Dads of Boys - Leading them toward being Men of the Lord
Milestone ages and major themes to cover:
- Read stories from the Bible that highlight the importance of gratitude and compassion, such as the story of the Good Samaritan or the Parable of the Prodigal Son.
- Encourage your son to memorize and reflect upon Bible verses that emphasize
gratitude, kindness, and helping others. - Teach him the value of tithing or giving a portion of his allowance to a charitable cause.
- Explore the life of Jesus and his teachings on selflessness, forgiveness, and love for others.
- Discuss the biblical concept of stewardship and the responsibility to use one's talents and resources for the benefit of others and the glory of God.
- Introduce your son to prayer and guide him in developing a personal prayer practice for self-reflection and seeking God's guidance.
- Study the life of biblical figures like Joseph, David, or Daniel, who demonstrated faith, resilience, and obedience to God's will.
- Explore the teachings of Jesus, particularly the Sermon on the Mount, which covers essential principles like humility, peacemaking, and loving one's enemies.
- Encourage your son to participate in Bible studies or youth groups where he can engage in discussions about faith, spirituality, and applying biblical principles to daily life.
- Study the life of Paul and his missionary journeys as an example of dedicating one's life to spreading the message of God's love.
- Encourage your son to discern his spiritual gifts and talents and how they can be used to serve others and glorify God.
- Emphasize the importance of living a life aligned with biblical values, such as integrity, honesty, humility, and seeking justice for the oppressed.
Content planning, ideas and discussion questions for a Father/Son retreat:
Day 1:
- What does the Bible say about gratitude and why is it important?
- Can you think of any Bible stories that teach us about showing compassion to others? How can we apply those lessons in our own lives?
- Reflect on a time when someone showed you kindness. How did it make you feel, and how can you pass on that kindness to others?
- How can we express gratitude toward God in our daily lives? Share examples of prayers, rituals, or actions that can help us cultivate gratitude.
- Discuss ways in which we can actively practice compassion and serve others. How can we make a positive impact in our community?
- Explore Bible verses that speak about the connection between gratitude, compassion, and faith. Choose a verse to memorize and discuss its meaning.
- Acts of Kindness Challenge: Create a list of kind deeds to perform throughout the week, such as helping neighbors, writing letters to nursing home residents, or leaving encouraging notes in public places.
- Gratitude Scavenger Hunt: Organize a scavenger hunt where the boys find and appreciate the beauty of nature, thanking God for His creation as they explore.
- Crafting for Others: Gather craft supplies and create homemade gifts for a local charity or a children's hospital to share love and compassion with those in need.
- Bible Story Drama: Encourage the boys to act out a favorite Bible story that emphasizes compassion and gratitude. This activity helps them internalize the biblical principles.
- Obstacle Course Challenge: Set up an exciting outdoor obstacle course with various challenges and time the boys to see who completes it the fastest.
- Board Game Tournament: Organize a board game tournament with games like chess, Scrabble, or Monopoly to determine the ultimate champion.
- Mini Sports Olympics: Plan a mini Olympics with sports like relay races, soccer, basketball, and tug-of-war, where teams compete against each other.
- Trivia Quiz Show: Host a Bible-themed trivia quiz show, testing the boys' knowledge of stories, characters, and lessons from the Bible.
Day 1:
- Reflect on the life of Jesus. What qualities did He demonstrate that we can learn from, such as forgiveness, humility, or selflessness?
- Discuss the concept of stewardship. How can we use our talents, resources, and time to honor God and benefit others?
- Share personal experiences of facing challenges or making mistakes. How can we learn from them and grow in our faith and character?
- Explore different forms of prayer and meditation. How can they help us in self-reflection, seeking God's guidance, and finding inner peace?
- Discuss the importance of setting goals aligned with biblical principles. How can we pursue personal growth while staying rooted in our faith?
- Investigate Bible stories where individuals faced adversity and grew spiritually. What lessons can we draw from their experiences?
- Nature Retreat and Journaling: Take a weekend nature retreat where the boys can reflect on their personal growth, write in journals, and connect with God through prayer and meditation.
- Gifts and Talents Showcase: Organize a talent show where the boys showcase their unique gifts and talents, appreciating the importance of stewardship and using their abilities for God's glory.
- Character Role-Playing: Have the boys participate in role-playing scenarios requiring moral decision-making and encouraging them to reflect on their values, aligning with biblical principles.
- Outdoor Leadership Activities: Plan team-building activities, such as ropes courses or hiking challenges, where the boys can learn leadership skills and apply biblical principles of humility and servant leadership.
- Video Game Competition: Organize a friendly video game competition where the boys can compete in their favorite multiplayer games.
