Scripture can be a vital part of filling our minds with God’s truth. We encourage you to give this important habit a try. The verses for our six sessions and Tips for Scripture Memory are also listed in the appendix.

REFLECT ON IT. Each week on the Daily Devotions pages we’re including Scriptures to read and reflect on between sessions. This provides you with a chance to slow down, read just a small portion of Scripture each day, and reflect and pray through it. You will then have a chance to journal your response to what you’ve read. Use this section to seek God on your own throughout the week. This time at home should begin and end with prayer.

Try not to be in a hurry. Take enough time to hear God’s direction.

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SESSION

ONE

AN OVERVIEW OF THE HOME RUN LIFE Welcome to the Home Run Life! Look around your group.

Enjoy the company God put you with on this journey over the next few weeks. By the end we will all realize that God has a plan for living that will help His people do life well. To live life to the full. To hit a Home Run!

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Jesus said in John 10:10b ...I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.

Don’t worry if you are not an avid baseball fan; the game can still be an amazing analogy of the kind of life God wants us to live…the kind of life we actually want to live, because that’s the way we are wired. Whether you realize it yet or not, following Jesus eventually shows us we were designed for the life He offers to us. It fits. It’s like coming home.

God has a game plan for our lives. And most of it He has laid out in His Word.

Let’s help one another during these weeks to get in the game. It’s time to play ball like never before!

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open up Open your group with prayer.

Thank you God for each person in our group and for the others that may join us along the way. Help us to discover more about your plan each and every time we gather. In Jesus Name, Amen.

1

Let’s get to know each other: Introduce yourself and tell the group your favorite team of any sport and how that came to be.

You’re welcome to pass if you haven’t got one.

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Share about an experience you had with a team you enjoyed being a part of in the past. (sports, band, school, work, community, etc.)

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WHO’S ON THE TEAM? As you begin, take time to pass around a copy of the Small Group Roster on page 154 or a sheet of paper. Have everyone write down their contact information. Ask someone to make copies, type it up and email it or take a picture and text it.

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ORGANIZING THE TEAM: Whether your group is new or ongoing, it’s always important to reflect on and review your values together. On pages 134-135 is a Small Group Agreement with the values we’ve found most useful in sustaining healthy, balanced groups. We recommend that you choose one or two values—ones you haven’t previously focused on or have room to grow in—to emphasize during this study. Choose ones that will take your group to the next level of authentic friendship and spiritual health.

- If your group is new, you may want to focus on sharing group ownership. Any group will quickly move from being the leader’s group to being our group if everyone understands the goals and shares a small role. See the Small Group Calendar on page 136 for help on how to do

this well.

- We recommend that you rotate host homes on a regular basis and let the hosts lead the meeting. We’ve come to realize that healthy groups rotate leadership. This helps to develop every member’s ability to shepherd a few people in a safe environment. Even Jesus gave others the opportunity to serve alongside him (Mark 6:30–44).

When its you’re your turn to host and lead, be sure to refer to the FAQs on page 130 for additional information.

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take it in

DVD SESSION

Watch the DVD teaching for this session now. We have provided a Notes space below. There you can record any key thoughts, questions, and things you want to remember or follow up on. After watching the video, have someone read the the discussion questions in the Talk It Over section and direct the discussion among the group.

As you go through each of the subsequent sections, ask someone else to read the questions and direct the discussion.

If you are leading this week, be sure to view the Leader Lifter to prepare for this session.

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talk it over It probably needs to be said that the point of our times together isn’t to create avid sports fans of all of us or convince any of us which is the greatest team ever (though some of us are sure what that is…). Our objective is to grow together during these weeks.

So, let’s talk it over…

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What is your initial reaction from what you just heard from Pastor Cal?

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As you were growing up, did you have an idea (a dream) of what it would mean to “win” at life? Describe what that looked like.

astor Cal referred to the life of Joseph in Genesis 37-50 because he P embodies for us what it means to live by God’s game plan. Let’s take a look at where it all started…

Joseph, a young man of seventeen, was tending the flocks with his brothers, the sons of Bilhah and the sons of Zilpah, his father’s wives, and he brought their father a bad report about them.

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Now Israel loved Joseph more than any of his other sons, because he had been born to him in his old age; and he made an ornate robe for him. 4 When his brothers saw that their father loved him more than any of them, they hated him and could not speak a kind word to him.

3

Joseph had a dream, and when he told it to his brothers, they hated him all the more.

