Father On Purpose Podcast

Have you ever felt like you're still trying to prove yourself as a dad? In this episode, Kent and Lawson sit down with Jeff Zaugg of Dad Awesome to talk about the deeper issues that shape a man's fatherhood: identity, freedom, intentionality, wonder, leadership, and healing from the past. Jeff shares how years of interviews, ministry, and real-life fatherhood led to the six core discoveries in his new book, Dad Awesome. Along the way, this conversation gets honest about the weight many dads still carry from their own upbringing, the lies that keep men stuck, and the freedom that comes from receiving God's love instead of trying to earn it. This episode is biblical, practical, and full of hope for the dad who wants to lead his family well but knows he cannot do it alone. In this conversation, you'll hear: Why fatherhood is bigger than the chapter you're in right now How your identity shapes the way you show up at home Why healing does not happen in isolation The power of brotherhood and accountability in a dad's life How wonder and delight can transform your relationship with your kids What it looks like to lead from freedom instead of shame If you've ever felt like God is holding a clipboard and waiting for you to measure up, this episode is for you. Buy Jeff's latest book Dad Awesome: https://www.dadawesome.org/book Learn more about Jeff's ministry: https://www.dadawesome.org/ Want to shape the direction of the show this year? Leave us a voicemail and tell us what you're facing as a dad: manhoodjourney.org/podcast Scroll down to "What's Your Story?" and leave us a message! You're not a father on accident. Go be a father on purpose. ------------------------------------------------------------------------- Learn more about our new partners here: https://maninthemirror.org/ Download the Iron Circle worksheet here: https://manhoodjourney.org/iron-circle/ We've launched video now! Check out the video version of today's episode on YouTube: https://youtu.be/zI2VppF0K-M ----------------------------------------------------------------------- Range Leather: Support the show and upgrade your fatherhood swag. Shop Range Leather and get 15% OFF with code MJ15 Grab some fresh beans! https://rangecoffee.com/ Fatherhood Guard – Help us get to 100 members of the Fatherhood Guard! Connect with dads from over 20 states and at least 2 countries by joining today. Grab your welcome hat at https://manhoodjourney.org/donate/fatherhood-guard/ Buy Kent's latest book "Don't Bench Yourself" on Amazon: https://a.co/d/1qBF3RJ Read the new State Of Biblical Fatherhood report here: http://manhoodjourney.org/sobf Find tools to share the report here: https://manhoodjourney.org/sobf-tools Have a topic you want us to touch on? Well, get in touch! Send us an email at: [email protected] ------------------------------------------------------------------------- About our hosts: Kent Evans is the Executive Director and co-founder of Manhood Journey, a ministry that helps dads become disciple-makers. After a twenty-year career as a business leader, he embarked on biblical Fatherhood ministry projects. He's appeared on television, radio, web outlets and podcasts. He's spoken at parenting and men's events, and authored four books. The first, Wise Guys: Unlocking Hidden Wisdom from the Men Around You, was written to help men learn how to find mentors and wise counsel. The latest, Don't Bench Yourself: How to Stay in the Game Even When You Want to Quit, aims to help dads stay present in their roles as fathers and husbands even when they feel like giving up. Kent's life has been radically affected by godly mentors and his lovely wife, April. They have been married thirty years and have five sons and one daughter-in-law. He lives in Louisville, Kentucky. Lawson Brown is husband to his high school sweetheart, a father of two young adult daughters, has been a business leader since 1995, and is a former Marine. He served as a small group leader for teenage boys for many years, helped start the Christian media ministry City on a Hill Productions, then later Sanctuary – a new church in Kennesaw, GA – where he served as its leader for Men's Ministry. Lawson's journey of faith has always been centered in a grounding from his wife, Audrey, and supported throughout by many men whom he's found as brothers along the way. His family is nearing an empty nest phase and has recently relocated to the Florida Gulf Coast beaches area.

