What are you holding onto so tightly that, if Jesus asked you to let it go, you'd walk away sad? In this episode, Kent and Lawson dig into the story of the rich young ruler and why it still hits hard for dads today. This is not just a conversation about money. It is about anything that competes for our trust, identity, security, and obedience. Possessions, status, titles, comfort, control. Anything we grip harder than we cling to Christ can quietly become a problem.
The guys talk about what Jesus was really getting at in this well-known passage, how God's kingdom completely redefines value, and why this story matters for fathers trying to lead their families with open hands.
This episode will challenge you to ask an uncomfortable but necessary question: Do you have your possessions, or do your possessions have you? If you want to follow Jesus more faithfully, lead your kids with greater clarity, and model what real surrender looks like, this conversation is for you.
Read the story of the rich young ruler (all 3 accounts): https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matt%2019%3A13-30%3B%20Mark%2010%3A17-30%3B%20Luke%2018%3A18-30&version=ESV
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MEET THE HOSTS
Kent Evans is the Executive Director and co-founder of Manhood Journey, a ministry that helps dads become disciple-makers. After a twenty-year career as a business leader, he embarked on biblical fatherhood ministry projects. He’s authored four books. The most recent, Don’t Bench Yourself: How to Stay in the Game Even When You Want to Quit. He and his wife April have been married for three decades and they have five sons.
Lawson Brown married his high school sweetheart, and is a father of two adult daughters. He’s a business leader and a former (always!) Marine. He’s served as a small group leader, helped launch ministries and a church plant where he served as its Men’s Ministry leader. His faith journey has always been centered in a grounding from his wife, Audrey, and supported throughout by many men who’ve been brothers along the way. His family is nearing an empty nest phase and has recently relocated to the Florida Gulf Coast beaches area.
FEATURING GREAT GUESTS
Gary Chapman
Ken Blanchard
Chip Ingram
“Y’all are teaching Godly wisdom in ways that I can understand and put to use raising these 8 kiddos of mine, and to be a more present and respectful husband! Keep it up Brothers! God bless y’all!”
–Cody C.
“I’ve been listening to the Father on Purpose podcast for about 3-4 months or so now and I absolutely love the fathering advice that is discussed. This show has helped be become a better father day after day.”
–Matthew S.
RECENT PODCASTS
What secret temptation have you been trying to manage instead of actually killing?
In this episode, Kent and Lawson talk honestly about temptation, secret sin, confession, and the grace of God for dads who are in the fight. They unpack the difference between being tempted and tested, why hiding never leads anywhere good, and how fathers can stop treating symptoms while ignoring the deeper roots.
This conversation gets practical. You'll hear why Scripture says to flee certain temptations, why confession alone is not the finish line, and why every dad needs other men close enough to tell the truth. If you've ever wondered whether a private struggle could eventually damage your marriage, your parenting, or your witness, this episode is for you.
You are not alone in temptation, but that does not mean it is harmless. By God's grace, there is a way of escape, and there is a better path forward.
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Have you ever felt like you're still trying to prove yourself as a dad?
In this episode, Kent and Lawson sit down with Jeff Zaugg of Dad Awesome to talk about the deeper issues that shape a man's fatherhood: identity, freedom, intentionality, wonder, leadership, and healing from the past.
Jeff shares how years of interviews, ministry, and real-life fatherhood led to the six core discoveries in his new book, Dad Awesome. Along the way, this conversation gets honest about the weight many dads still carry from their own upbringing, the lies that keep men stuck, and the freedom that comes from receiving God's love instead of trying to earn it.
This episode is biblical, practical, and full of hope for the dad who wants to lead his family well but knows he cannot do it alone. In this conversation, you'll hear:
- Why fatherhood is bigger than the chapter you're in right now
- How your identity shapes the way you show up at home
- Why healing does not happen in isolation
- The power of brotherhood and accountability in a dad's life
- How wonder and delight can transform your relationship with your kids
- What it looks like to lead from freedom instead of shame
If you've ever felt like God is holding a clipboard and waiting for you to measure up, this episode is for you.
Buy Jeff's latest book Dad Awesome: https://www.dadawesome.org/book
Learn more about Jeff's ministry: https://www.dadawesome.org/
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We interrupt your regularly scheduled programming for a special announcement!
Friend of the show Rick Altizer joins us to talk about a powerful new film coming soon to theaters: He Calls Me Daughter. If you've ever wondered how your role as a dad shapes the women in your life, this conversation will grab your heart.
This film explores the deep impact fathers have on their daughters and the healing that can happen when we reflect the love of our Heavenly Father. None of us will do that perfectly. We're human, after all. Still, we can learn to love our wives and daughters with more humility, more awareness, and more Christ-like care. That's exactly the kind of conversation this film is meant to spark.
Mark your calendars for March 17th-18th. Go out and support this God-honoring, high-quality project when it hits theaters. Grab some tickets, bring your family or small group, and help spread the word. We'll link the website below where you can learn more and find showtimes.
Get tickets and learn more: https://hecallsmedaughter.org/
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What’s Your Mission as a Dad?
Being a godly dad is hard work. Challenges abound, and sometimes, we just need some ideas, encouragement, and a little laughter along the way. So, we created the Father On Purpose Podcast to have real, fun, and practical conversations about being dads. Fatherhood is awesome, sacred, and hard all at the same time. We don’t have all the answers, but together as dads, we’ll try to figure it out.