6 He said to them, “Listen to this dream I had: 7 We were binding sheaves of grain out in the field when suddenly my sheaf rose and stood upright, while your sheaves gathered around mine and bowed down to it…”

10 When he told his father as well as his brothers, his father rebuked him and said, “What is this dream you had? Will your mother and I and your brothers actually come and bow down to the ground before you?”

Genesis 37:2-7, 10 5

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Describe Joseph’s family dynamics in this passage. Does it appear that he is winning at life? Why or why not?

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Explain how Joseph might have realized God had a special plan for him even at a young age. How might this have been encouraging to him?

This study is going to be leading us through the principles that Joseph lived out in his life.

Through his struggles and disappointments, he discovered how to win at life as he followed God.

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work it out These sessions will probably stretch each of us in several ways. You might experience a deeper sense of God’s love and involvement in your life.

You might also take new risks of personal disclosure with others in your group. This is an invitation, not pressure. Never feel forced to share what you’re not ready to share. But we can say from experience that even a little risk can benefit us greatly.

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Can you think of situations where people have failed to touch all the bases and have ended up short-circuiting their effectiveness? (see the study notes below if needed)

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In your life, what base have you dedicated most of your time and energy on winning (your strength)? How has that impacted your life?

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What base have you possibly ignored (your weakness) and how has that impacted your life?

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As a starting point, think for a moment about the four bases of God’s plan that Pastor Cal described: Connection, Character, Community, and Competence. Circle which one seems to fit where you are in life right now. Or maybe truthfully, you feel like you’re not even in the game…and that’s okay. Now, if you’re comfortable, share that with the group.

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C O ME B E FOR E GOD Don’t get overwhelmed. Simply ask God what is your next step. Get quiet for just 1 minute, close your eyes and clear your mind. In your mind ask God, “What immediate step should I take to change the way I do life?”

Write down any thoughts, impressions, pictures or feelings you might have. If you want to share what you received with the group, feel free but there’s no obligation.

P R AY God, thank you that you sent Jesus so we could live life to the full.

Guide us to take steps toward following you more each day. We know that you have the best plan for our lives. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

N OTE S Some of the group members may have personal prayer requests they want to share. Allow everyone to answer this question: “How can we pray for you this week?” Ask someone in the group to pass their study guide around to write prayer requests on their Prayer and Praise Report on page 144. Ask that person to make copies, type it up and email it or take a picture and text it to the group.

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study notes

Joseph. He and his younger brother Benjamin were the only two children Jacob had with Rachel, his first love. Their ten older brothers and at least one sister were children Jacob fathered with Leah (Rachel’s sister) and two servant women (Bilhah and Zilpah). Blended families (and their complications) are not a new phenomenon in history.

The formation of Jacob’s blended family is found in Genesis 29-30.

Five Things that Don’t Change in Baseball:

1. Always 4 bases.

2. Crossing home plate is the only way to score.

3. Every base must be touched.

4. Bases must be run in order.

5. If you miss a base you’re out.

Four Base Traits in God’s Game Plan:

1. Connection with God—Home Plate 2. Character—First base 3. Community—Second base 4. Competence—Third base and headed home H O ME

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move it forward This week, take what you learned and spend some time putting it into practice. Choose one or more of the following activities to further your spiritual growth and even connect to others in your group. Don’t feel you have to complete all of these. Decide what you can commit to and go for it.

Consider sharing your experiences the next time you meet with the group.

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PRAY FOR EACH OTHER THIS WEEK. You can use the Prayer and Praise Report gathered earlier in this meeting to support your group in prayer.

REFLECT ON IT. Commit to daily connection with God. See suggestions on how to do this each day in the “Reflect On It” section.

CHANGE YOUR MIND. Memorizing scripture helps to redirect our mind to God’s plan. Take time to give this important practice a try. “… I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.”

- John 10:10b READ THE BOOK. Discover the book that inspired Pastor Cal to share this series with us… Home Run by Kevin Myers and John Maxwell. (session one highlights material from chapters 1-4; for session two read chapter 5)

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reflect on it Our focus for this week is Genesis 37, 39 where we see Josephs’ Childhood Dreams and Nightmares.

D AY 1

D AY 2

SCRIPTURE: G E N E S I S 3 7 : 2 - 3

SCRIPTURE: G E N E S I S 3 7 : 1 0 - 1 1

This is the account of Jacob’s family line. Joseph, a young man of seventeen, was tending the flocks with his brothers, the sons of Bilhah and the sons of Zilpah, his father’s wives, and he brought their father a bad report about them. 3 Now Israel loved Joseph more than any of his other sons, because he had been born to him in his old age; and he made an ornate robe for him.

