Discovering Manhood: The Journey Of A Lifetime

A friend of mine once told me that college comes at the wrong time in a man’s life.  He said how can you expect a 17-18 year old to decide the next 40 years of his life when he is barely done “wetting the bed”.  Forgive the analogy, but his point was that there is a lack of maturity that comes with that age. But yet we find our young men having to make choices that we all know will affect the trajectory of their lives. 

They are searching for answers to a lot of life’s questions but the biggest question most are asking is who am I,  and what’s my purpose? 

It’s an age old question but it seems that in the last several years, the intensity and urgency has increased. By the time they become teenagers, they have been exposed to images and narratives that try to define who they are. By the time they reach college many of them have tried to live up to these expectations and have come up empty. In my three decades of working with college students, I have not seen such a huge increase in students looking for answers to life’s questions. 

A “Quiet” Revival

We have heard in history about the "great awakenings" but every move of God isn't always loud and boisterous. We have seen reports of great gatherings happening on college campuses with hundreds of students coming to faith and we celebrate that, but the story that isn't being told as much is where did these great events start. They are always rooted in prayer and relationships. We are finding at the forefront of this movement are the "Gen Z" and "Millennial" Men! 

According to Barna Research, among Gen Z men, commitment to Jesus jumped 15% points between 2019 and 2025. Millennial men saw a similar spike of 19% points. These young men are everywhere including our college campuses, so that is why it is vital that we are engaged with them where they are. There's not a greater time to be on our college campuses than now, but here's the dilemma...how do we meet them there and help them find the answers they are looking for? Enter the Collegiate Men’s Initiative.

Collegiate Men’s Initiative

Men make men better! The notion of the self made man is only a myth. Every successful man got there with the help of those who were willing to meet them where they are and help them become all they were created to be. This is the cornerstone of the Collegiate Men's Initiative

Mentors are everywhere! Whether they are a fellow college student, a recent graduate or a seasoned man who has been living the disciple-making lifestyle, the men on our campuses are seeking trusted voices that can speak into their lives. 

CMI is not about a curriculum but it’s about developing relationships that will not only help college students start to figure things out, but also equip them to turn around and become that resource for other men around them.

The method is simple: meet them right where they are and walk with them to where they were created to be. This is done by going where they are and creating life-to-life relationships where collegiate men are able to ask life’s challenging questions in the natural context of relationships. Whether it’s meeting to do things together or simply to meet over a meal or coffee, these life on life relationships become the foundation for growth and development.

We believe that all men were created to live on purpose, with passion at full power! Helping them to believe in, belong to, become like Jesus and help others do the same is the route to recognizing their full potential and living in it! If you are a college student who is searching or a man who wants to help them, we invite you to partner with us on this journey!

Stay Forever Strong!