GreatMan Podcast

Stephen recently visited with an old friend who has planted roots for 40 years in a small town in Texas. This man is highly respected, his business is thriving, and he has a beautiful and impressive home with many acres. Unlike so many who chase shiny objects or strike out for distant cities, this man cast down his buckets where he was, to borrow language from Booker T. Washington. He planted root...

Being generous and large-hearted is one of the ways you can change lives, build a legacy, prosper, and honor God. In fact, generosity is one of the features of a great man. A great man doesn’t hold his possessions too closely. He is big-hearted. Tune in to find out just how generous Americans, in particular, have been in recent years. (Did you know Americans’ generosity throughout the pandemic top...

Stephen is currently watching Hulu’s new docuseries, Secrets of Playboy, which exposes Hugh Hefner’s toxic and fraudulent house of cards. As you’ve heard Stephen say before, pornography is divorce training. And Playboy opened the floodgates. In this episode, Stephen talks about his own childhood exposure to pornography and how this cancerous bilge is destroying men of all ages. It’s time for us to...

There’s a word that can make a big difference in your life as you pursue great manhood: build. We are often advised to live in a way that dodges missiles. But life for a man is not just about reacting and responding. Life is about how you build. In his late 30s and early 40s, Stephen was around men who talked about “building” their lives. Tune in for a fresh perspective on the difference between “...

Relief is short-term. It’s the glass of wine at the end of the day, the massage, the TV show. Relief is the short-term lifting of weariness or pain. Relief is not restoration. In this episode, Stephen shares the struggles of two friends who are using relief when they should be using restoration. Learn from their ways and then evaluate your own behaviors. Are you seeking relief or restoration? Let’...

Stephen responds to questions about a controversial word we hear often in our society: patriarchy. “Rule by men” hasn’t always been a happy time for women, and so it makes sense this term is cast in a negative light. Why are most societies ruled by men? What does noble, righteous, and good manly leadership look like? Tune in. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy N...

Whether you are a CEO with means or a college student making ends meet, Stephen has a challenge for you this year. Commit to hosting at least one event for men. This can be as big as a 10,000-person conference or as simple as getting a few guys together for a workout or pizza. Men connect best through indirect connection. When we gather around another activity, whether that’s a hunting trip or tos...

Winston Churchill once said, “When the notes of life ring false, men should correct them by referring to the tuning-fork of death.” In other words, ponder your own mortality. Or, as the Ancients phrased it, memento mori. Remember death. What would your life look like if you lived every day as though it was your last? What would you change? Consider thoughtfully, and act. Also, confirm that your fa...

A man should be self-possessed. He should walk with confidence. Listen to a few trusted individuals, and walk according to the wisdom of the ancients. Internalize your faith and draw from your family and band of brothers. Take stock of your internal security system. Are you preoccupied with the opinions of others? Have harsh comments left you off balance or seeking approval you’ll likely never get...

In the early years of a boy’s life, the father is sometimes on the perimeter, as the mother is the primary nurturer. In the early adolescent years, boys will then migrate away from their mothers toward their fathers. This is when Dad needs to step in at a greater level and usher his son into manhood. The driving force in the boy’s life shifts from Mom (“God is there, he cares, and he’s loving.”) t...

Stephen was recently asked, “If you look at the culture of men, what one word would best describe that culture?” That one word is respect. Men in our generation are often raised in a culture of disrespect. When a man begins to realize the power he has and what he’s meant to be doing in the world, it can all be summarized by this word. Respect. Tune in as Stephen describes the process of realizing,...

Last month, Stephen spent some time with a group of men who had a completely different outlook on exercise. Many of these former military guys described their physical fitness activities (lifting weights, going for a run, etc.) not as “working out,” but as “training.” A workout is a daily obligation you wish you could discard. Training, as Stephen learned and shares with listeners, is physical wor...

Welcome to the last GreatMan Podcast of 2021. As we approach the end of the year, Stephen has some concern. 2022 is probably going to be a bumpy ride. You’ve got to be ready. You’re going to need a band of brothers to prevail against difficult times. For some of you, your struggle to be a noble man is made more difficult by having an incomplete or faux band of brothers. Rather, you need to have a...

