“Courageous” Opens Tomorrow
September 29, 2011 by admin
Filed under Blog, cultural manliness, Faith, Fatherhood, For Women, manliness, Military, Scriptural Examples, Sports, Virtue
VERY RARELY do I get excited about a movie debuting in the theaters. To put my theater-movie-watching in perspective, the last two movies I’ve seen in the theater have been “Tangled”, which I took my oldest daughter to as a special daddy-daughter date and the 4th Indiana Jones. (That one came out in the summer of 2008.) So, you can see that I don’t frequent the movie theater. Don’t get me wrong, I enjoy movies, but I struggle terribly to find time to go to the theater and I struggle even more with paying ticket prices for movies nowadays! (Tangled was a matinee with a coupon, and someone gave me free passes for Indiana Jones.)
BUT… I must say that I am VERY excited about an upcoming movie that is making its way to the
big screen tomorrow (Friday, September 30, 2011). The movie is called “Courageous”. The producers of this film also produced the movie “Fireproof” (and a few others), which I thought was a good movie. If “Fireproof” was good, “Courageous” is great! I had the privilege of pre-screening the movie with my colleagues at our office and have the honor of being part of The King’s Men, one of the ministry-resources for men after they see the movie.
For the pre-screening, I went in very skeptical. I went in believing that Sherwood Pictures was going to make the movie cheesy with Bible innuendos and very heavy, to the point of burdensome, like they did in “Fireproof”. Not so. ”Courageous” was very well done and had just the right amount of the “Jesus-factor” so as to still be relate-able as a tool for evangelization purposes with men who are non-believers. This movie has action, drama, suspense, thrills, excitement and a host of other great characteristics. I cannot recommend this movie high enough. Go see it, even at current ticket prices, and show Hollywood that Americans want good, wholesome entertainment and not the garbage they have been spewing for years.
This movie is real. It is about real men, attempting to live through some real life issues and situations. It’s very practical and very helpful. The acting is top notch, the storyline is right on and the cinematography is great. Again, I cannot recommend this movie enough. (The trailer is located on our homepage on the right side.)
After you see the movie, you may want to get involved. If you desire to follow in the example of the men in the movie, and become part of a small men’s group, I have a turn-key solution for you. The King’s Men offers a men’s small group formation & accountability model that is easily duplicated, dynamic and proven. We do not charge dues, have no membership and offer incredible support to our leaders. Don’t try to reinvent the wheel – we have the track record of a program that works. Men’s lives are changed because of it. Men who invest themselves into a men’s small
group experience extreme growth and positive change. Don’t wait another day! If your parish/church/group/city/area gather enough men together, I can personalize a leader’s training workshop for you and train all of your facilitators in a day-long training session, complete with resource manual and all the how-to’s and nuts and bolts you could ever need. The calendar is filling up fast, so contact me today!
For a list of existing groups, check out our GROUP LIST. If one is nearby, all you have to do is show up. If we don’t currently have any groups nearby, maybe this is the day you step up and start one. Contact me for all the resources and support you need. Dave@TheKingsMen.org.
TrueMan up!
Like TKM on Facebook
Stay connected with The King’s Men on Facebook. Click HERE or go to Facebook and search “The King’s Men”.
We also have a page for Into the Wild and for TrueManhood.com.
Dynamic, Outdoor, Experiential
August 1, 2011 by admin
Filed under Blog, Faith, Fatherhood, manliness, Scriptural Examples, Sports, Virtue
Men, if you’re looking for a great retreat experience and want to be real with yourself (about life, relationships, work, faith, sin, struggles, victories and a whole lot more) and with other Catholic men, then “Into the Wild” is the retreat for you! Into the Wild (ITW) is the most dynamic retreat experience for men in the Church today. Period.
We see all kinds of men on ITWs… young, old, rich, poor, fathers and sons and everything in between. Outdoorsmen, and men who have never been in the wilderness. Men who are proficient with tools, weapons and outdoor living and men who don’t know the first thing about any of that. In the end, the men learn from one another and share their skills and talents to build one another up.
August 11-14 at Hickory Run State Park, Pocono Mtns of PA (register by Aug. 4)
September 8-11 at Raccoon Creek State Park, near Pittsburgh, PA
October 13-16 at Allegany State Park, near Buffalo, NY
October 27-30 at Pocahontas State Park, near Richmond, VA
The weekend is Eucharist-centered… because without Christ, we are nothing. Christ the King is our guide and our model… we are His men. Every day (Thurs evening through Sunday mid-day) includes Mass, perpetual Adoration, prayer and the Rosary as well as activities directly associated with being leaders, protectors and providers. A retreat chaplain is with us on each weekend to celebrate the Sacraments and offer spiritual guidance. (For ITW-Pittsburgh, Bishop David Zubik will be joining us again for a fire-side Q&A and for Confessions.) Each day also includes activities/skill training and faith in a masculine modality. We don’t sit around all day and listen to talks (we have one short talk a day)… we are active the entire weekend! Prepare to be tired yet invigorated! Overall, men experience something like never before; an experience unique and satisfying, as well as encouraging and fruitful in the lives of the men who attend.
