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 happens when an NFL coach and lifelong disciple-maker sits down to talk about fatherhood, faith, and identity? In this conversation with Sherman Smith (former coach of the Seahawks and Titans), Kent and Lawson answer that question and uncover powerful lessons every dad needs to hear. Sherman shares how hiding God’s Word in his heart has shaped his life, why identity in Christ is the foundation for everything we do, and how our scars can become beauty marks when we pass wisdom to our kids. You’ll hear him connect football huddles, film study, and playbooks to the everyday grind of being a dad who follows Jesus.
If you’ve ever felt like your past mistakes disqualify you, or you’ve struggled to balance being a great dad with being a godly husband, Sherman’s story will encourage you. His decades of coaching, fatherhood, and faith boil down to one simple truth: your greatest legacy isn’t on a scoreboard, it’s in the lives of your children and grandchildren. We hope today's episode and our conversation with Sherman challenges you to go and be a father on purpose.
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Dad, have you ever wondered what happens when you get your identity right? And what’s at stake when you get it wrong? In this final part of our 3-week series on identity, we dig into the outcomes of discovering our biblical identity. Jesus says we’re the salt of the earth (Matthew 5:13), the light of the world (Matthew 5:14), and the branches connected to the Vine (John 15:5). When you know who you are in Christ, your whole life flows from that identity: your confidence, your joy, your witness, even your ability to disciple your kids.
We’ll talk about why your security as a dad rests in your identity, how to steer your family away from lies, and how walking in truth helps you lead with peace and purpose. This isn’t just about knowing Scripture—it’s about living it out at the dinner table, in tough conversations, and in the daily grind of fatherhood. Our challenge to you is this: let God and his Word be the only places you find your identity.
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Dad, who do you say you are? We live in a world that hands out labels like candy—your job, your personality type, your hobbies, your past. Some of those things matter, but not all of them belong in your identity bucket. In this episode, the second of a three-part series on (you guessed it) IDENTITY, Kent and Lawson unpack the “I Am” statements of Jesus, explore what’s true only of Him, what’s true only of us, and what’s true of us both.
From roles and skills to preferences and past experiences, we’ll wrestle with what shapes us—and what we shouldn't let define us. Bottom line? Your identifiers don't define your identity; God does. You’ll leave this episode with a clearer picture of your God-given identity, as well as some practical tools to help your kids sort through theirs.
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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.