Just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do...
1 Peter 1:15-16
Welcome to CALLED Men’s Group! If you're looking to move forward in your faith, then this is the place for you! We are a group of men, called by God to understand who He is, who we are, and what we are CALLED to do for Him! We study the Bible & discuss together, find projects where we can give back, and encourage each other in spiritual growth!
HOW TO GET THE MOST OUT OF CALLED:
- Bring a notebook and Bible along with you.
- Do the assignments. (These are not required to come to group, but you will get so much more out of it, if you study and put some work in through the week!)
- Be consistent. (You can come and go week-to-week as you please, but you will get the MOST out of CALLED if you are there every week that you possibly can be!)
- Be intentional about making friends. (Stick around afterward, show up early, strike up conversations. Make some friends that can walk alongside you in this journey of faith!)
Weekly Wednesdays: CALLED Men’s Group | Wednesday, January 21, 2026
Meeting# 02 of 11 | This Week’s Leader: David Goodno
INTRODUCTION: Welcome everyone, this is the second meeting of Winter 2026 Semester for the Called Men’s Growth
Group.
Tonight, we are continuing the SOAP study* of 1 John. (*SOAP study: Scripture, Observation, Application, Prayer and
Questions.) This Semester we will study the books of 1, 2 and 3 John, Jude, Obadiah and Philemon.
Reminder: there is no specific prerequisites or formal “membership” required to attend. The purpose of tonight is to
come together, read and study God’s word, develop an understanding, grow in our faith and have a friendly discussion.
Please keep in mind that we are all in different places of our faith journey; we all come from various backgrounds, have
different points of view. It does not matter if you’ve been a believer for 10 seconds, or 50 years; everyone is welcome;
everyone has value; everyone has a voice.
If there are different points of view, we should not feel attacked or be hostile to one another; it is our different points
of view that add to the discussion. We came together tonight as friends and brothers in Christ. And we should leave
the same (as friends and brothers in Christ). Often there is no right or wrong answer; just interpretation of scripture
and even Biblical scholars don’t always agree; ultimately, JESUS IS THE ANSWER.
BACKGROUND/HISTORY:
The majority of Biblical scholars’ attribute 1 John have been written by the apostle John, who also wrote the Gospel of
John (the four Gospels, Matthew, Mark, Luke and John). Biblical scholars note that style and vocabulary of the Gospel
of John are similar to how 1 John was written and have similar overlapping themes, like the emphasis that Jesus was
both human and divine (both a man and God) and love as marking authentic knowledge and relationship of the One
True God and trust in His son Jesus as our Lord and Savior. Scholars date 1 John to be written between 85-95 AD.
It is believed that John had his ministry in the vicinity of the City of Ephesus, now located in modern Turkey (Türkiye).
1 John lacks typical patterns of a letter – like the author not naming himself at the beginning, like Paul did in his letters.
The book is more like a sermon in tone, but also letter-like. Regardless of if the book of 1 John was a letter or a written
sermon, we can use the message to strengthen our faith and dispel any doubts and to build assurance by presenting a
clear picture of Christ.
It is also important to note that the Book of 1 John is written in a way that assumes the reader has knowledge of the
gospel of John (as written by John) and offers certainty for their faith in Christ. The opening also indicates that the
author John was warning the readers of false beliefs and errors of Gnosticism.
(We also discussed this back in Fall of 2024, when we studied Colossians.)
“Gnosticism” emphasizes special knowledge or hidden knowledge. Satan in the form of a snake tempted Eve in the
Garden of Eden with the promise of special knowledge too. Gnosis in Greek means “to know” or “knowledge.” The
Gnostics denied Biblical creation and downplayed Jesus’ humanity; claiming that he was not fully human. The group
tended to focus on the wisdom of Jesus and deny the death and resurrection – which removes our core Christian belief
that Jesus’ death redeemed us all from sin.
The Gnostic point of view was that knowledge, especially the pursuit of hidden knowledge, is what leads to salvation.
Some Biblical scholars believe that Christians in the early Church were being tempted to combine their Christian faith
with these false cultural beliefs.
