2026 Theme: Following Jesus

“You follow me.” - John 21:22

Introduction

Following. Following involves a certain directionality — for our hearts, our thoughts, our feet. It suggests a path, a particular Way. And it implies a leader who is leading. So, how do we follow? What or whom are we following? What are the precursors to following? Can following go awry? Who has followed before us? How can many different, opinionated people all follow together at the s ame time? Does my following have to look like your following? This year we will explore these and other questions. Bring your thoughts, your questions, your Bibles, and your friends, and join us as we consider the purposes, challenges, and benefits of following.

This topic is adapted from the 2021 Williamsburg Conference, which uses small group workshops focused on God’s word. We’ve found that this material and format adapts wonderfully to the structure of our Men’s Beach Camping Trip, and we are grateful to the organizers of the conference for sharing their material. 

Friday Evening 

Part 1: Following [Bro Allen Laben]

Let's step back and consider following in the context of our everyday lives. 

• We  follow maps and road signs

• We follow things like hiking trails

• We follow orders, procedures, laws, and rules. 

• We follow directions on how to get to Boswell Hill way out in the middle of nowhere.

• We also follow logic, trends, aspirations, and principles. 

• We can even follow a train of thought. 

Following usually involves intentional directional movement - we literally or figuratively move from point A to point B. Following, by its very nature, implies that a leader is leading, showing us the way. What, then, are the qualities of a follower? What is involved, on our part? In order to follow, we need to be humble. Following involves willingly putting ourselves under someone's authority. We trust, we obey. We can follow reluctantly, with bit and bridle, or we can follow voluntarily. Let's end with this: when we commit to following God’s way, we may find ourselves in places we didn’t expect to go, doing things others may be surprised by! You end up with a new nation following pillars of cloud and fire. You end up with Zelophehad's daughters inheriting property. And you end up with all manner of people heading out to a river to be dunked underwater by a man who is known for eating locusts. 

• Exodus 13:17-22

• 1 Kings 18:17-21

• Psalm 32:1-9

• Psalm 43:1-5

• Proverbs 6:20-23

• Matthew 19:23-30

• Luke 18:18-23 

• John 6:1-2

• John 12:20-26

Discussion

1. What caught your attention from these verses? 

2. What helps us to follow? What hinders us?

3. In the Bible, following sometimes led people to unexpected places, doing things society around them would have rejected. How do we discern what is on or off the path?

4. Sometimes we want to blaze our own path, ignore directions, and forge ahead.  How can we harness helpful aspects of these instincts while following the call to Follow?

Saturday Morning 

Part 2: “Follow me” [Bro Jeff Lange]

With two words, the man from Nazareth changed their entire lives -- Simon and Andrew, James and John, Philip and Matthew. He looked for them, found them, and invited them to follow him. “Follow me,” he said. He extended other invitations and gave other orders, too. 

Many orders were quite concrete. “Come, eat this breakfast” on a beach. “Fill the waterpots” at a wedding. “Give me a drink” at a well. “Get up, pick up your mat, and walk” by a pool. “Go, wash in the pool of Siloam” to a blind man. “Take away the stone” at a tomb, and then, “Come forth,” and, finally, “Unbind him and let him go.” Or, “Leave her alone” to Judas about Mary. And, “Put your sword away” to Peter in Gethsemane. Time and time again, people obeyed him -- even the wind and the sea obeyed him. 

Sometimes his orders seemed inexplicable, like, “Go to the city and follow a man with a pitcher of water to a room where we can eat the Passover.” Or, to Mary, “Do not hold on to me.” And to Peter, “Set your net on the right side of the boat.” Sometimes his orders were the opposite of what you would expect, like telling Legion, who begged to accompany him, “Go home to your friends and tell them how much the Lord has done for you and how he has had mercy on you.” 

Finally, there are the abstract commands, ones that are more mysterious and require more contemplation. “Come, inherit the kingdom prepared for you. Come to me, and I will give you rest. Come after me, deny yourself, take up your cross, and follow me.” We will end with this declaration from the Son, the Prince of Peace, the Messiah, the risen Lord: “I am the Light of the world; he who follows Me will not walk in the darkness, but will have the Light of life.”