What does it actually look like for a dad to follow God in everyday life? In this episode, Kent and Lawson talk about a simple but powerful word that is shaping Kent's year: follow. For 16 years, Kent's family has taken an annual family retreat where each person chooses a word to focus on for the year. This year, Kent's word opened the door to a deeper conversation about hearing God's voice, letting go of our own plans, and trusting Him with the path ahead. They also talk about how dads can study Scripture in a way that actually changes them, not just fills their heads with information. Kent shares a practical method for slowing down, praying through God's Word, and doing a topical Bible study that sinks into the heart. Along the way, Lawson reflects on disappointment, closed doors, and how God often uses detours to grow our faith and redirect our lives. If you've ever felt pulled in too many directions, unsure what God wants from you, or hungry to lead your family with greater spiritual clarity, this conversation will help. In this episode, you'll hear: How the Evans family uses a yearly retreat to build spiritual intentionality What Jesus teaches about following the Father Why pace and prayer matter when reading the Bible How disappointment can become a tool God uses to redirect us Why dads who want their kids to follow well must learn to follow God first Key Scriptures (for further study, if you're so inclined...;): John 6:38 Proverbs 16:9 Ephesians 2:10 John 8:12 John 10:4 John 12:26 And, if you're interested in hearing more from our 9-part study on Proverbs 16, scroll all the way back to episode 59 and give those a listen! Want to shape the direction of the show this year? Leave us a voicemail and tell us what you're facing as a dad: manhoodjourney.org/podcast Scroll down to "What's Your Story?" and leave us a message! You're not a father on accident. Go be a father on purpose. ------------------------------------------------------------------------- Learn more about our new partners here: https://maninthemirror.org/ Download the Iron Circle worksheet here: https://manhoodjourney.org/iron-circle/ We've launched video now! Check out the video version of today's episode on YouTube: https://youtu.be/ygYnHVBstX8 ----------------------------------------------------------------------- Range Leather: Support the show and upgrade your fatherhood swag. Shop Range Leather and get 15% OFF with code MJ15 Grab some fresh beans! https://rangecoffee.com/ Fatherhood Guard – Help us get to 100 members of the Fatherhood Guard! Connect with dads from over 20 states and at least 2 countries by joining today. Grab your welcome hat at https://manhoodjourney.org/donate/fatherhood-guard/ Buy Kent's latest book "Don't Bench Yourself" on Amazon: https://a.co/d/1qBF3RJ Read the new State Of Biblical Fatherhood report here: http://manhoodjourney.org/sobf Find tools to share the report here: https://manhoodjourney.org/sobf-tools Have a topic you want us to touch on? Well, get in touch! Send us an email at: [email protected] ------------------------------------------------------------------------- About our hosts: Kent Evans is the Executive Director and co-founder of Manhood Journey, a ministry that helps dads become disciple-makers. After a twenty-year career as a business leader, he embarked on biblical Fatherhood ministry projects. He's appeared on television, radio, web outlets and podcasts. He's spoken at parenting and men's events, and authored four books. The first, Wise Guys: Unlocking Hidden Wisdom from the Men Around You, was written to help men learn how to find mentors and wise counsel. The latest, Don't Bench Yourself: How to Stay in the Game Even When You Want to Quit, aims to help dads stay present in their roles as fathers and husbands even when they feel like giving up. Kent's life has been radically affected by godly mentors and his lovely wife, April. They have been married thirty years and have five sons and one daughter-in-law. He lives in Louisville, Kentucky. Lawson Brown is husband to his high school sweetheart, a father of two young adult daughters, has been a business leader since 1995, and is a former Marine. He served as a small group leader for teenage boys for many years, helped start the Christian media ministry City on a Hill Productions, then later Sanctuary – a new church in Kennesaw, GA – where he served as its leader for Men's Ministry. Lawson's journey of faith has always been centered in a grounding from his wife, Audrey, and supported throughout by many men whom he's found as brothers along the way. His family is nearing an empty nest phase and has recently relocated to the Florida Gulf Coast beaches area.