False spiritual teachers were a big problem in the early church. Because there was not a complete New Testament that
believers could refer to, many early churches fell prey to pretenders who taught their own ideas and advanced
themselves as leaders. John wrote this letter to set the record straight on some important issues, particularly
concerning the identity of Jesus Christ.
Key Themes:
Sin – Even Christians sin. Sin requires God’s forgiveness and Christ’s death provides it for us. Determining to
live according to God’s standards in the Bible shows that our life is being transformed. As Christians, we cannot
deny our sin nature or think that we are somehow “above’ sinning. We all face temptation and sin.
Love – Christ commands us to love others as he loved us. Love means putting others first and being unselfish.
Love is an action – showing others that we care is more than just saying it. We must give of our time and money
to meet the needs of others.
Family of God – We are God’s children. How we treat others shows who our Father is.
Truth and Error – False teachers encourage believers to cast aside morals and that in order to be truly saved is
by having some mystical knowledge. God is truth. The more our relationship develops with Him the less we are
led astray by false teaching.
Assurance – God is in control; we have assurance of our eternal life and victory over sin. We build our
confidence in Him by trusting in God’s word and provision.
PRAYER: This Week’s Prayer: Father God, we thank you for allowing us to come together tonight and study your
word. Lord, we thank you for loving us and forgiving us our sins through Jesus. Help us love you Lord above anything
else in this world. – Amen
INTRODUCTION: Welcome everyone, this is the second meeting of Winter 2026 Semester for the Called Men’s Growth
Group.
Tonight, we are continuing the SOAP study* of 1 John. (*SOAP study: Scripture, Observation, Application, Prayer and
Questions.) This Semester we will study the books of 1, 2 and 3 John, Jude, Obadiah and Philemon.
Reminder: there is no specific prerequisites or formal “membership” required to attend. The purpose of tonight is to
come together, read and study God’s word, develop an understanding, grow in our faith and have a friendly discussion.
Please keep in mind that we are all in different places of our faith journey; we all come from various backgrounds, have
different points of view. It does not matter if you’ve been a believer for 10 seconds, or 50 years; everyone is welcome;
everyone has value; everyone has a voice.
If there are different points of view, we should not feel attacked or be hostile to one another; it is our different points
of view that add to the discussion. We came together tonight as friends and brothers in Christ. And we should leave
the same (as friends and brothers in Christ). Often there is no right or wrong answer; just interpretation of scripture
and even Biblical scholars don’t always agree; ultimately, JESUS IS THE ANSWER.
BACKGROUND/HISTORY:
The majority of Biblical scholars’ attribute 1 John have been written by the apostle John, who also wrote the Gospel of
John (the four Gospels, Matthew, Mark, Luke and John). Biblical scholars note that style and vocabulary of the Gospel
of John are similar to how 1 John was written and have similar overlapping themes, like the emphasis that Jesus was
both human and divine (both a man and God) and love as marking authentic knowledge and relationship of the One
True God and trust in His son Jesus as our Lord and Savior. Scholars date 1 John to be written between 85-95 AD.
It is believed that John had his ministry in the vicinity of the City of Ephesus, now located in modern Turkey (Türkiye).
1 John lacks typical patterns of a letter – like the author not naming himself at the beginning, like Paul did in his letters.
The book is more like a sermon in tone, but also letter-like. Regardless of if the book of 1 John was a letter or a written
sermon, we can use the message to strengthen our faith and dispel any doubts and to build assurance by presenting a
clear picture of Christ.
It is also important to note that the Book of 1 John is written in a way that assumes the reader has knowledge of the
gospel of John (as written by John) and offers certainty for their faith in Christ. The opening also indicates that the
author John was warning the readers of false beliefs and errors of Gnosticism.
(We also discussed this back in Fall of 2024, when we studied Colossians.)
“Gnosticism” emphasizes special knowledge or hidden knowledge. Satan in the form of a snake tempted Eve in the
Garden of Eden with the promise of special knowledge too. Gnosis in Greek means “to know” or “knowledge.” The
Gnostics denied Biblical creation and downplayed Jesus’ humanity; claiming that he was not fully human. The group
tended to focus on the wisdom of Jesus and deny the death and resurrection – which removes our core Christian belief
that Jesus’ death redeemed us all from sin.