• Matthew 4:18-22

• Matthew 8:18-27

• Matthew 16:21-25

• Mark 5:1-20

• Mark 10:46-52

• Mark 14:12-16

• Luke 5:27-32

• John 1:43-51

• John 8:12 

Discussion

1. What caught your attention from these verses? 

2. Do you feel that you experienced a "call" to follow Jesus?  What was it? Are there ways in which Jesus “calls” us in our day to day lives?

3. How do we assess or measure whether we are indeed following Jesus?  

4. (Question for private meditation, or individual discussion): If you haven’t yet chosen to follow Jesus through baptism, or if you feel you have wandered from that calling, what is holding you back?  Consider taking some time to pray about this. 

Saturday Afternoon 

Part 3: The Way [Bro Gideon Hewitson]

Following implies a path, a particular way. A particular Way. This Way appears all through the Bibe:

• This path metaphor can be found throughout the Psalms and Proverbs. 

• Jeremiah picks it up when he declares, “Stand at the crossroads and look; ask for the ancient paths; ask where the good way is and walk in it; and you will find rest for your souls.” 

• Jesus calls himself the Way: “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father but by me.” 

• Paul refers to the Way: “I admit that I worship the God of our ancestors as a follower of the Way.” 

So what is the Way? It is a well-trodden, ancient path, one that others have walked before us. We can envision them ahead of us, beckoning us to follow. Let’s read about how the Bible describes this path. 

• Psalm 16:7-11

• Psalm 25:4-10

• Psalm 85:9-13

• Psalm 143:5-10

• Proverbs 2:1-9

• Proverbs 3:1-17

• Isaiah 61:1-3

• Matthew 9:9-13

• Romans 12:9-21

Discussion

1. How does scripture describe the Way?  What other verses would you add to the above?

2. We know that the Way will lead to future benefits in the Kingdom of God, but what are the "benefits" of following “the way” here and now? 

3. How can our ecclesias improve on adhering to these core principles of "the way"?

Saturday Evening 

Part 4: Guides [Bro Fabi Sindano]

A guide shows people the way. There are many guides in the scriptures who led people to Jesus:

• Angels directing the shepherds to meet the newborn King, Jesus. 

• God’s spirit guiding Simeon to the temple so he could behold the consolation of Israel. 

• John the Baptist preparing and directing the way to the lamb of God. 

• Andrew eagerly leading his brother Simon to meet Jesus.

• The Samaritan woman guiding her entire town. 

We likewise have those who have guided us.  We follow in the footsteps of those who came before us:

• When the centurion at the crucifixion says, “Truly this man was the Son of God,” we believe him. 

• When Mary leaves the risen Lord, calling out, “I have seen the Lord,” we believe her. 

• We find ourselves repeating Peter's words, “To whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. We have believed and have come to know that you are the Holy One of God.” 

We follow these forerunners, the ones who stood in awe, the ones who believed immediately, those who initially kicked against the goads, and those who waited in the shadows until they were ready to publicly declare their conviction that Jesus of Nazareth was, indeed, the promised messiah. 

• Mark 1:1-8

• Luke 1:39-45

• Luke 2:8-20

• Luke 8:1-3

• John 1:19-42

• John 4:21-30

• John 6:66-71

• John 19:38-42

• John 20:11-18 

Discussion

1. Who has been a guide in your life in the past? What wisdom have they shared with you? 

2. When you have been in the role of a guide, leading others to Jesus, what have you strived to share that helps others?

3. How can you both guide those who have accepted Jesus, and those who have not? How does your approach differ? How does your guidance remind the same or differ from the Ecclesial vs Work, School, etc.?

Sunday School 

Part 5: What Did Jesus Do? [Bro David Giordano]

Exhortation

Part 6: The Path Jesus Followed [Bro Joseph Fordham]