Week 1: Introduction — The Crisis of Missing Men

1.Evans opens by painting a picture of a world in crisis and traces much of it back to the absence of strong, godly men. Without assigning blame unfairly, where do you see the effects of male abdication in your own family history, neighborhood, or community?

2.God told Ezekiel He was looking for a man to 'stand in the gap' (Ezekiel 22:30), but found none. What does it mean to stand in the gap? What gaps exist in your life right now that are waiting for you to step into them?

3.Evans distinguishes between being male by biology and being a man by God's definition. How would you describe that distinction in your own words? How does culture's definition of manhood differ from the kingdom definition Evans begins to sketch?

4.Think about the men who shaped you — fathers, mentors, coaches, pastors. What did they model, for good or ill, about what it means to be a man? How has that shaped your own self-understanding?

5.Evans uses the concept of the 'kingdom' as the organizing framework for the whole book — God's rule and authority exercised through men over their domain. Why is the kingdom of God, rather than simply 'family values' or 'morality,' the right foundation for biblical manhood?

6.Evans is known for saying that the strength or weakness of a society can be traced to how its men think and behave. Do you agree? Where does that statement ring true, and where might it need nuance?

7.What personal expectations or fears do you bring to this study? What would it look like, concretely, for God to use these weeks to change you?