Jeremy Schurke is the Director of Mirror Labs. We launched the Spiritual Fathers initiative because of the research he’s done. In this episode of Spiritual Fathers, Jeremy touches on some of that research to drive home the point that we need more Spiritual Fathers.  And it doesn’t have to be a difficult decision. All you need is experience, a willingness to be open and vulnerable, and a little bit of time. Learn the answer to “Why Spiritual Fathers?” in this great conversation.  You will want to hear this episode if you are interested in... The spiritual influences in Jeremy’s life [1:13] Learn more about Jeremy’s family [5:45]  The cultural conversation around the church [6:31]  The launching of Mirror Labs [11:07]  Key resources in the area [19:30]  Am I qualified to be a Spiritual Father? [21:24]  Is it too much of a time commitment? [27:42]  The latest research and newest initiatives [30:22]  The best and worst spiritual advice Jeremy has received [33:12]  What Jeremy’s perfect day looks like [35:21]  The golden years of discipleship [36:04]  The cultural conversation around the church Jeremy became a Christian in college. After traveling and working with a college ministry, he moved to Haiti to open an orphanage. He toured colleges raising money and awareness for Haiti. He then helped a friend plant a church in the inner city of Jacksonville, FL. He worked on that project for six years, during which he went to seminary.  Jeremy and his family moved back to Orlando in 2018. Jeremy’s learned that he prefers to be in the middle of the greatest need. It became obvious that the city he left in 2008 was much different. In 2008, there was a spiritual revival happening. He was part of the fastest-growing church in the Southeast US. But in 2018, it was a spiritual ghost town.  There was a mass exodus from the church and no one had a good answer as to why. Something was off, and Jeremy wanted answers. That’s when he became involved in Mirror Labs.  The launching of Mirror Labs As he dove into research, Jeremy saw the struggles and challenges young men were facing. Man in the Mirror wanted to study and understand those challenges to find a way to best serve them.  Jeremy got free reign to talk with anthropologists, sociologists, and social scientists. He launched focus groups while connecting with other organizations researching the church and Christian landscape.  He learned something simple: The gospel is a timeless truth but the application must always be timely. Ultimately, if you don’t change the application, your message won’t pierce the culture.  What surprised Jeremy the most? Research indicated that there was a mass exodus from the church that accelerated after Covid. The hypothesis was that young people were leaving the church because of cultural wars (LGBTQ, race, etc.).  But it was more about relational emptiness. Young guys are struggling with loneliness. They weren’t building great relationships at the church—so why would they stay there? Even more glaring, many didn’t have an older man in their life as a mentor or guide, yet everyone surveyed wanted those relationships.  The question became, how do they address this big need? Building a network of more Spiritual Fathers was one solution.  Why become a Spiritual Father?  Most young men don’t know where to find a spiritual father. They know plenty of older men but they’re not finding what they’re seeking. They want someone who isn’t resigned to life. They want someone still striving and engaged—someone they’d like to become.  It isn’t about being rich and successful. Younger men want to learn from the guys who have gone through the valleys and come out on the other side. You’re the ones who have the perspective that young people want and need.  The struggles and challenges are often more important than the successes and victories. We all learn more from our mistakes than our successes because we grow and learn from them. Secondly, young people struggle to trust someone who’s never made a mistake. They want to know that there's something more to keep walking in faith toward.  Jeremy tackles other common questions about becoming a Spiritual Father—including why it’s so necessary, now more than ever—in this engaging conversation.  Resources & People Mentioned The Great Dechurching: Who’s Leaving, Why Are They Going, and What Will It Take to Bring Them Back? The Nones: Where They Came From, Who They Are, and Where They Are Going The New Copernicans: Millennials and the Survival of the Church Four Thousand Weeks: Time Management for Mortals Nonverts: The Making of Ex-Christian America Connect with Jeremy Schurke Connect on LinkedIn Man in the Mirror Connect With Spiritual Fathers The Spiritual Fathers website SpiritualFathers(at)ManInTheMirror.com Subscribe to SHOW NAME Audio Production and Show Notes by - PODCAST FAST TRACK

John Woodall became a Christian when he was 14. He and his family were living a great life in London, England. John had planned to follow in his father’s footsteps and return to the States to attend business school. But after a deep conversation with his dad, John enrolled in a Bible college in Florida.  He was so blown away by what he’d learned that he called his father and told him he wanted to stay another year. John knew he wanted to serve people. It put him on the path toward ministry where he’s been for the last 50 years.  John is also my Spiritual Father. In this conversation, we dive into why John chose to invest his time into mentorship, how someone can get started being a mentor, and why our failures may be a more important testimony than our successes.  You will want to hear this episode if you are interested in... [1:26] The foundational years of John’s life [4:09] What led John into a life of ministry [7:34] Why John invested in younger men [12:18] Why it’s important to ask the right questions  [20:34] How John chooses who to mentor [25:17] Where do you start?  [33:17] Why mentorship is important [38:07] Pursuing Jesus through suffering  [42:19] The lightning round How John chooses who to mentor You have to start somewhere simple: You have to like the person you mentor. John needs to enjoy spending time with them. Secondly, he points out that you can sense those men who are hungry to grow. John can see when they want to be conformed into the image of Christ. He doesn’t have time for men who aren’t interested in being a better man, husband, and father.  If you want to become a mentor, pray without ceasing. Ask God of your desire to minister to another man. Scroll through your contacts and make a list. What younger men do you know?  Where do you start? There’s a deep, dark, and evil force in this world. God is light and love. The devil is full of hate and darkness. Don’t be unaware that the accuser—the voice of the butcher—will whisper, “You are not qualified.”  