"I was near the end of my rope..."

For more than 40 years, the men who meet in weekly Teleios groups have received encouragement and friendship for life's ups and downs.  Below, read part of one Teleios member's story.

How did you hear about Teleios?

I stumbled across Teleios through an ad in a church bulletin. That was during a very dark time in my life. My marriage was dissolving into something unrecognizable, but I couldn’t talk to anyone about it. Living in the unfinished attic of my house with my wife downstairs wasn’t exactly the type of thing we could tell our friends or family. Appearances were important to maintain, or so I was told. After years of tip-toeing around this situation, I was near the end of my rope. While my relationship with Jesus was strong, I had very few Christian friends in my life and none that knew what I was going through. That’s when I met Shawn and he got me connected with a men’s group in West Seattle.

How did your men’s group help you grow in maturity with Jesus?

I didn’t grow up a Christian. When I found Jesus in my twenties, it was basically a solo effort. I had few Christians to learn from so I didn’t really know what it meant to live like a Christian. Fellowship was foreign term. I was blessed to join a group with six men whose faith ran deep. And they didn’t just “talk the talk.” They lived out their faith. This was something I had never seen before and it helped ground me in ways they’ll never fully understand. They were Godly men, but none was perfect. We all had our challenges and we went through several peaks and valleys together. They were there for me when I received the divorce papers. Over the next several years, they helped me put the pieces of my life back together. In their encouragement and friendship, I saw the love of Jesus manifest. And when I later got remarried, we celebrated together. Where has Jesus met you in your story?

Jesus was right there with me in my darkest hour. He put Shawn in my path right when I needed him. Thanks to the guys in my Teleios ministry, I can see Jesus much more clearly. Through their love, I now understand how important fellowship and discipleship are to spiritual growth. The Christian walk was never meant to be a solo journey. We all need brothers and sisters in Christ.

Brian (Teleios member since 2013)