The Gnostic point of view was that knowledge, especially the pursuit of hidden knowledge, is what leads to salvation.
Some Biblical scholars believe that Christians in the early Church were being tempted to combine their Christian faith
with these false cultural beliefs.
False spiritual teachers were a big problem in the early church. Because there was not a complete New Testament that
believers could refer to, many early churches fell prey to pretenders who taught their own ideas and advanced
themselves as leaders. John wrote this letter to set the record straight on some important issues, particularly
concerning the identity of Jesus Christ.
Key Themes:
Sin – Even Christians sin. Sin requires God’s forgiveness and Christ’s death provides it for us. Determining to
live according to God’s standards in the Bible shows that our life is being transformed. As Christians, we cannot
deny our sin nature or think that we are somehow “above’ sinning. We all face temptation and sin.
Love – Christ commands us to love others as he loved us. Love means putting others first and being unselfish.
Love is an action – showing others that we care is more than just saying it. We must give of our time and money
to meet the needs of others.
Family of God – We are God’s children. How we treat others shows who our Father is.
Truth and Error – False teachers encourage believers to cast aside morals and that in order to be truly saved is
by having some mystical knowledge. God is truth. The more our relationship develops with Him the less we are
led astray by false teaching.
Assurance – God is in control; we have assurance of our eternal life and victory over sin. We build our
confidence in Him by trusting in God’s word and provision.
PRAYER: This Week’s Prayer: Father God, we thank you for allowing us to come together tonight and study your
word. Lord, we thank you for loving us and forgiving us our sins through Jesus. Help us love you Lord above anything
else in this world. – Amen
Scripture - Read: 1 John Chapter 2:1-29
Observation, Application & Questions: (Identify/Discuss Among the Group)
Key verses and topics for discussion:
onto worldly things, we run the risk of making these things idols. And worship them above God. – Discuss
among the group.
and allow the Holy Spirt to work on us. To live in spiritual darkness means to follow what is sinful, and to
prioritize selfish desires, and doing anything, even evil acts to fulfill those desires. – Discuss.
-----------------
(Chapter 2, verses 1-15) -
The best defense attorney, Jesus, is pleading our case. Jesus is our advocate and our defendant. And
Jesus has already suffered the penalty in our place.
matter what the sin may be, is beyond forgiveness. All that person has to do is repent, receive Christ’s
forgiveness and commit their life to Him.
True Christian behavior results in loving behavior. John says that how we act (and react to
circumstances) shows us who we belong to.
believers and is opposed to God, John gives the reader two reasons they should not “love the world”.
First love for this world excludes love for the Father. Second, we need to keep in mind that Love for
the things in this world shouldn’t be our priority as everything in the world, and all that it has to offer
is only temporary. God is FOREVER.
Read: Colossians 3:5 15
Romans 8:31-39
Read: Galatians 5:22-26
Mark 7:17-23
(Chapter 2, verses 16-29) -
Christ. Finally, just before the world ends, the Antichrist, will be revealed. We do not need to fear
these evil people. The Holy Spirt will expose false teachers and guide us to ignore them and not be
deceived. At the end of the world, God will conquer evil and defeat Satan – casting the Devil into the
lake of fire (Rev 20:10).
Read: Matthew 7:15-23
Matthew 7:24-27
Other questions to explore:
- Since we have been forgiven of our sins and should be directing our focus and efforts to following Jesus, we
onto worldly things, we run the risk of making these things idols. And worship them above God. – Discuss
among the group.
- Do we believe that our actions reflect worldly values or God’s values?– Discuss.
- What do we think it means to live in the light or to live in spiritual darkness means?
and allow the Holy Spirt to work on us. To live in spiritual darkness means to follow what is sinful, and to
prioritize selfish desires, and doing anything, even evil acts to fulfill those desires. – Discuss.
-----------------
(Chapter 2, verses 1-15) -
- To people who are feeling guilty and condemned, John offers reassurance. All have sinned and fall
The best defense attorney, Jesus, is pleading our case. Jesus is our advocate and our defendant. And
Jesus has already suffered the penalty in our place.