When it comes to toasts, many men have a tendency toward smack talk and humor. While there’s nothing wrong with sarcasm or humor – it can even be a useful tool – this approach is often rooted in insecurity. It also makes the talk about you, the speaker, not the subject. Feel free to use humor, but also speak words that call out the person’s destiny. In this episode, Stephen shares how he plans for...

This football season, you’ve probably seen a huge amount of advertising for online sports gambling. In this episode, Stephen addresses the issue bluntly without getting preachy. Gambling is going to be a great seduction focused on men in our generation. Unfortunately, it’s only going to get worse. Draw your moral line now, and certainly pull in your band of brothers for help. Stephen’s strong sugg...

Do you know the true, historically accurate Thanksgiving story? The Pilgrims are often under attack these days, but these godly men and women sacrificed much, giving their lives to bring the Gospel to the new world. They laid a foundation our nation would do well to remember. Tune in and recall the heritage and the purposes to which the Pilgrims were devoted. And while you listen, think of who may...

Men have a tendency toward cowardice when it comes to how they treat women. Men tend to think that what a woman allows, sexually, is what is appropriate. A man should know in advance what his ethical code will allow. We must eliminate this cowardly notion that what happens between a man and woman is determined solely by what a woman will permit. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and...

The GreatMan Podcast is typically “big picture.” Not today! This episode is crucial for every man to hear. Stephen gets granular, talking through some of the nuts-and-bolts that should be a part of every man’s life. These are the things you absolutely must do – for yourself, your family, and those in your sphere of influence. Listen up. But most importantly, take action. This episode originally ai...

Growing up in a military household, and moving as many as ten times in nine years, Stephen became a master liar. All that changed when he became a Christian at the age of 18. Take stock of yourself. Are you deceiving yourself or others? Do you lean toward falsehoods? If you are lying, why? A good man is devoted to the truth, the raw truth. Conquer lying. Build the good and noble in your life, and...

A good man is present. This week on the podcast, Stephen tells two stories that illustrate a great principle of noble manhood: leadership by presence. Tune in to find out what Stephen discovered about Abu Ghraib while he was embedded with US troops in Iraq. Then follow a different tale that is unfolding this very moment at a high school in Shreveport, LA. Mentioned in this episode: “Dads help curb...

If you’ve had struggles with money and finances, you’re not alone. Stephen has had his share of troubles, too. Listen in as Stephen shares about some of his failings in this department as a man and a leader. Those of you who have also grown up in a military household may especially identify with some of the forces perpetuating a personal finance knowledge deficit. The good news is that we can over...

Your words are powerful. Are you speaking gently and wisely to those you love and lead? A man says the things that need to be said, and he says them consistently. This is a part of taking responsibility for your field. Do not leave unfinished business. Think through the things that you need to address with your friends and family. Do not take for granted time to do this. See Privacy Policy at http...

Think of the supercharged world we live in: hyper, nervous, and loud. One of the great gifts a righteous man gives to his friends, family, and world is the power of Big Calm. A man has Big Calm when there is peace in his soul, even in the midst of crisis. He may not know exactly what to do. He may even know there’s a certain amount of danger. But he’s calm and settled. He ponders carefully and rad...

Men have a unique gift for rituals and are deeply impacted by them. In this episode, Stephen shares some of his own rituals, as well as those he’s observed in families, companies, and bands of brothers. Discover the importance of rituals and learn how to build them into every aspect of your life. When you embed rituals into your life, you engage in constantly reaffirming what kind of man you are....

Why, in today’s men’s movement, is the attitude around alcohol akin to passing a bottle back-and-forth behind the high school gym? Guys, what’s with the centrality of alcohol? The obsession? In this episode, Stephen talks about his own relationship with alcohol – no, he’s not a teetotaler – as well as what he has observed in his travels. Men, remember, whatever is of ultimate concern in your life...