• ❑ Meet at St. Peter Lutheran School (West side of building) 12:15
• ❑ Talk with Dave Weinrich about rooms, provide maps to participants
▼ ❑ Room assignments:
• ❑ Room 29 - Kevin George
• ❑ Room 31 - Stuart Davis
• ❑ Room 57 - Dave Fiedler
• ❑ Room 51 - Steve Erdmann
• ❑ Room 55 - Tom Kresnicka
• ❑ Room 56 - Wayne Anderson
• ❑ Room 58 - Bryan Brokate
• ❑ Pastor Greiner in his office
• ❑ Russ returns home, changes 12:30
▼ ❑ Walk with Jacob to St. Peter. Preparatory words for Jacob before sending him in to the first room at 12:45
school
• ❑ This is a metaphorical journey through your childhood years, by going from room to room at St. Peter School.
• ❑ In Room 29 (next to your 1st grade room), you will find someone you know. He will tell you some important things
based upon his life experience. Use your recorder to record your conversation.
• ❑ Your time will end after about 15 minutes. You will be told the next room to which you must go.
• ❑ Feel free to ask questions. I have not specified the topics of discussion. I trust each man implicitly, know them to be
of good character and men of integrity.
▼ ❑ Words to Jacob before entering the school:
• ❑ Life is a journey, and many times is seems similar, like you have been here and done this before. Always try to pay
attention to your surroundings and circumstances. You have done well growing up, and I'm proud of you. The
ceremony today is but a milestone on your journey, the route and destination known only to God. Enjoy your day
today and tomorrow, as these two events will mark your passage from boy to Man.
• ❑ Give Jacob a map showing him where to go, and remind him about using the recorder
• ❑ Jacob goes to Room 29 1:00
• ❑ Ceremony Start
• ❑ Open with Invocation by Pastor Greiner 2:00
▼ ❑ Introductory talk - what is this and why are we doing it? 3:00
• ❑ Society today strongly encourages Men to be boys. To never grow up, to be the 50 year old
teenager. To shirk responsibility, to sponge off others, to be the victim and blame everything but
themselves for their circumstances. Example of the Occupy groups. Lots live at home, because no
one will employ them with their Philosophy and Art History degrees, and they have been
indoctrinated to believe they are entitled to whatever they wish. They check their stocks with their
iPhones, while lounging in their designer jeans and tweeting all day, before going home to their
parent's homes.
• ❑ The question at hand is this: when does a boy become a Man? Society will tell you it is when he
steals a car, or smokes a cigarette, or gets drunk, or has sex with a girl.
• ❑ God, on the other hand, has a clear set of aspirations for Manhood. The passage is Job 29,
specifically verses 7 - 17. It is similar to Proverbs 31 for women, and reads thus:
7 When I went out to the gate through the city, when I prepared my seat in the street!
8 The young men saw me, and hid themselves: and the aged arose, and stood up.
9 The princes refrained talking, and laid their hand on their mouth.
10 The nobles held their peace, and their tongue cleaved to the roof of their mouth.
11When the ear heard me, then it blessed me; and when the eye saw me, it gave witness to me:
12 Because I delivered the poor that cried, and the fatherless, and him that had none to help him.
13The blessing of him that was ready to perish came upon me: and I caused the widow's heart to
sing for joy.
14 I put on righteousness, and it clothed me: my judgment was as a robe and a diadem.
15I was eyes to the blind, and feet was I to the lame.
16 I was a father to the poor: and the cause which I knew not I searched out.
17 And I brake the jaws of the wicked, and plucked the spoil out of his teeth.
KJV
▼ ❑ Teddy Roosevelt had a great admonition for men:
• ❑ “It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where
the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the
arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs, who
comes short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming; but who
does actually strive to do the deeds; who knows great enthusiasms, the great devotions; who
spends himself in a worthy cause; who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high
achievement, and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place
shall never be with those cold and timid souls who neither know victory nor defeat.”
― Theodore Roosevelt
• ❑ My answer to the question of when does a boy become a Man is this: when a group of respected
and Godly Men tell him! That is the purpose of our gathering here today.
▼ ❑ What God calls men to do / key scriptures 4:00
• ❑
• ❑ Spiritual maturity sufficient to lead a wife and children.
Personal maturity sufficient to be a responsible husband and father.
Economic maturity sufficient to hold an adult job and handle money.
Physical maturity sufficient to work and protect a family.
Sexual maturity sufficient to marry and fulfill God’s purposes.
Moral maturity sufficient to lead as an example of righteousness.
Ethical maturity sufficient to make responsible decisions.
Worldview maturity sufficient to understand what is really important.
Relational maturity sufficient to understand and respect others.
Social maturity sufficient to make a contribution to society.
Verbal maturity sufficient to communicate and articulate as a man.
Character maturity sufficient to demonstrate courage under fire.
Biblical maturity sufficient to lead at some level in the church.
▼ ❑ Jacob, you have been provided with many tools and resources from which to obtain guidance for
living a Man's life.