Whether we’re orienteering, sitting around a campfire talking, praying, shooting, hiking, celebrating Mass, listening to a talk or building something, we are renewed and excited about our faith once again! Come check it out… you won’t be sorry. Oh yeah, and since we have a 5-star chef on the weekends, we eat really really really well!
For more info, to register and/or to watch the 10-minute ITW video, click www.IntoTheWildWeekend.com.
TrueMan up!
The King’s Men Launch New Site
February 11, 2011 by admin
Filed under Blog, Faith, Fatherhood, manliness, pornography, Scriptural Examples, Virtue
I’m very proud to announce that The King’s Men, the ministry I have the privilege of working for, has launched a brand new, redesigned and very dynamic website! Go to it at www.TheKingsMen.org.
Although there is a ton of information on the site, here are just a few things to note…
- Click HERE for info on our incredible outdoor, experiential retreat program called “Into the Wild”.
- Click HERE for info on starting a men’s group in the mold of The King’s Men or contact me directly at Dave@TheKingsMen.org.
- Click HERE for info on booking The King’s Men (either Mark Houck or me) to speak at your event, conference, retreat or group.
Please help us by spreading the word on the new site and by signing up for our email list.
TrueMan up!
Men’s Formation Groups
October 25, 2010 by admin
Filed under Blog, cultural manliness, Faith, manliness, pornography, Virtue
Interested in joining a men’s formation group? Sometimes they are referred to as a “small group”. (If you are interested, I can connect you with a group in your area or teach you how to start one on your own.)
If you are in the Colorado Springs area, a new group will be meeting weekly. Any man is welcome to join, at anytime. The format of the meetings follows the highly tested and proven model created by The King’s Men. No matter what stage of life a man is in, no matter his education or experience, no matter his marital status or career, a formation group is good for every man. A small formation group is intended to be multifaceted. Men may experience some or all of the following from being in a small group: friendship, accountability, challenge, spiritual fortitude, fraternity, strength, encouragement, purpose, virtue!
The meetings typically go something like this:
- Group prayer – the Rosary is suggested. 15-20 minutes.
- Discussion based on a masculine resource. 30-45 minutes. (Masculine resources might be “Boys to Men: The Transforming Power of Virtue”, “Be a Man!”, an encyclical/papal letter, “Signposts” or something similar.) The discussion time is facilitated by a leader and kept on-time by the time keeper. The discussion is not a “teaching moment”, but a formation moment where each man has time to share if he so desires.
- The 4-Cs. Commit, Confess, Challenge, Confirm. Each week, each man makes a commitment to something he is going to do over the next week. The next week, he comes back and “confesses” how he did with his commitment. This process continues each week. If a man needs to be challenged, another man may do so. If a man deserves to be confirmed, another man may do so. 30 minutes.
- Closing prayer, including each man’s intentions. 5 minutes.
- Total meeting should be 1.5 hrs or less.
Groups should be kept to no more than 10-12 men. Once a group grows too large, it should be split into two separate groups. This is done so that each man has the ability to share, seek guidance, be formed and grow personally. If a group is too large, it stifles men’s ability to grow.
For more information on formation groups, especially the Colorado Springs group, contact me at Dave@TheKingsMen.org.
God’s Will Be Done
August 26, 2010 by admin
Filed under Blog, cultural manliness, Faith, Fatherhood, manliness, Military, pornography, Scriptural Examples, Sports, Virtue
In our lives, we should desire to seek God’s will and work so that our will may conform to His will. In living God’s will for our lives, we will experience the utmost joy and happiness, which is what we are all longing for. In our (personal) current situation, we are attempting to hear God’s call, understand it and heed it. Speak Lord, your servant is listening.
We have an incredible opportunity pending… the potential merger of TrueManhood.com and The King’s Men (TKM) (www.thekingsmen.org.) TKM is a Catholic lay apostolate currently based in Philadelphia. They build up men in the mold of leader, protector and provider. Mark Houck and Damian Wargo, TKM founders, have been praying about adding a third partner into the ministry for some time. This may just be the time. In order for this to happen, several things must take place first.
- The Board of Directors for TKM (a non-profit) must vote and obtain a majority approval vote. 5 members must vote in favor.
- Generous donations must continue to come in for TKM budget to be adequately equipped to handle a third salary. (Information below.)
- Mark and Damian must feel comfortable that I am the right man for the job. This is a huge step for them and they want to make certain that this move is right.
Considering all these impediments, and possibly others, I humbly beg for your prayers. It would be a dream to be able to work full-time in men’s ministry. To be able to work with such an incredible ministry, as TKM, would make it even that much more special. I truly believe that God has ordained this partnership and that we will greatly influence the lives of tens of thousands (if not more) men in the coming years.
Although I believe this merger is ordained by God, others must also believe. This is where your prayers come in. 
Your financial support could also make this a reality much sooner. Please consider becoming a benefactor for TKM – any and all donations help. Recurring monthly donations are preferred, but no one’s picky here! If you would like to become a benefactor, please email me directly at Dave@TrueManhood.com and I can get you in touch with TKM’s accounting department.