Secondly, you don’t have to mentor from your successes. No one has it all figured out. You have to mentor from a place of experience. John firmly believes that some of your best mentoring lessons stem from your failures and your weaknesses.  If a man is going to bond with you, they bond over mistakes, failures, and brokenness. It’s through brokenness most men find Jesus. You will mentor out of the power of God in you.  When you mentor from your story, and what God has taught from you from your story, you have more than enough to be a spiritual father to another man. Younger men are open to being authentic and honest. They need a place and space to talk openly.  Why mentorship is important Attend a service, serve somewhere, get in a small group, and give toward kingdom work. That’s what every good church teaches its members that they must do. But something is missing. We didn’t realize our greatest spiritual growth from that model.  For John and I, spiritual growth came from mentoring, discipleship, and counseling. It was the personal attention from someone more mature in their faith who could speak into our lives.  The Bible says that the mission of God in every God’s life is to be confirmed to the image of Jesus. It’s the process of sanctification—becoming more and more like the image of Jesus. Being in close proximity to Godly men is important. You’re living your faith together.  John wants to make sure that your most influential season of life can be in your 60s and 70s. You aren’t done yet. John is more free and excited about bearing fruit in his last decade of life than his first 70.  Resources & People Mentioned The Masculine Journey 7 Questions that Rattle in the Minds of Most Men Beside Still Waters: Words of Comfort for the Soul Connect with John Woodall Follow on Twitter Connect With Spiritual Fathers The Spiritual Fathers website Man in the Mirror Ministries Man in the Mirror on Instagram SpiritualFathers(at)ManInTheMirror.com Audio Production and Show Notes by - PODCAST FAST TRACK

Why Spiritual Fathers? Ep #1 There’s been a rapid rise of people who claim to have no religious affiliation. 3 out of 10 Americans call themselves religious “nones.” They’re atheist or agnostic. Church attendance has declined. Only 58% of Boomers, 50% of GenX, and 35% of Millennials belong to a church. The numbers keep declining. So how do we reach young men who have no interest in church or religious affiliation? How do we walk alongside them and help them become the best versions of themselves? Brett Clemmer—the President and CEO of Man in the Mirror—joins me in this inaugural episode to discuss the origin of “Spiritual Fathers” and its mission. You will want to hear this episode if you are interested in... Learn more about Brett Clemmer and his dad [0:45] Learn more about Man in the Mirror [4:35] The birth of Spiritual Fathers [8:55] The rise of the “nones” [12:02] Is your life worth imitating? [17:43] What gives Brett hope [23:28] Why I joined Spiritual Fathers [25:48] How do you define success? [31:51] How to get involved with Spiritual Fathers [38:17] The Man in the Mirror Brett, his wife, and two toddlers were active in the church on the weekends. But during the week, he was traveling all week getting his software company up and running. It was negatively impacting his family. A buddy at church invited him to join a small group. They started reading the book, “The Man in the Mirror” by Pat Morley. The guys around him were young dads and leaders in the church. They were all struggling—all but one, the oldest guy in the group. He’d figured some things out and was doing well. They were able to lean on his success to help them get through difficult times. We both had men in our lives—who weren’t our physical fathers—who helped us in our spiritual journeys. We believe that every man deserves that support. The birth of Spiritual Fathers That same man knew Pat Morley. When Brett’s software company shut down in 2000, he started working with Man in the Mirror and he’s been there for 25 years. Before Covid hit, Brett had been trying to figure out ways to reach younger guys. They seem distracted by building careers, marriages, and families. They realized that they needed to have an older mentor, i.e. “Spiritual Father” for the young men, to walk beside them. They knew it would make an impact. That was the birth of Spiritual Fathers. What’s missing from the church? With the decline of beliefs, church affiliation, and lack of friendships we’re seeing more “Acts of despair.” We have this vast, unfathered, lonely, broken generation that is seeking meaning and purpose in life. Ryan Burge is one of the leading researchers on dechurching. In his research, he found that 70% of the young men surveyed felt that belonging to a church would help them. But the vast majority had their “peak religious experience” over 10 years prior. Something is missing from the church: fundamental core relationships. Brett made sure his son was surrounded by older men who invested in him as he grew up. This is no longer a common practice in the church and it needs to be. The impact of one man investing in another is exponential. It will impact that person’s wife, kids, friends, workplace, and community. It can have a generational impact. It doesn’t have to be anything extravagant but it doesn’t require intentionality. What involvement with Spiritual Fathers looks like We’ve written a guidebook outlining how to relate to the next generation. We cover communication, emotions, vulnerability, developing relationships, and how to find a spiritual son. We cover all of the practical things you need to be mindful of in the process. Our materials help a spiritual father get into the daily act of journaling and prayer. We provide introspective questions to help the son think about who he is, how life is going, his relationship with God, his vision for the future, etc. The spiritual father is doing the same work to walk alongside him in the journey. It’s about spurring meaningful conversations. Our goal is to raise up 10,000 Spiritual Fathers to make a positive impact on the next generation. If you’re a guy ready to get started, we can get resources in your hands. Feel free to reach out to me at [email protected]. Resources & People Mentioned The Man in the Mirror by Patrick Morley “Nones” on the Rise “The Nones” by Ryan Burge Church Attendance Has Declined in Most U.S. Religious Groups Connect with Brett Clemmer Man in the Mirror Connect on LinkedIn Connect with Spiritual Fathers The Spiritual Fathers website SpiritualFathers(at)ManInTheMirror.com Subscribe to SPIRITUAL FATHERS Audio Production and Show Notes by - PODCAST FAST TRACK