- Sometimes it is difficult to forgive others who have wronged us. Imagine how difficult it would be to
matter what the sin may be, is beyond forgiveness. All that person has to do is repent, receive Christ’s
forgiveness and commit their life to Him.
- To live like Jesus does NOT mean to recruit 12 disciples, heal people, perform miracles and go to the
True Christian behavior results in loving behavior. John says that how we act (and react to
circumstances) shows us who we belong to.
- In Chapter two verses 15-17, the Greek word for “world” *Kosmos* occurs multiple times; six times in
believers and is opposed to God, John gives the reader two reasons they should not “love the world”.
First love for this world excludes love for the Father. Second, we need to keep in mind that Love for
the things in this world shouldn’t be our priority as everything in the world, and all that it has to offer
is only temporary. God is FOREVER.
Read: Colossians 3:5 15
Romans 8:31-39
- God values our self-control, and a spirt of generosity and commitment to humble service. It is possible
Read: Galatians 5:22-26
Mark 7:17-23
(Chapter 2, verses 16-29) -
- When John discusses the Antichrist, and many antichrists; he means that many false teachers and
Christ. Finally, just before the world ends, the Antichrist, will be revealed. We do not need to fear
these evil people. The Holy Spirt will expose false teachers and guide us to ignore them and not be
deceived. At the end of the world, God will conquer evil and defeat Satan – casting the Devil into the
lake of fire (Rev 20:10).
Read: Matthew 7:15-23
Matthew 7:24-27
Other questions to explore:
- What was the context? What was going on at the time this was written?
- What and where is this happening?
- What makes what was happening meaningful?
- Is there anything special about the location (or locations)?
- Who is involved?
- How do they respond to God?
- What character traits do you notice about them?
- What is the significance of their involvement?
- What do you think is the key message?
- Did anything that surprised or stood out to you? What was it? Share with the group and discuss.
- Are there any key verses that stand out to you? Discuss among the group.
- Were there any repetitive words or themes that stood out to you? What were they?
- Is there anything that left you with more questions? What were they? Share with group, discuss, and
- Biggest takeaway?
Assignment:
monitor FV.church/events for more information about the next semester.
References/Acknowledgements:
Elements of today’s Bible study were referenced from:
1. NLT Courage for Life Men’s Bible, New Living Translation (NLT); copyright 2023 Tyndale House Ministries
Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation
https://www.tyndale.com/sites/courageforlifebible/
2. Life Application Bible Studies (1, 2 & 3 John), by Linda Chaffee Taylor, Rev. David R. Veerman, Dr. James C.
Galvin, Dr. Bruce B. Barton, and Daryl J. Lucas; copyright 1999, 2010 by Tyndale House Foundation.
3. Knowing the Bible (1, 2, and 3 John), by Michael LeFebvre, J.I. Packer, Dane C. Ortlund; copyright 2018 by
Crossway, Wheaton, Illinois.
4. ESV Study Bible, copyright 2008. The Holy Bible, English Standard Version (ESV); copyright 2001 by Crossway,
Wheaton, Illinois.
5. NIV Study Bible, Revolution, copyright 2011. The Holy Bible, New International Version (NIV); copyright 1973,
1978, 1984, 2011 by Zondervan, Grand Rapids, Michigan. https://www.zondervan.com/p/niv-bibles-for-teens-
true-images-revolution/
6. NLT Parallel Study Bible, New Living Translation (NLT); copyright 2011 Tyndale House Ministries
Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright 1996, 2004, 2007 by Tyndale House Foundation
7. HCSB/CSB The Apologetics Study Bible, copyright 2007. The Holy Bible, Holman Christian Standard Bible
(HCSB/CSB); copyright 1999, 2000, 2002, 2003 by Holmon Bible Publishers, Nashville, Tennessee.
8. Life Application Bible Studies: 1 & 2 Timothy / Titus; copyright 1998, 2010 by Tyndale House Publishers, Inc.
Carol Stream, Illinois 60188.
