A Review of Manhood Journey Father’s Starter Kit, from Manhood Journey & City on a Hill Studio. 
This kit is the first in a series of a father son bible study kits that helps Dads to begin the journey with their sons.
Most of the reviews I do for the Homeschool Review Crew are materials that I use directly with my children in the course of our homeschool studies. We got the opportunity, however, to review a study program for fathers and sons that looked as though it would be wonderful for both my husband and my son to do together. And so I handed everything over to my husband when the box came in the mail and stepped away. My husband then wrote the following review:
Why I Was Excited To Help With This Father/Son Review
One of the personal challenges that I face is how to talk with my children about faith and God. Although I am sure of my own belief in G
od, I am not articulate about that belief. The challenge of how to answer the questions from two now teenaged twins with something more sophisticated than, “Well, that is the way it is,” has been difficult. I have spent a great deal of effort to understand how to speak with my children about God and how to lead them to an understanding that the Christian worldview is the foundation of what we understand as Western Civilization.
My son says that one of his favorite times is the 2 fifteen minute trips that encompass our commute to and from Boy Scouts every week. During this time he does not need to share my attention with either his mother or his sister. He is free to ask and discuss his important questions without being interrupted.
So with this context, my concern about filling my responsibilities as a Christian parent as well as a desire to give my son the undivided attention that is so important to him, I was quite excited when the opportunity to review the Manhood Journey study presented itself.
Evidently my wife and I did not do quite as effective a sales job with my son as he began the process having not a small amount of reluctance…
What Comes In the Box
The Manhood Journey Father’s Starter Kit comes with
1 on 1 Discussion Guide (this was the primary piece I used with my son)
Group Discussion Guide (useful if you are working with a larger group, perhaps a group of boys at your church)- DVD of introductory videos
- 10 Map Brochures (useful if you have younger boys)
- “Wise Guys: Unlocking Hidden Wisdom from the Men Around You”, by Kent Evans (this is a great book that is worth purchasing and reading even if you don’t have the opportunity to work with your son on the Manhood Journey)
Extra Materials You Need:
The Manhood Journey Father’s Starter Kit is non-denominational and so you need to provide your own bibles.
Age Range:
The Manhood Journey Father’s Starter Kit is recommended for boys ages 8 to 17. I think my son, who is right in the middle of that age range, is at a perfect time in his life in terms of maturity and interest to begin the journey with me.
How We Use The Material/ When We Meet
Normally we have two days during the week when we have the house to ourselves. My daughter has Karate class twice a week and my son and I planned to do the Manhood Journey during those times.
The overarching theme of this set of meetings is Embarking on the Manhood Journey. The material is divided into six weeks of one session each.
These sessions are:
- Preparing for the Journey
- Setting out on the Journey
- Relying on the Compass
- Seeking Guidance along the Way
- Encountering other along the Way
- We have Embarked
Each lesson is further divided into four activities:
- Building our Relationship
- Knowing God’s Word (with scripture study)
- Serving Others (putting the lessons into action)
- Talking with God
The material is presented as a series of things to say, helpful tips or coaching, scripture readings, and discussion questions. The sessions end with a suggested prayer for giving thanks for the time spent with your son.
What We Got Out Of It
Overall using this material and working through it with my son was a joyful experience. I was amazed at the richness of meaning around the phrase…
You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul and with all your mind. Matthew 22:37
Originally my son had a certain amount of trepidation about this program. After the first session during the first week, he wanted to make sure we would be doing the next session the next time his sister and mother left the house. That meets the definition of a successful program in my book.
Epilog
Initially we were scheduled to receive this material far enough in advance that we could get through nearly the entire program by the end of this review period. Due to the recent weather in the eastern and mid-western U.S., our package took a while to make its way to our doorstep. We were only able to complete three of the sections to this point.
On hearing that the review would be written before the series was done, my son made the point of asking if this meant that he would need to stop the weekly meeting with Dad, and that he hoped that was not the case.
How can you hope for anything more?
