This week, Jake and Bob welcome Dr. John Bishop, founder of FORGE, to continue their series on healing in men. John shares his perspective on why so many men today lack a clear picture of what it means to be a good man. He begins with the story of Adam, uncovering God's original design for masculinity—one rooted in work, responsibility, and the courage to engage in the world and the people entrusted to him. From there, he describes the wounds men experience from Adam's fall: fear, shame, and the tendency for men to withdraw, hide, or dominate rather than love. Yet, with Jesus Christ as a model, whose life and sacrifice reveal the true strength of a man, they reflect on how men can recover a living image of faithful, engaged, and restored masculinity.
Key Points:
There is a widespread struggle to engage men in the life of the Church.
A central problem facing men today is the lack of a clear and compelling picture of what it means to be a good man.
Without strong masculine examples in families, churches, and schools, many men turn to cultural voices that offer distorted visions of masculinity.
Adam is the first image of authentic masculinity and reveals a masculine inclination towards responsibility and stewardship.
The Fall reveals a core masculine temptation: disengagement, as Adam remains passive when evil enters the garden.
Fear and shame often drive men to withdraw emotionally or hide behind work, distractions, or performance.
True masculinity requires engagement with both the external world and the interior life of relationships.
Jesus Christ, the New Adam, reveals the ultimate image of masculinity through sacrificial love and radical trust in the Father.
Fathers ultimately help their sons become men by guiding them toward the deeper truth that their identity is rooted in being beloved sons of God.
Resources:
John's Ministry: Forge
New Adam: God's Plan for Men by Dr. John Bishop
Chapters:
00:00 Introduction
07:22 Seeing Our Identity as Son, Brother, Bridegroom, and Father
12:17 What's Going On with Men in Our Current Age?
25:07 Adam: The First Image of Masculinity
35:44 Engaging with the World as a Man
47:38 Learning to Trust the Creator of the Universe
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