manhood

After researching cultures historically, anthropologist Margaret Mead said: “The chief responsibility of every society is to find healthy roles for its men.” Why? Because a culture that fails to offer men a clear masculine blueprint for good pursuits will see men dumbed down to problematic behaviors.

Ceremonies are those special occasions that weave the fabric of human existence. Weddings. Award banquets. Graduations. The day you became an Eagle Scout or were accepted into a fraternity. We remember because of ceremony.

WHAT MAKES A GOOD CEREMONY? ... First, memorable ceremonies are costly. ... Second, memorable ceremonies ascribe value. ... Third, memorable ceremonies employ symbols. ... Finally, and perhaps most importantly, memorable ceremonies empower a life with vision.

But healthy masculinity does none of those things. True masculinity has the strength to smash hierarchies, stand up for those on the margins, and lead men into lives where they are stopping abuse from happening.

Young men today don’t aspire to a moralistic vision of generic goodness. They want a deep understanding of what a man actually is and how to be good at that. They want the vision and skill to master the art of manhood. In this framework, confidence comes through competence. We must learn to transfer the tangible skills and the key elements of

The big takeaway from that research was the difference between external and internal motivations. External motivations, like rewards (and bribes), are short-term fixes. In contrast, internal motivations are rooted in values, which gives them staying power. As a Christ follower, this is even more important because you want you kids to grow up

No matter how young or old you are, how inexperienced or experienced, there is One who wants to intervene in your life and take you on this quest. There is One who wants the significant role of teaching, loving, initiating, validating, and turning you loose into the world to be dangerous for good. There aren’t many men in training, collaborating