Job 40:7 Gird up thy loins now like a man: I will demand of thee, and declare thou unto me.

This website is being used to develop a Manhood Ceremony for my son, Jacob. It draws heavily upon ‘Raising a Modern Day Knight’ by Robert Lewis and ‘King Me’ by Steve Farrar.

One of the key ideas is for Jacob to see and gain insight into other Godly Men, not just me. I want for him to understand that we can and do honor God in similar and different ways, and that although different in some ways, we are all followers of Christ and seek to be like Him. I believe it important that he realize that each of you have strengths where I have weaknesses, and he should observe and seek to emulate good examples. That we can successfully live the Christian life in today’s culture, and that a group of trusted Men is a key enabler.

Both of the books stress the idea that, in our modern culture, young men don’t know when they are men (and consequently don’t know how to behave as men). They are called ‘Men’ by their peer group, which bases this assessment upon some arbitrary standard, such as having sex with a girl, stealing a car, etc. In order for our sons to become Men, specifically Godly Men, we fathers must be intentional about parenting and providing an example worth emulating.

Additionally, both Lewis and Farrar point out that our Sons must be recognized by Men they respect when they become a Man. A ceremony is vital for this, as it is a significant moment in the lives of our Sons, marking the passing from boyhood to manhood. Lewis uses a page, squire, knight metaphor and suggests 3 ceremonies.

My intent is to have two ceremonies for Jacob: the immediate one to mark, celebrate and honor his passage from boy to Man, and the second just before his wedding to mark, celebrate and honor his passage from single Man to Husband. Both of these transitions are very important, and an observation of them is helpful in achieving the new necessary mindset to go forward in life’s journey and gird up his loins now like a man (accept the responsibilities that God places upon him as a Man).