9. https://www.gotquestions.org/Book-of-1-John.html
1. NLT Courage for Life Men’s Bible, New Living Translation (NLT); copyright 2023 Tyndale House Ministries
Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation
https://www.tyndale.com/sites/courageforlifebible/
2. Life Application Bible Studies (1, 2 & 3 John), by Linda Chaffee Taylor, Rev. David R. Veerman, Dr. James C.
Galvin, Dr. Bruce B. Barton, and Daryl J. Lucas; copyright 1999, 2010 by Tyndale House Foundation.
3. Knowing the Bible (1, 2, and 3 John), by Michael LeFebvre, J.I. Packer, Dane C. Ortlund; copyright 2018 by
Crossway, Wheaton, Illinois.
4. ESV Study Bible, copyright 2008. The Holy Bible, English Standard Version (ESV); copyright 2001 by Crossway,
Wheaton, Illinois.
5. NIV Study Bible, Revolution, copyright 2011. The Holy Bible, New International Version (NIV); copyright 1973,
1978, 1984, 2011 by Zondervan, Grand Rapids, Michigan. https://www.zondervan.com/p/niv-bibles-for-teens-
true-images-revolution/
6. NLT Parallel Study Bible, New Living Translation (NLT); copyright 2011 Tyndale House Ministries
Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright 1996, 2004, 2007 by Tyndale House Foundation
7. HCSB/CSB The Apologetics Study Bible, copyright 2007. The Holy Bible, Holman Christian Standard Bible
(HCSB/CSB); copyright 1999, 2000, 2002, 2003 by Holmon Bible Publishers, Nashville, Tennessee.
8. Life Application Bible Studies: 1 & 2 Timothy / Titus; copyright 1998, 2010 by Tyndale House Publishers, Inc.
Carol Stream, Illinois 60188.
9. https://www.gotquestions.org/Book-of-1-John.html
Schedule:
January 2026:
_x_ 001, 01/14 1 John 1:1 – 10 + Introduction (Instructor: David Goodno)
_x_ 002, 01/21 1 John 2:1 – 29 (Instructor: David Goodno)
__ 003, 01/28 1 John 3:1 – 24 (Instructor: David Goodno)
February 2026:
__ 004, 02/04 1 John 4:1 – 21 (Instructor: Chad Huestis)
__ 005, 02/11 1 John 5:1 – 21 (Instructor: David Goodno)
__ 006, 02/18 2 John (1):1 – 13 + Introduction (Instructor: David Goodno)
__ 007, 02/25 3 John (1):1 – 15 + Introduction (Instructor: Chad Huestis)
March 2026:
__ 008, 03/04 Jude (1):1 – 25 + Introduction (Instructor: David Goodno)
__ 009, 03/11 Obadiah (1):1 – 21 + Introduction (Instructor: Chad Huestis)
__ 010, 03/18 Philemon (1):1 – 25 + Introduction* (Instructor: Tom Landis)
__ 011, 03/25 TBD (Instructor: Chad Huestis)*
*Last meeting, please monitor FV.church/events for more information about the next semester.
_x_ 001, 01/14 1 John 1:1 – 10 + Introduction (Instructor: David Goodno)
_x_ 002, 01/21 1 John 2:1 – 29 (Instructor: David Goodno)
__ 003, 01/28 1 John 3:1 – 24 (Instructor: David Goodno)
February 2026:
__ 004, 02/04 1 John 4:1 – 21 (Instructor: Chad Huestis)
__ 005, 02/11 1 John 5:1 – 21 (Instructor: David Goodno)
__ 006, 02/18 2 John (1):1 – 13 + Introduction (Instructor: David Goodno)
__ 007, 02/25 3 John (1):1 – 15 + Introduction (Instructor: Chad Huestis)
March 2026:
__ 008, 03/04 Jude (1):1 – 25 + Introduction (Instructor: David Goodno)
__ 009, 03/11 Obadiah (1):1 – 21 + Introduction (Instructor: Chad Huestis)
__ 010, 03/18 Philemon (1):1 – 25 + Introduction* (Instructor: Tom Landis)
__ 011, 03/25 TBD (Instructor: Chad Huestis)*
*Last meeting, please monitor FV.church/events for more information about the next semester.