If every visitor to TrueManhood.com last week (merely a segmented sample group) donated $50 per month, we could raise $50,000/mo. Please consider this. May God’s will be done!
TrueMan up!
Catholic Men’s Conference at FUS
This past weekend, I attended a men’s conference at the Franciscan University of Steubenville. I’d like to share a few thoughts from the weekend and a few challenges that correspond.
First off, we are all sinners. No matter how long you’ve been involved in your faith, or how many ministry ‘things’ you attend, or the number of men you’ve spoken to at conferences or how old you are… we all have room to grow. Keep working on getting better! It’s a daily thing, not just a 60 minute thing on Sundays.
Secondly, the vast majority of the Catholic population doesn’t live for Christ. They live for themselves. We all must turn away from sin and have a conversion. On Friday night of the conference, the evening’s speaker spoke of how St. Paul wrote about baptism. The imagery that St. Paul used showed that the waters of baptism are not waters of life (as most believe), but actually waters of death. These waters of death kill off the old self and require us to be born anew in Christ Jesus. The coming out of the waters requires us to live differently. This different way of life is radically different from what the world tells us life is all about. The reward of this life is not of this world, but of life eternal with God in Heaven.
Lastly, I want to convey the incredible need for additional men’s ministry programs around the country. We need to have a men’s ministry program everywhere and need to reach out to more men. No one man can do it all. So, if you are in an area that doesn’t have anything for men, then get started! I can get you the resources needed to start small faith formation groups, or to start a men’s conference, or do to weekend retreats, or whatever it may be that you’re looking for. The important element here… if there’s a need, then step up and fill the gap.
TrueMan up!
RMCMC 2010 – Get There!
March 10, 2010, Colorado Springs, CO –
The Rocky Mountain Catholic Men’s Conference (RMCMC), taking place Saturday March 20, 2010 and hosted this year at the Pikes Peak Center in downtown Colorado Springs, Colorado, is the second year for the event. Last year’s conference saw 750 men in attendance, with hopes for many more this year. The lineup of speakers, including three bishops from Colorado, should do the trick in drawing a great crowd. Speakers include Bishop Michael Sheridan (host bishop, Diocese of Colorado Springs, CO), Archbishop Charles Chaput (Archdiocese of Denver, CO) and Bishop Fernando Isern (Diocese of Pueblo, CO) as well as Steve Bollman, Bill and Billy Moyer, Dr. Tim Gray (President and my graduate studies professor at the Augustine Institute), Curtis Martin (President of FOCUS, and my former boss), Dennis Murphy and the renown bio-ethicist, Fr. Tad Pacholczyk. The event will be emcee’d by Sean Dalton (a dear friend of mine) and music will be performed throughout the event by Shaun Garrison.
I highly encourage any men within driving distance (and those who can afford a plane ticket) to attend this event. Cost of the conference is $45, including lunch. Vendors (including myself for TrueManhood Men’s Ministry) will be present as well. Get There!
For more info or to register, visit the conference website by clicking HERE.
Man up!
Fighting for Manliness Video
February 14, 2010 by admin
Filed under Blog, Faith, Fatherhood, Virtue
I finally got some of the video edited from my talk at the 2010 FOCUS National Conference in Orlando, FL on New Year’s Eve 2009. The talk was titled “Fighting for Manliness” for the Men’s Impact Sessions. The crowd for the two sessions totaled around 1,500 college men.
The video below is only part 1 of the 50 minute video.
In this talk, I highlighted some major points, including: What is Manliness?, Manly Leadership, Living Virtue, Fighting the Giant of Pornography and more.
If your content is removed by your server, click HERE to view the video on YouTube.
Upcoming Schedule for TrueManhood Ministry
Here’s some information on our upcoming schedule of events. More events will be scheduled as they come up. If you’re interested in booking Dave for your event, parish, school, retreat, conference or group, please email us at Info@TrueManhood.com and someone on our staff will get back to you soon!
November 18 – on Sirius Radio Channel 159 (XM 117) with “The Catholics Next Door“. 1120am EST (920am EST). Topic TBD.
November 20 – in New Jersey at Montclair State University’s Annual Catholic Thanksgiving Party. Including Ramapo College. Topic: “The Battles We Face as Young Adult Catholics in the Modern World”.
December 17 – on with Joe McClane “The Catholic Hack“.
December 31 – in Florida at the FOCUS National Conference 2010. Speaking to the Men at the Men’s Impact Sessions. Topic: “Fighting for Manliness” – For men who want to dive into the realities of the battle for men’s souls. What is manliness, why is it being attacked and how do we fight to save it?
January 8 – on with Mark Houck and Damian Wargo (The King’s Men) on Holy Spirit Catholic Radio in Philadelphia. Topic: Man stuff.
February 20 or 27 – @ St. Mary’s Catholic Parish in Littleton, CO. Confirmation Retreat.
March 7 – USAFA TEC Retreat – Topic: Discipleship “Imitate Me as I Imitate Christ”
March/April DATE TBD – on with CatholicTV. More details coming on this.