• ❑ Boy Scout Oath and Law
• ❑ A real Man Rejects passivity
Accepts responsibility
Leads courageously
Expects the greater reward
• ❑ The Champion Warrior Creed (From Teknon and the Champion Warriors)
If I have the Courage to face my fears;
Honor which I show to God and my fellow Man;
the proper Attitude concerning myself and my circumstances;
the Mental Toughness required to make hard decisions;
Purity of heart, mind and body;
the Integrity to stand for what I believe, even in the most difficult situations;
Effective Ownership of all that is entrusted to me;
and focused Navigation in order to successfully chart my course in life;
I will live as a true Champion Warrior, committed to battling evil and changing my world for God’s
glory.
▼ ❑ Tools 2:00
• ❑ I have frequently told Jacob that I believe it important that he be able to create value. He needs to
have some tools, and be skilled in their use, in order to create things of value to himself and others.
The context here in simplest terms is to be able to provide a living for himself and his family. I have
also told Jacob that I wanted to equip him with a set of tools to take with him when he left home; my
father did not do that for me. I did not know what those tools would be, but I started out with
camping gear in the context of Boy Scouts. I got good at buying quantity two of certain key things.
This was also used to show the value of quality tools. These things were previously taught when
boys learned a trade from their fathers. Today, this is not practical, and many young men go to
college in pursuit of their skills and employment. The man who can create things of value will
always be able to provide for himself even if circumstances are difficult. Learning to create things of
value, however, requires hard work and perseverance.
▼ ❑ Introduce men 2:00
• ❑ God has blessed me personally in miraculous ways. One of these ways is by providing this
outstanding group of men, who have become my friends, and who have all provided Godly influence
in Jacob's life. Each of these men spoke with Jacob today about life lessons they have learned, and
those things they feel important for a young man to know.
• ❑ Each man to briefly talk about their topic of discussion with Jacob 10:00
• ❑ Lt. Col. Bryan Brokate
• ❑ Steve Erdmann
• ❑ Kevin George
• ❑ Wayne Anderson
• ❑ Stuart Davis
• ❑ Dr. David Fiedler
• ❑ Tom Kresnicka
• ❑ Pastor Micah Greiner
▼ ❑ Those not present but important:
• ❑ Jerry Hoevelmann
• ❑ John Secrest
• ❑ DJ Young
• ❑ Todd Custable
• ❑ Kurt Kriemelmeyer
▼ ❑ Introduce peers 1:00
• ❑ Similarly, God has blessed Jacob with a group of outstanding friends, some of whom were able to
participate today. Each of these young men have known Jacob for a number of years, and have
shared many experiences together.
• ❑ I have asked each of them to prepare some remarks to Jacob, from his peers.
• ❑ Each peer to describe their association with Jacob and read their affirmation 15:00
• ❑ James Davis
• ❑ Kyle George
• ❑ Ryan Erdmann
• ❑ David Andrew
• ❑ Ben Shudak
• ❑ Teegan Fiedler
• ❑ Jacob comes forward - sat down a child, stands as a Man 2:00
▼ ❑ My words of affirmation 5:00
• ❑ I have watched you grow from a baby to a boy and now to a Man. In this time, I have attempted to
guide, educate, influence and otherwise shape you so that you would be a Man of honor, integrity,
faith, strength, wisdom, and compassion. As I am only an imperfect Man, it is impossible for me to
do this alone. Your mother has been an invaluable help and partner with me in guiding your steps.
• ❑ God has blessed you with the acquaintance of these Men who have shared their council with you;
those things they believe important for a young man to know. These things are from the word of
God, or have been the result of painful or costly personal experience, or observing painful
experience of others. It is always best to learn from the experiences of others.
• ❑ I personally am very proud of you. I am proud to be your father. I am full of joy to be your brother
in Christ. I love you very much, but not as much as God loves you.
▼ ❑ Presentation of gifts 3:00
• ❑ Jacob, these gifts commemorate this ceremony.
• ❑ Bible signed by all men & peers
• ❑ Bennett Manhood book, signed by me
▼ ❑ Armor of God coin
• ❑ When Jacob is presented with the Armor of God coin, all Men hold up their coins for a moment
▼ ❑ My words of blessing 3:00
• ❑ Jacob, I love you and I am proud of you. I am proud to be your father, and have tried my best to
guide and instruct you using the guidance God has given me. I ask that God give you wisdom,
courage, discernment, compassion, strength and an ever-strengthening faith in Him. I pray that
God will use you to bring glory to Himself, and that you will ever strive to know His will for you and to
do it. I pray that you will have lifelong relationships with the Men who have participated in this
ceremony, and with your friends. Commit to always be there to help, encourage and challenge
them; remember that iron sharpens iron. I pray also that God will provide you with a young woman
of like mind and strong in faith to be your wife, at His appointed time. Keep this in mind always, that
you are saving yourself for her, to keep your focus in these increasingly evil times. I pray that you
will continue to have compassion for others, and will always put your plans and needs after those of
others. Strive to be a servant leader.
• ❑ All men and peers gather around Jacob, place their hands on him and pray for him 5:00
▼ ❑ Declare Jacob a Man; all men look him in the eye and shake his hand 2:00
• ❑ You have been weighed, you have been measured, and you have been found worthy. "Be thou
strong therefore, and shew thyself a man" -- 1 Kings 2:2
• ❑ Benediction
• ❑ Photos
• ❑