We interrupt your regularly scheduled programming for a special announcement! Friend of the show Rick Altizer joins us to talk about a powerful new film coming soon to theaters: He Calls Me Daughter. If you've ever wondered how your role as a dad shapes the women in your life, this conversation will grab your heart. This film explores the deep impact fathers have on their daughters and the healing that can happen when we reflect the love of our Heavenly Father. None of us will do that perfectly. We're human, after all. Still, we can learn to love our wives and daughters with more humility, more awareness, and more Christ-like care. That's exactly the kind of conversation this film is meant to spark. Mark your calendars for March 17th-18th. Go out and support this God-honoring, high-quality project when it hits theaters. Grab some tickets, bring your family or small group, and help spread the word. We'll link the website below where you can learn more and find showtimes. Get tickets and learn more: https://hecallsmedaughter.org/

What happens when your kids start asking hard questions about faith? Kent recently had a fascinating—and heartbreaking—Uber ride with a driver who grew up in a family of pastors but walked away from Christianity completely. His reason? He says every question he asked about faith growing up was shut down. That conversation got us thinking. As dads, how we respond when our kids ask honest questions about God, the Bible, and faith might shape their spiritual trajectory for decades. Are we creating space for those questions, or accidentally pushing them away? In this episode, we talk about: Why questions from your kids are actually a good sign The danger of shutting down honest curiosity about faith How Jesus modeled asking questions What to do when your kids ask something you don't know how to answer How to disciple your kids without pretending you have everything figured out Your kids will ask hard questions someday. The real question is whether they'll feel comfortable bringing them to you, or if they'll go anywhere but their dad for guidance. While we never have complete control over our kids, we can create an environment that fosters communication and honesty. Want to shape the direction of the show this year? Leave us a voicemail and tell us what you're facing as a dad: manhoodjourney.org/podcast Scroll down to "What's Your Story?" and leave us a message! You're not a father on accident. Go be a father on purpose. ------------------------------------------------------------------------- Learn more about our new partners here: https://maninthemirror.org/ Download the Iron Circle worksheet here: https://manhoodjourney.org/iron-circle/ We've launched video now! Check out the video version of today's episode on YouTube: https://youtu.be/dNZfK1G6mFM ----------------------------------------------------------------------- Range Leather: Support the show and upgrade your fatherhood swag. Shop Range Leather and get 15% OFF with code MJ15 Grab some fresh beans! https://rangecoffee.com/ Fatherhood Guard – Help us get to 100 members of the Fatherhood Guard! Connect with dads from over 20 states and at least 2 countries by joining today. Grab your welcome hat at https://manhoodjourney.org/donate/fatherhood-guard/ Buy Kent's latest book "Don't Bench Yourself" on Amazon: https://a.co/d/1qBF3RJ Read the new State Of Biblical Fatherhood report here: http://manhoodjourney.org/sobf Find tools to share the report here: https://manhoodjourney.org/sobf-tools Have a topic you want us to touch on? Well, get in touch! Send us an email at: [email protected] ------------------------------------------------------------------------- About our hosts: Kent Evans is the Executive Director and co-founder of Manhood Journey, a ministry that helps dads become disciple-makers. After a twenty-year career as a business leader, he embarked on biblical Fatherhood ministry projects. He's appeared on television, radio, web outlets and podcasts. He's spoken at parenting and men's events, and authored four books. The first, Wise Guys: Unlocking Hidden Wisdom from the Men Around You, was written to help men learn how to find mentors and wise counsel. The latest, Don't Bench Yourself: How to Stay in the Game Even When You Want to Quit, aims to help dads stay present in their roles as fathers and husbands even when they feel like giving up. Kent's life has been radically affected by godly mentors and his lovely wife, April. They have been married thirty years and have five sons and one daughter-in-law. He lives in Louisville, Kentucky. Lawson Brown is husband to his high school sweetheart, a father of two young adult daughters, has been a business leader since 1995, and is a former Marine. He served as a small group leader for teenage boys for many years, helped start the Christian media ministry City on a Hill Productions, then later Sanctuary – a new church in Kennesaw, GA – where he served as its leader for Men's Ministry. Lawson's journey of faith has always been centered in a grounding from his wife, Audrey, and supported throughout by many men whom he's found as brothers along the way. His family is nearing an empty nest phase and has recently relocated to the Florida Gulf Coast beaches area.

