Discipling Men: Who, How, When, and Why (feat. Dr. Chris Harper)

The Disciple Maker‘s Podcast

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Join Chris Harper from Better Man at Discipleship.org as he passionately discusses the crucial need for genuine discipleship in men's ministries. With over 30 years of history evolving from Men's Fraternity to Authentic Manhood, and now Better Man, Harper emphasizes the substantial gap in men's ministries and the pressing need to reclaim authentic manhood. He explores causes like the 'curse of modernity,' historical church movements, and the feminization of the church, offering a comprehensive, clear path to restoration. Through personal anecdotes and concrete steps, Harper illustrates how returning to multi-generational, gender-based discipleship can vitalize the church and cultivate real transformation in men's lives.

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Key Takeaways

00:00 Introduction and Background

13:18 The Importance of Multigenerational Discipleship

28:13 The Path to Winning Men Back to Church

30:54 The Concept of Better Man

36:23 The Father's Blessing

57:11 Closing Remarks and Prayer

Resources on Manhood

Discipleship in the Modern Church: Empowering Men | Chris Harper

How to Disciple Men Q&A | Anthony Walker, Chris Harper & Bobby Harrington

How to Disciple Men | Chris Harper

Breakout Forum 4: How Discipling Men Changes Everything (2016 Nat'l Forum)

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In this episode, Chris from Better Man leads a discussion about men's discipleship. Better Man, which builds on 30 years of men's fraternity and manhood initiatives, now focuses on Millennials, Gen Z, and Gen Alpha. Chris points out the urgent need for men to be guided spiritually, noting that while 80% of Western churches have functional women's ministries, fewer than 7% have similar programs for men. He critiques superficial men's ministries that only offer occasional gatherings.

Chris introduces Better Man's two-year program designed to create effective men's ministries. Instead of reinventing manhood, the program aims to restore it, modeled after Jesus Christ as the ultimate example. Using anecdotes like his conversation with his son about a classic car's lack of Bluetooth, Chris emphasizes restoring rather than modernizing, aligning this idea with Ephesians 2:8-10, which describes men as God's masterpieces meant to be restored to their original value.

Chris highlights a masculinity crisis, noting that 41% of men now grow up in fatherless homes, compared to 4% in 1960. He links this to a generational disconnect in values, similar to the biblical Judges 2 scenario where a new generation lacked knowledge of the Lord. He attributes today's issues in men's discipleship to three historical shifts:

Curse of Modernity: This era, as discussed by Anthony Gideons, saw men shift their spiritual responsibilities to church leaders, turning pastors into potential celebrities and distancing men from active church roles.

Church Growth Missteps: Based on Donald McGavran’s 1970 book, churches focused on attracting children and women, which feminized many congregations and led to male disengagement, with women outnumbering men in church activities.

Shift to Communal Spaces: From the 1980s, church education moved to age-segregated life groups, which stifled multi-generational discipleship. Chris advocates for a return to mentoring models where older men guide younger ones.

Chris also addresses the "masculinity fog," where confusion about manhood leads to flawed types of men:

Uninitiated Men: Passively follow their wives, lacking direction.

Self-Initiated Men: Pursue accolades at the expense of their personal and professional lives.

Peer Initiated Men: Engage in prolonged adolescence without real growth.

Culture-Initiated Men: Follow societal trends due to weak foundational principles.

In contrast, Chris calls for "Spirit-Initiated Men," like Caleb from the Bible, who have the courage and spirit to follow God’s path.

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