The ManCo and The WomanCo Family Discipleship Groups

God has given parents, specifically fathers, the role of discipling children. A father/son or mother/daughter family discipleship group is a practical way for parents to obey God’s command to raise our children in the instruction and discipline of the Lord (Eph. 6:4), to provide children a biblical vision and model for manhood and womanhood, and provide parents a setting to help their child grow deeper in their faith, intentionally establish friendships, be mentored by like-minded adults, and have fun together in Christian community.

Unfortunately, many dads don’t spend much time with other men in quality and long-lasting relationships and many teenage boys don’t have quality friends. After all, fathers are working hard all day, then get home and focus on their family and it leaves little time for gathering with other men. It’s hard for many fathers to justify a regular commitment separate from their family that takes them away from the home. But a father and son group is the best of both worlds where friendships with godly men are developed while fathers disciple their sons! The same is true often for mothers!

Sons and daughters are blessed to learn from the example, wisdom, and life experiences of the other men in the father/son group and women in the mother/daughter group. They are exhorted to holiness, warned about poor life choices, taught invaluable life lessons, and learned how to study God’s Word. To become a godly man it helps to be around other godly men. To become a wise woman it helps to be around other wise women. The ManCo and The WomanCo provides the opportunity for other men/women to have a Titus 2 influence on our children and model what it looks like to be sober-minded, dignified, self-controlled, sound in faith, in love, and in steadfastness.

It’s a nice change-of-pace from expositional study of the Bible, provides experiential learning, and leverages the strengths of each parent. The sample list of essential manhood and womanhood skills includes the following areas: money management, how to budget and invest; interview skills, how to write a resume and how to interview for a job; common etiquette; how to tie a tie; how to cut hair; how to choose a date; simple car maintenance; how to change a tire and the oil; nutrition; and how to handle and shoot a gun. For a broader list with resources and teaching points, see the book 50 Things Every Child Needs to Know Before Leaving Home.

Groups have a lot of fun together and once a month they plan a fun evening. The fun events include bowling, a cribbage night, snow tubing, disc golf, Favorite Things Christmas Party where we exchanged gifts, Bigger and Better party, end of year party grilling out, and a father and son campout. Most groups eat a meal together each week, but this is not required. Whoever hosts also provides food. Since many fathers/mothers are coming straight from work and some of our sons/daughters are coming from afternoon commitments, the meal is helpful and allows groups to begin each gathering with conversation around great food.

Compared with other societies, ours is short on activities or milestones that mark the arrival of maturity and manhood or womanhood. In addition, manhood and womanhood is in a state of confusion today. Society no longer knows what a man/woman is or how a man/woman acts.

What is the manhood image that the culture gives us? Feminized culture, indecisive guys, lovers of adrenaline, and weak or passive men. Many boys do not have a compelling vision of what it means to be a godly man. What is the womanhood image that society communicates? Feminism, anti-child, anti-family, and androgenized culture. Many girls do not have a biblical vision of what it means to be a godly woman.

In our generation, a quiet crisis has taken place for young people that has teenagers arriving at the doorstep of manhood or womanhood who are not prepared to launch well. The Man Co. and Woman Co. help to change all of that. Parents, here is an opportunity for you to step up and take leadership to disciple your child by being actively engaged in your son or daughter’s life, have high expectations, and raise him or her to maturity in Christ. The Man Co. and The Woman Co. is our way of discipling our sons and daughters in a community of godly men/women studying God’s Word together and training them with essential manhood/womanhood skills while having fun and eating great food. Maybe it will be for you as well!