The whole notion of what it means to be a man in our modern culture is under attack. This is especially prevalent in our urban sectors where over 70% of urban youth are growing up in a fatherless home. Good male role models are hard to come by and many young men are drawn to thugs, drug dealers and other male figures who are making ends meet through illegal means. These poor role models will teach them next to nothing about diligence, courage, compassion, love or what it means to take care of a family. This dearth of genuine manhood has created a crisis.
Reach Records and Reach Life, in partnership with Restoration Academy, have created a dynamic curriculum to help address this crisis of manhood in our urban communities. The project that emerged is called “Man UP!” It is a multi-faceted tool used to engage young men in a variety of ways. It is geared primarily to young men ages 12 to late 20s.
The curriculum package includes:
- There is a short 45 minute movie that follows the life of the main character, Bryan, as he seeks to transition from high school into college life. He is enrolled in a summer program that is part of his college scholarship. He moves in with his older brother who is a high school drop out and proverbial “thug.” Bryan faces a variety of temptations and struggles as he is influenced by his brother and his brother’s friends as well as the prevailing street culture. He is forced to make hard choices on whether he will pursue the road of manhood the right way or according to the way of the streets.
- Reach Records produced an album with eight tracks that thematically ties into the movie.
- Two administrators at Restoration Academy helped formulate a written curriculum. The thrust of the curriculum is to compare the struggles and challenges of modern day urban manhood with the life of King David in I and II Samuel. This curriculum is suited for small group discussions, classrooms, and Bible studies. The goal is draw the young men in the group into the Word of God so that they can learn what His Word has to say about manhood. Each lesson has questions that correlate directly with the movie, the music, and the scriptures. Every lesson concludes with a look at Jesus Christ as “the Man” and how He overcame the areas where we as men fail. The curriculum is very user-friendly and there are a variety of extras to it if you desired to extend your lessons over a longer period of time.
This project may emerge as one of the more dynamic resources available for urban ministries. It’s a “must have” for anyone working with urban young men. The content is biblically solid. The movie and the music are engaging and compelling. You will find yourself involved in several engaging and thought-provoking conversations with the young men in your group and Lord willing find an opportunity to direct their hearts and attention to Jesus Christ - the Man!
**the Man UP! curriculum set should be available for pre-order soon. It officially drops 7.23.11
- Judah Ben
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