📖 Reading: Video Transcript: Sample Men's Retreat - Real Men

Lecture 10: Men’s Retreats

All right, lecture 10—men’s retreats.

In this lecture, and in the next one, I want to give you sample men’s retreats. These are options you can use if you already have a men’s group, or even if you’re just thinking about starting one. Sometimes a retreat can be the way you start—by inviting men to spend time together, reflecting and sharing.

What I’ll share with you are all retreats I actually led myself. I know they work. They worked really, really well.

For this retreat, here’s the overview: we’ll look at the best practices for:

1. A man and his work.
2. A man and his walk with God.
3. A man and his wife.
4. A man and his fun.
5. A man and his children or family.

This retreat is high on participation. It follows the principle I shared earlier about Bible study: start at the surface, get everyone talking, then gradually go deeper.

Structure: Small Groups and Pods

Here’s how it works:

• If you have, say, 30 men, you break them into groups of five or six.
• I call these groups pods.
• Each pod is given discussion questions.
• Men first jot down a few notes so they’re ready to share.

This helps men succeed because they’re starting with things they already know—stories, experiences—and they’re doing it in a small group setting before reporting back to the larger group.

Session 1: A Real Man and His Work

Questions for small groups:

• What did your dad do for work?
• How are you the same or different from your dad?
• What do you enjoy about work and why?
• What frustrations do you face in your work?
• How might you do your work and at the same time serve God’s kingdom?
• Where do you feel like a failure as a Christian man in the workplace?
• What are some Bible verses about work?
• What are some best practices to overcome failures and frustrations?

Groups discuss, then come back to the big group to share. Together, you collect best practices for a man and his work.

Session 2: A Real Man’s Walk with God

Questions for small groups:

• How do you personally relate to God?
• What do you like about reading the Bible? What frustrates you?
• What do you like about prayer? What frustrates you?
• What kind of personal walk with God would you like to have?
• What might help you grow in your walk with God?
• What Bible verses encourage you in this area?

Again, groups discuss, then report back. Together, you identify best practices for a real man’s walk with God.

Session 3: A Real Man’s Marriage

Questions for small groups:

• How did you meet your wife? Why did you want to marry her?
• Why is it sometimes hard to have devotions with your wife?
• What does a marriage walk with God look like?
• What Bible verses speak to a man’s marriage?
• What are the obstacles?
• What are the best practices for overcoming those obstacles?

Men share their stories. It’s easy because they’re telling memories, not abstract concepts. Then, together, you gather best practices for a real man’s marriage.

Session 4: A Real Man’s Fun

Fun is important. Questions for small groups:

• What did your dad do for fun?
• How are you the same or different?
• What things do you enjoy doing for fun and why?
• How might you enjoy fun while also serving God’s kingdom?
• Where do you feel like a failure as a Christian man in this area?
• What Bible verses speak about joy, celebration, or rest?
• What are the best practices for overcoming frustrations in this area?

Groups talk, share in the big group, and identify best practices for a real man’s fun.

Session 5: A Real Man’s Family

Questions for small groups:

• What kind of family did you grow up in spiritually?
• What kind of family did you grow up in regarding discipline, encouragement, work, or fun?
• What were the best things about your family that you’d like to repeat?
• What would you do differently from your family?
• Where have you failed most in your family life?
• What frustrations do you face with your family?
• What Bible verses guide a man’s role in the family?
• What are the best practices for overcoming frustrations and failures in family life?

The discussion allows men to go deeper, step by step. At first, they talk about their background, then about their current family life, and eventually they share struggles. This builds trust and leads to genuine growth.

Conclusion

By the end of the retreat, you’ve created five sets of best practices:

1. Work.
2. Walk with God.
3. Marriage.
4. Fun.
5. Family.

The genius of this retreat format is that it moves from surface-level sharing (stories, memories) into deeper waters (failures, frustrations, practices). Everyone participates. Everyone succeeds. And together, the men create a shared set of practices they can take home and live out.

So, if you already have a men’s group, try a retreat like this. Or, if you don’t yet have a group, consider using this as the way to launch one.

I’ll see you next time.