10-Week Study & Discussion Guide

Play the Man

by Mark Batterson·72 discussion questions

Week 1 — FreeRead the Introduction of Play the Man by Mark Batterson.

Discussion question your group will work through:

1.Batterson opens with the account of Polycarp, the second-century bishop who refused to deny Christ and heard a voice from heaven cry, "Play the man." What was your first reaction to that story? Had you heard of Polycarp before?

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About This Study Guide

At a glance: this is a 10-week study and discussion guide for Play the Man by Mark Batterson, with 72 questions organized by reading assignment. Week 1 is free to read, with no card required.

Somewhere along the way, the definition of manhood got lost — and Mark Batterson wants to help men find it again. In Play the Man, Batterson anchors his vision of authentic masculinity in the true story of Polycarp, the second-century bishop who, standing before his executioners, heard a voice from heaven declare, "Play the man." From that dramatic moment, Batterson unfolds seven virtues of manhood — courage, humility, love, respect, passion, discipleship, and prayer — and argues that the crisis facing men today is ultimately a spiritual one. The book is at once a history lesson, a fathering manual, and a call to something greater than the cultural scripts that have left generations of men confused about who they are and why God made them men.

This study guide is designed for small groups or individual use over ten weeks — one week for the Introduction, one week per chapter, and a final week for review and reflection. Each week, read the assigned chapter before your group meets (or before you sit down to journal). Then work through the discussion questions slowly and honestly. Some questions are meant to help you understand what Batterson is arguing; others are meant to hold a mirror up to your own life. Don't rush past the uncomfortable ones — those are often the most important. If you are doing this alone, consider writing your answers in a journal before praying through the closing prayer.

By the end of this guide, you will have a clearer picture of the man God has designed you to be, a deeper appreciation for the role of discipleship in passing that vision to the next generation, and at least one concrete step you are ready to take. Batterson's prayer throughout the book is simple: Make the man. Let that be your prayer too as you work through these pages together.

Week 1: Introduction — Play the Man

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Read the Introduction of Play the Man by Mark Batterson.

Before diving into the seven virtues, Batterson sets the stage with a question every man must face: what does it actually mean to be a man? Come ready to sit with that question honestly.

1.Batterson opens with the account of Polycarp, the second-century bishop who refused to deny Christ and heard a voice from heaven cry, "Play the man." What was your first reaction to that story? Had you heard of Polycarp before?

a.What strikes you most about Polycarp's courage in that moment — his age, his refusal to compromise, or something else?

b.Why do you think Batterson chose this particular story as the launching point for a book about modern manhood?

2.Batterson describes our current moment as a kind of "no man's land" — a cultural space where the definition of manhood has been lost or confused. Do you agree with his diagnosis? What evidence do you see of this confusion in your own world?

3.The phrase "play the man" is drawn from the Greek word *andrizomai*, meaning to act like a man or to be courageous. Why do you think Paul uses this word in 1 Corinthians 16:13 alongside "be strong" and "stand firm in the faith"? What does that cluster of commands say about what God expects of men?

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10-Week Schedule

  1. Week 1Introduction — Play the Man8 questions
  2. Week 2Chapter 1 — Virtue 1: Tough Love7 questions
  3. Week 3Chapter 2 — Virtue 2: Childlike Wonder7 questions
  4. Week 4Chapter 3 — Virtue 3: Fighting Spirit7 questions
  5. Week 5Chapter 4 — Virtue 4: Hard Work7 questions
  6. Week 6Chapter 5 — Virtue 5: Moral Courage7 questions
  7. Week 7Chapter 6 — Virtue 6: Raw Passion7 questions
  8. Week 8Chapter 7 — Virtue 7: True Grit7 questions
  9. Week 9Conclusion — Make the Man7 questions
  10. Week 10Review & Reflection8 questions

Week 2: Chapter 1 — Virtue 1: Tough Love

All 7 questions →

Read Chapter 1 of Play the Man by Mark Batterson.

1.Batterson describes "tough love" as a combination of tenderness and tenacity — a love that is neither soft nor harsh but strong. How does that description square with the models of love you grew up with, particularly from father figures?

+ 6 more questions in the full guide

Week 3: Chapter 2 — Virtue 2: Childlike Wonder

All 7 questions →

Read Chapter 2 of Play the Man by Mark Batterson.

1.It may seem counterintuitive for a book about manhood to celebrate childlike wonder. Why does Batterson believe this is a virtue rather than a weakness? Do you find his argument convincing?

+ 6 more questions in the full guide

Week 4: Chapter 3 — Virtue 3: Fighting Spirit

All 7 questions →

Read Chapter 3 of Play the Man by Mark Batterson.

1.Batterson distinguishes between fighting in anger — the kind that destroys relationships — and fighting spirit, the kind that refuses to quit, protect what matters, and stand for truth. How do you tell the difference in your own heart between those two kinds of fight?

+ 6 more questions in the full guide

Week 5: Chapter 4 — Virtue 4: Hard Work

All 7 questions →

Read Chapter 4 of Play the Man by Mark Batterson.

1.Batterson frames hard work not merely as a practical necessity but as a reflection of the image of God — who Himself worked in creation. How does seeing your work as image-bearing activity change how you feel about your daily labor?

+ 6 more questions in the full guide

Week 6: Chapter 5 — Virtue 5: Moral Courage

All 7 questions →

Read Chapter 5 of Play the Man by Mark Batterson.

1.Batterson distinguishes between physical courage (facing danger) and moral courage (facing disapproval, loss, or consequence for doing what is right). Which kind of courage do you find more difficult? Why?

+ 6 more questions in the full guide

Week 7: Chapter 6 — Virtue 6: Raw Passion

All 7 questions →

Read Chapter 6 of Play the Man by Mark Batterson.

1.Batterson argues that passion itself is not the problem — misdirected passion is. What are the passions that currently get the most of your emotional energy? Are those passions producing fruit you are proud of?

+ 6 more questions in the full guide

Week 8: Chapter 7 — Virtue 7: True Grit

All 7 questions →

Read Chapter 7 of Play the Man by Mark Batterson.

1.Batterson defines true grit as something more than toughness — it is perseverance with purpose, endurance animated by a vision of something worth finishing. How is that different from simple stubbornness or white-knuckled willpower?

+ 6 more questions in the full guide

Week 9: Conclusion — Make the Man

All 7 questions →

Read the Conclusion of Play the Man by Mark Batterson.

1.Batterson's mantra throughout the book is two-sided: "Play the man. Make the man." As you reach the conclusion, how do you understand the relationship between those two imperatives? Why are both necessary?

+ 6 more questions in the full guide

Week 10: Review & Reflection

All 8 questions →

Review your notes and journal entries from the entire book, Play the Man by Mark Batterson.

1.Looking back across all seven virtues — tough love, childlike wonder, fighting spirit, hard work, moral courage, raw passion, and true grit — which one spoke most directly to where you are in life right now? Why that one?

+ 7 more questions in the full guide
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About the Play the Man guide

How many weeks is the Play the Man study guide?

This study guide covers Play the Man in 10 weeks, with week-by-week discussion questions, reading references, and closing prayers for each session.

How many discussion questions are included?

The complete guide includes 72 discussion questions across 10 weeks — an average of 7 questions per week, designed for group conversation.

Can I use this guide for a book club?

Yes — the questions are written for group discussion and work well for small groups, book clubs, church studies, and couples reading together.

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