Fathers and sons. Where does one begin? There is food, clothing and a roof to provide for the sons, of course, as well as the doctor, dentist, orthodontist (for crying out loud, doesn’t he have one tooth pointing in the right direction?), as well as schooling, art, music and sports programs. And that’s the easy stuff.
What about the tougher tasks, such as instilling values, fostering morality and teaching a boy what it really means to be a man? For those lessons, dads could go the pop psychology/sociology route, reading books and articles written by parenting “experts” confident they possess the key to the manhood mint. Or, if they’re like Kentucky dad Kent Evans, they could access a higher power and put to use the most comprehensive and valuable resource available: their faith.
Manhood Journey, a Louisville-based Christian organization, is the brainchild of Evans, its executive director and father of five boys, and three other dads, all of whom felt a need for something specifically geared toward this significant relationship. “About six years ago, we thought about doing something for fathers and sons,” said Evans, “and asked ourselves, ‘Is this worth doing?’ The answer was yes.”
The group’s slogan, “Helping fathers build the next generation of godly men,” states its purpose and grounds the mission firmly in Christian doctrine. Referring to God’s word as their “manhood manual,” Manhood Journey encourages fathers to guide their sons in small groups, using scripture to aid in discussion and address the needs of the boys at their various stages of development. The groups generally consist of four to eight dads and their sons, meeting weekly for six weeks. There is no hard-and-fast rule about duration, however, and many groups continue after the initial six-week period.
Manhood Journey’s Leader Survival Guide and Embarking Module—the first six-week study—is free, with other programs such as Manhood Myths, Clean Hearts and Standing Strong offered at a minimal cost. The purpose of each module is to approach the challenges the boys face from a biblical perspective and provide them with the tools to face those challenges and emerge as godly men. The simple fact that fathers are interacting directly with their sons is a true pillar of the program—and the crux of what Evans views as having been the problem. “There has been a multi-decade lowering of the bar for men,” he said. “We’ve allowed society to dumb men down.”
Citing statistics on juvenile delinquency and dropout rates, Evans points to the necessity of fathers not just being around but also being an integral part of their sons’ lives. “This is not a political or economic issue; there are social challenges to fatherhood,” he said. “Absenteeism is connected to the problem, and the statistics correlate to dads being out of the home. Humanity has a common problem with dads leaving the responsibility to others. It is not the government’s job or the pastor or the school. It is their job to do this work.”
Though passionate about the mission, Evans and Manhood Journey as a whole retain a humble demeanor and pragmatic view of the task at hand. “A godly man knows the Word,” Evans said, “but there is no big magic here. This is more built to help that 43-year-old dad to be engaged.”
When asked how much fun is involved for the boys, Evans again cites the low expectations that have become acceptable in child rearing. “We act like all boys can do is run around and be wild,” he said. “When we meet, you are expected to focus and bring your big-boy brain.”
Using what Manhood Journey calls the five areas or “big rocks” of biblical manhood—trusting in the Lord, praying fervently, studying God’s word, building relationships and serving others—dads are encouraged to start with the basics and trust their own abilities. “If you can get a handful of things right, top to bottom, all the rest will align,” Evans said. “It becomes a force you can’t stop.”
Manhood Journey partners with another Christian organization with roots in Louisville: Trail Life USA. It’s a troop-centered outdoor adventure program for K-12 boys that focuses on leadership and the development of a strong moral character. (Trail Life also partners with American Heritage Girls, a similarly designed Christian nonprofit organization for girls 5-18.) Spiritual guidance and support are provided as boys learn valuable leadership skills through fresh-air activities such as camping and hiking.
Though they refer to themselves as “unapologetically Christian,” TLUSA welcomes boys of all faiths and backgrounds, asking only that participants understand and accept the biblical code by which the group operates. Charter partners, most often churches, oversee the troops and their activities—such as outdoor excursions and mission trips that feed into each other in a continuous cycle of faith. Manhood Journey provides learning modules and other resources for TLUSA members.
“Trail Life is a great model partner,” Evans said. “We provide one tool for them, and we have a good relationship. They are about Christian adventure and discipleship. In fact, Kentucky Gov. Matt Bevin and the CEO of Trail Life were keynote speakers at our annual dinner.”
The rapid rise in popularity of Manhood Journey has been a wonderful surprise to Evans, who commented on how fast and far the organization has come. “We didn’t start out to change the world,” he said. “But there has been a huge need in Kentucky and around the country. We didn’t even have employees until last year. And in less than three years, we are in 46 states, and our content is being downloaded in 11 foreign countries. We estimate about 4,000-5,000 fathers and sons around the world, and we’ve been on radio and television.
“It’s been kind of crazy,” he added with a laugh.
Manhood Journey has been building its foundation one brick at a time. “We create all the content ourselves,” Evans said, “and the main thing for the past three years has been to get that content squared away.”
As it moves into the next phase of development, Manhood Journey is scheduling events and activities that drive home its message of faith and paternal responsibility. One example of the group’s activities was PROJECT: Manhood, a two-day retreat in May for fathers and sons at Country Lake Christian Retreat in Underwood, Indiana. And while the schedule included camping, hiking, zip lining and even a few paintballs flying, the true focus was on time spent together, learning more about each other and what role faith plays in not only the father/son relationship, but that of spouses, parents and the rest of the world. To that end, several prominent members of the theological community were slated to speak, including Dan Dumas, senior vice president of the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary; Dr. Kevin Jones, associate dean of Boyce College; and Evans, who is the author of Wise Guys: Unlocking Hidden Wisdom from the Men Around You.
Manhood Journey came about because a handful of dads realized there was a genuine need for discipleship in their role as fathers, and it was up to them to make that happen. When asked about the motivation, Evans summed it up perfectly: “It’s my job.”