- Capture the Flag: Divide the boys into teams and play the classic outdoor game of Capture the Flag, strategizing to capture the opponent's flag.
- Cooking Challenge: Host a cooking challenge where the boys prepare dishes with specific ingredients, and a panel of judges determines the tastiest creation.
- Escape Room Challenge: Take the boys to an escape room venue where they must work together to solve puzzles and escape within a time limit.
Day 1:
- Explore different religious traditions and their teachings. How can we appreciate and learn from them while remaining committed to our own faith?
- Discuss the concept of discipleship and mentorship. How can we find mentors or role models who can guide us in our spiritual journey?
- Reflect on the teachings of Jesus in the Sermon on the Mount. How can we apply these teachings to our relationships, decisions, and attitudes?
- Investigate the lives of biblical figures who faced challenges and remained faithful to God, such as Joseph, David, or Daniel. What lessons can we learn from their stories?
- Discuss the role of faith and spirituality in making life choices, such as education, career, and relationships. How can we seek God's will in these decisions?
- Explore ways to engage with our local spiritual community and contribute to its growth and well-being. How can we serve and support others in our faith community?
- Interfaith Dialogue: Organize a panel discussion or invite guest speakers from different religious traditions to foster dialogue and understanding, encouraging the boys to show love toward people with different views while standing firm in their faith.
- Biblical Movie Night: Host a movie night featuring films based on biblical stories, followed by a discussion about the lessons and spiritual insights portrayed in the movies.
- Volunteer Mission Trip: Plan a short volunteer mission trip to a nearby community, offering the boys an opportunity to experience serving others and witnessing God's love in action.
- Bible Study Challenge: Organize a friendly Bible study competition, dividing the boys into teams to study and share insights on specific biblical themes or passages.
- Outdoor Adventure Race: Plan an adventure race that involves hiking, biking, and navigating through a course, competing in teams or individually.
- Debate Tournament: Organize a debate tournament where the boys discuss various topics, fostering critical thinking and persuasive skills.
- Sports Tournament: Host a sports tournament with various sports like basketball, soccer, volleyball, or ultimate frisbee, allowing the boys to showcase their athletic abilities.
- Karaoke Battle: Arrange a karaoke battle, where the boys perform their favorite songs and compete for the best vocal performance.
Day 1:
- Reflect on the life of the apostle Paul and his dedication to spreading the message of God's love. How can we find our own purpose and mission in life?
- Discuss the importance of integrity, honesty, and justice in our personal and professional lives. How can we be ambassadors of God's values in the world?
- Explore Bible passages that call us to serve and care for the marginalized, oppressed, and vulnerable. How can we actively advocate for justice and compassion in society?
- Discuss the concept of vocation and finding meaningful work aligned with our passions, talents, and spiritual values. How can we glorify God through our chosen careers or vocations?
- Share examples of individuals who have made a significant impact through their service and commitment to their faith. How can we follow their example?
- Explore ways to continue growing spiritually after high school, such as joining faith-based organizations, seeking out spiritual retreats, or pursuing theological studies.
- Personal Vision Board: Have the boys create vision boards that represent their aspirations, values, and desired impact on the world, aligning their visions with biblical principles and God's purpose for their lives.
- Service Project Planning: Facilitate brainstorming sessions for a service project the boys want to undertake in their community, encouraging them to put their faith into action.
- Mentorship Program: Pair the boys with experienced mentors who can guide them in their post-graduation journey, spiritually and professionally.
- Chess Grandmaster Challenge: Host a chess tournament for those who enjoy the game, challenging them to demonstrate their strategic skills.
- Entrepreneurial Pitch Competition: Encourage the boys to pitch business ideas or social initiatives, and have judges evaluate their creativity and feasibility.
- Outdoor Survival Challenge: Organize an outdoor survival challenge that tests the boys' wilderness skills, teamwork, and problem-solving abilities.
- Trivia Night Extravaganza: Host a trivia night with various categories, including general knowledge, pop culture, and biblical trivia, to crown the ultimate trivia champion.
If you are a dad of boys, I hope you feel the sense of responsibility like I do to shepherd your buys toward Christ and to not just be good men, but to be good at being men. That last part is a quote from the book, “The Intentional Father” by Jon Tyson. I hope you don’t look at some of these ideas and think for a second that I have anything figured out. This is a tool specifically to help me as I guide my boys through some of the defining years of their lives. Mostly, what I have in here are some key themes in important stages of their lives and then ideas for a retreat/trip during each of those stages. I am going to be using this book as a guide as I work through some of these stages. It is a very practical book and it has an unofficial workbook that you can use alongside of the book itself for additional guidance. I look forward to taking this challenge seriously and doing it alongside other men who are trying to raise their boys to be men of Christ.