What if the money conversations in your house didn't start with stress, but instead, began with purpose? In this episode, Kent and Lawson sit down with investor and author John Coleman to talk about his latest book "Good Money" and the difference between chasing "a little more" and living with contentment, clarity, and kingdom priorities. In this episode, you'll learn: Why "more money" rarely fixes money anxiety How to set a financial finish line with your spouse What "human flourishing" looks like for a Christian family Practical ways to find purpose at work, even in a tough season A simple approach to teaching kids: earn, spend, save, give How to build family generosity without guilt or showmanship John breaks down why money is a tool, not a finish line, how dads can avoid the lifestyle trap, and how to teach kids to handle money with wisdom using simple, repeatable habits. You will also hear a hopeful take for the dad who feels stuck in a job he doesn't love right now, with practical ways to find meaning and serve well in the work that's in front of him. Learn more about our amazing guest from today's episode, John Coleman: https://www.johnwilliamcoleman.com/meet-john/ Buy John's new book "Good Money" here: https://a.co/d/03sTMA7I Want to shape the direction of the show this year? Leave us a voicemail and tell us what you're facing as a dad: manhoodjourney.org/podcast Scroll down to "What's Your Story?" and leave us a message! You're not a father on accident. Go be a father on purpose. ------------------------------------------------------------------------- Learn more about our new partners here: https://maninthemirror.org/ Download the Iron Circle worksheet here: https://manhoodjourney.org/iron-circle/ We've launched video now! Check out the video version of today's episode on YouTube: https://youtu.be/DZUm4G6tv-g ----------------------------------------------------------------------- Range Leather: Support the show and upgrade your fatherhood swag. Shop Range Leather and get 15% OFF with code MJ15 Grab some fresh beans! https://rangecoffee.com/ Fatherhood Guard – Help us get to 100 members of the Fatherhood Guard! Connect with dads from over 20 states and at least 2 countries by joining today. Grab your welcome hat at https://manhoodjourney.org/donate/fatherhood-guard/ Buy Kent's latest book "Don't Bench Yourself" on Amazon: https://a.co/d/1qBF3RJ Read the new State Of Biblical Fatherhood report here: http://manhoodjourney.org/sobf Find tools to share the report here: https://manhoodjourney.org/sobf-tools Have a topic you want us to touch on? Well, get in touch! Send us an email at: [email protected] ------------------------------------------------------------------------- About our hosts: Kent Evans is the Executive Director and co-founder of Manhood Journey, a ministry that helps dads become disciple-makers. After a twenty-year career as a business leader, he embarked on biblical Fatherhood ministry projects. He's appeared on television, radio, web outlets and podcasts. He's spoken at parenting and men's events, and authored four books. The first, Wise Guys: Unlocking Hidden Wisdom from the Men Around You, was written to help men learn how to find mentors and wise counsel. The latest, Don't Bench Yourself: How to Stay in the Game Even When You Want to Quit, aims to help dads stay present in their roles as fathers and husbands even when they feel like giving up. Kent's life has been radically affected by godly mentors and his lovely wife, April. They have been married thirty years and have five sons and one daughter-in-law. He lives in Louisville, Kentucky. Lawson Brown is husband to his high school sweetheart, a father of two young adult daughters, has been a business leader since 1995, and is a former Marine. He served as a small group leader for teenage boys for many years, helped start the Christian media ministry City on a Hill Productions, then later Sanctuary – a new church in Kennesaw, GA – where he served as its leader for Men's Ministry. Lawson's journey of faith has always been centered in a grounding from his wife, Audrey, and supported throughout by many men whom he's found as brothers along the way. His family is nearing an empty nest phase and has recently relocated to the Florida Gulf Coast beaches area.