Raising a Modern-Day Knight Teaches Fathers — Sons About Authentic Manhood
October 1, 2007 by lpc · Comments Off
by Don Emmack
Can you clearly define authentic manhood? Even if you’re able to cobble a few thoughts together, can you imagine trying to teach this idea to a young boy? It’s a big challenge for most fathers and one where we fail often, yet Robert Lewis’ Raising a Modern-Day Knight [RMDK] Bible study attacks this problem head-on.
Like many dads, I didn’t receive much Christian guidance as a young man or as a young adult. After 30+ years Christ saved me, but I remember how my life waned absent of true purpose. I don’t want my boys to leave the care of my house lost in a fallen world without hope and guidance, yet I feel overwhelmed teaching my sons the right things in life—with no clear plan to fix the problem.
Just imagine, your son is 18 years old, waving good-bye and driving off to college. How would you feel? Is your son equipped to handle the rough ride life will surely bring? Robert Lewis, author of RMDK, presents this sorrowful picture clearly to young dads. Based on his own experiences as a son and father, Lewis gives dads strategies to raise their boys. A six-week series, RMDK exposes many of the pitfalls of fatherhood and teaches men to lead their sons toward authentic manhood.
The study is short, yet the program teaches fathers techniques to raise their sons toward being a real man. It’s a clear process to teach boys life lessons marked with appropriate ceremony. As a dad, you exit the program much better equipped and with a precise plan to teach your sons the underpinnings of manhood.
Recently, a dedicated group of fathers from Life Point and Second Baptist joined me in working through the program. I’d love to tell you all the details of the series but it would spoil the fun. First off, no girls allowed! This program is about godly men working together to form an environment for impressionable young boys. Don’t worry, there are no secrete handshakes or passwords; however, ceremonies are important and kept private to enhance the memory of the event in the boys’ life.
At the end of the program, each dad walks away well-equipped to work through the upcoming years with their boys. Some projects from the program will take years to complete and ultimately provide a road map for future generations in the family. Plus, the camaraderie from the program helps the fellowship of the men’s community.
At the end of our first RMDK series, the fathers joined together to take the boys camping. It was the most rainy trip I’ve ever seen! Thunderstorms raged all night filling the tents with 2 inches of water. While we were wet and muddy, everyone had a good time and I’m certain the boys will always remember the trip.
If your a father of young boys I urge you to take the RMDK program. Better yet, sign up to lead an upcoming program. RMDK is helpful to most fathers, yet the program suits young boys from 6–12 years old. Scott O’dell has volunteered to lead the next RMDK adventure in the first quarter of 2008. Contact him directly for more information.
