KIRK CAMERON

BRIAN D. MOLITOR
Boys PassageMans Journey
Video Series Study Guide
by Kirk Cameron & Brian D. Molitor
Copyright 2012 Liberty Alliance.
All Rights reserved.
Produced and Distributed by:
Liberty Alliance
3150A Florence Road
Powder Springs, GA 30127
www.LibertyAlliance.com
www.KirkCameron.com
www.BrianDMolitor.com
ISBN: 978-1-4675-3925-8
Cover design by Joseph Darnell
Excerpts taken from Boys Passage Mans Journey
(Lynnwood, WA: Emerald Books, 2004)
Printed in the United States of America
CONVERSATION ONE:
The Power of a Plan 3
CONVERSATION TWO:
Lifelong Mentoring 11
CONVERSATION THREE:
Intentional Blessing 19
CONVERSATION FOUR:
Rites of Passage 27
CONVERSATION FIVE:
Brand New Man 35
EPILOGUE:
One Boy at a Time 45
table of Contents
CONVERSATION ONE:
The Power of a Plan
3
T
here is an old saying that has great implications for our
children today: If you dont care where you are going,
any road will take you there. In other words, if you dont have
a destination in mind, it is never clear when you are going in
the rightor wrongdirection.
If You Fail to Plan, You Plan to Fail
Very few things in life work out the way we would like them to
unless we have a plan in place. As an example, imagine what
would happen if a family tried to go on a week-long vacation
without any planning. What if everyone just jumped into
the car and started driving? The result would certainly be a
vacation that was much less than it could have been. Chances
are, the family would have no place to stay and nothing to
do and would never be sure when they had arrived. Even if
the family ended up at a nice placea resort perhapsthey
would be ill-equipped to enjoy it. The sunscreen, golf clubs,
conversation one 4
clothes, beach towels, etc., would have all been left behind. In
like manner, when we fail to plan strategically for each childs
growth and development, we risk something infinitely more
valuable than a vacationthe childs destiny. We can do better
than that.
For most people, planning is an extremely common activity.
Getting dressed in the morning, taking a trip to the grocery
store, and arranging work schedules all involve planning.
People not only plan, but also use a host of tools to keep
them on track. Palm Pilots, day planners, calendars, and even
hastily scrawled sticky notes all serve as reminders that there
are tasks to perform and goals to accomplish.
Planning, in its most basic form, is very simple. Set a goal
and then determine what steps are needed to accomplish that
goal. Simple. Using this approach, people have accomplished
incredible tasks. Impassable rivers have been spanned by
complex suspension bridges; people have flown to, walked
on, and returned from the moon; diseases have been cured by
deliberate, painstaking research; and, in perhaps the ultimate
test of planning, entire families get to church on time
occasionally.
Few would dispute that little or nothing of merit ever gets
accomplished without a systematic, comprehensive plan. If
this is true, then we must ask a very basic question: Why do
so many avoid using this same deliberate approach in raising
their children?
Getting Started with the Plan for Your Children
Websters defines the word plan in this way: to design; to
devise a diagram for doing, making or arranging. To have
The Power of a Plan
5
in mind as a project or purpose. An outline; a diagram; a
schedule; a map.
As a parent or mentor, you should begin the planning
process by simply thinking about which qualities you hope
to see in your children as they grow. I recommend that you
write down a list of the attributes of successful young adults.
Your list should include what you hope to see in your children
physically, spiritually, emotionally, vocationally, and in other
areas as well. Hygiene, social awareness, grooming, relational
skills, manners, financial management, and compassion for
the less fortunate should also be considered. In fact, you
should identify any other areas of development that you
believe are important.
Once all of these areas have been identified, you will have a
fairly complete vision of the qualities and knowledge you hope
to see develop in your children as they grow. You must then
create a plan for imparting these qualities to your children.
The foundations for your plan will be lifelong mentoring,
intentional blessing, and, ultimately, a rite of passage.
7
CONVERSATION ONE:
DisCussion Questions
1. Read Malachi 4:6. Are fathers hearts today turned
toward the next generation? Why or why not?
2. Children are raised by design or default. What
impact will each approach potentially have on a
child? What impact will each approach potentially
have on a parent?
3. Were you raised more by design or default? How
did that approach impact your life?
4. What are the greatest challenges facing a father
that wants to raise his children by design? How
can he overcome them?
5. Every child is unique, so every plan will be different
in some ways. Describe several unique qualities
of each of your children. Include the childs likes,
dislikes, talents, and issues that spark their
interests.
8
6. When developing a plan for lifelong mentoring,
you should include:
Life lessons you want them to learn
Character qualities you want them to demonstrate
Experiences you want them to have
Why is each category important for the childs
development?
7. Intentional blessing includes the following:
Affirming, encouraging words
Appropriate touch
Prayer
Why is each category important for the childs
development?
8. A rite of passage answers one of lifes great
questions for a young male: When do I become a
man? Once this vital question is answered, how is
it likely to affect a young man as he grows?