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REFLECT:

Several factors mentioned in these opening verses contributed to the poor relationship between Joseph and his brothers. What were those factors and how did Joseph unwisely add to the tension? Why is it worth remembering that Joseph wasn’t a perfect kid who ended up having some bad things happen to him?

APPLICATION:

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When he told his father as well as his brothers, his father rebuked him and said, “What is this dream you had? Will your mother and I and your brothers actually come and bow down to the ground before you?” 11 His brothers were jealous of him, but his father kept the matter in mind.

REFLECT:

As we saw yesterday, Joseph had a habit of “telling” on his brothers. Then he informed them of his dreams, even describing the second one to his father, who immediately figured it out and wasn’t too thrilled about the picture of himself kneeling to his son. Why then does it say in verse 11 that “his father kept the matter in mind”?

APPLICATION:

Throughout the Home Run study we will be exploring Joseph’s life on our own.

Each day, read the selected verses and give prayerful consideration to what you learn about God, His Spirit, and His place in your life. Listen to God and record your personal application, thoughts, insights, or prayer in the Reflect section below the verses you read. On the sixth day record a summary of what you have learned over the entire week through this study.

D AY 3

D AY 4

SCRIPTURE: G E N E S I S 3 7 : 2 1 - 2 2

SCRIPTURE: G E N E S I S 3 9 : 2

When Reuben heard this, he tried to rescue him from their hands. “Let’s not take his life,” he said. 22 “Don’t shed any blood. Throw him into this cistern here in the wilderness, but don’t lay a hand on him.” Reuben said this to rescue him from them and take him back to his father.

The Lord was with Joseph so that he prospered, and he lived in the house of his Egyptian master.

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REFLECT:

As the oldest of all the brothers, what might have motivated Reuben to try to keep the hatred from getting out of hand? What examples come to mind when you think of difficult family situations where there were moments of undeniable goodness? What’s the significance of Reuben’s despair in vs.

29-30? Put yourself in Joseph’s place for a few minutes. What do you think he was thinking/feeling?

APPLICATION:

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REFLECT:

This is the first indication of God’s participation in Joseph’s story. When do you think Joseph acknowledged God previous to this? What kinds of perhaps very difficult situations has God used in your life to focus your attention on Him?

APPLICATION:

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D AY 5 SCRIPTURE: G E N E S I S 3 9 : 8 - 9 8 But he refused. “With me in charge,” he told her, “my master does not concern himself with anything in the house; everything he owns he has entrusted to my care. 9 No one is greater in this house than I am. My master has withheld nothing from me except you, because you are his wife. How then could I do such a wicked thing and sin against God?”

REFLECT:

Compare Joseph’s relationship with his Dad/brothers and how that worked out alongside Joseph’s relationship with Potiphar, his wife, and household. What has Joseph learned? How does he understand his purpose in life, even as a slave?

APPLICATION:

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D AY 6 If you haven’t yet, read Genesis 37, 39 to sense the flow of Josephs story.

Use the following space to summarize any thoughts God has put in your heart and mind about the things we have looked at in this session and during your Reflect On It time this week.

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Just like in the game of baseball, the way to win in life involves a clear path, some guiding principles, a great team, and a lot of fun. Through this message series and group video study, you’ll come to understand that advancing toward victory in life is like rounding the bases in baseball. You can’t skip any bases if you want to have a Home Run life!

CALVIN RYCHENER Cal Rychener was born in Archbold, Ohio and attended Fort Wayne Bible College from 1977-1981, graduating with a B.A. in Pastoral Ministries. He earned a Masters of Divinity degree from Trinity Evangelical Divinity School in Deerfield, Illinois, in June of 1985.

In addition to his love for the local church, Cal has two other great passions. First and foremost, are his wife, Susan, and their family– Kathryn, Andy & Avery Rogers, Jonathon & Michaela, Victoria and Kody Pinson and Nathan. Running a distant second is his love for the Green Bay Packers, for whom he has been a guest chaplain. Cal is also the author of two books, Living at a Higher Level of Faith and God Can.

Thankfully, the basics of baseball aren’t complicated. Through practice and preparation, your game will improve the more you play. Winning at life is the same: everyone can understand the basics and step up to bat. When a whole team gets on the field together, that’s when the fun begins and the Home Run life happens!

Session One

Overview

of the Home Run Life Session Two

Home Plate

How to Win with God Session Three

First Base

How to Win Within Session Four

Second Base

How to Win with Others Session Five

Third Base

How to Win Results Session Six

Scoring

How to Keep Living and Winning God’s Way