Robert Lewis - Raising a Modern-Day Knight: A Fathers Role in Guiding His Son to Authentic Manhood

Raising a Modern-Day Knight has equipped fathers around the world to raise godly, courageous, and successful sons and, in so doing, has saved countless young men from experiencing the emotional wounds suffered by so many of their peers. This book can do more for the well-being of a community than any government program.

THE HONORABLE MIKE HUCKABEE

Governor of the State of Arkansas

Robert Lewis does an excellent job of helping fathers visualize what it takes to guide our sons into true manhood. The power of using ceremonies to celebrate the growth of a boy into a man has proven invaluable to me in raising my sons.

J. D. GIBBS

President, Joe Gibbs Racing

The greatest gift a father can give a son is to show him what a real man looks like and then deliberately prepare him to become one himself. Robert Lewis has a proven plan for the process. Theres a reason that Raising a Modern-Day Knight became a classic the first day it hit the shelves. Its a timely message for a timeless responsibility written by one of the finest life coaches in the country.

DR. TIM KIMMEL

Author, Raising Kids for True Greatness

Robert Lewis is the man of the hour. He not only paints a vivid vision of manhood, but practically equips dads to pass on this noble vision to their sons. Raising a Modern-Day Knight is more than a book. Its a movement of men who are determined to be successful where it countsin their relationship with their sons. This book will give you the tools you need to affirm masculinity in your sons and pass on a legacy that will guide them their entire lives. I promise you, this is the one book that your sons will be eternally grateful that you read and applied. Just DO IT!

DR. DENNIS RAINEY

President, FamilyLife

I have had the privilege of knowing Robert Lewis for more than twenty years. One of the passions on his heart is preparing the next generation of young men to become mature, godly men. He has given to us in Raising a Modern-Day Knight a powerful, practical tool to help us raise our sons to become committed, noble men of God. This book is a treasure. Thank you, Robert, for this invaluable resource!

DR. CRAWFORD W. LORITTS, JR.

Author, speaker, senior pastor, Fellowship Bible Church, Roswell, Georgia

RAISING A MODERN-DAY KNIGHT
Copyright 1997, 2007 by Robert Lewis
All rights reserved. International copyright secured.

A Focus on the Family book published by Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188

Focus on the Family and the accompanying logo and design are federally registered trademarks of Focus on the Family, Colorado Springs, CO 80995.

TYNDALE and Tyndales quill logo are registered trademarks of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc.

All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the New American Standard Bible. Copyright The Lockman Foundation 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995. Used by permission. (www.Lockman.org). Scripture quotations marked (NIV) are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version. NIV. Copyright 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan Publishing House. All rights reserved.

No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any meanselectronic, mechanical, photocopy, recording, or otherwisewithout prior written permission of Focus on the Family.

Editor: Colorado Wordmaster
Cover design by Paul Vorreiter, Jon Collins, Kirk Luttrell, and Mark Wainwright.
Produced with the assistance of The Livingstone Corporation.
Original family crest graphic by Nancy Carter

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Lewis, Robert, 1949 Nov. 24

Raising a modern-day knight : a fathers role in guiding his son to authentic manhood / Robert Lewis.

p. cm.

Includes bibliographical references.

ISBN: 978-1-58997-309-1

1. Fathers and sonsReligious aspectsChristianity. 2. Child rearingReligious aspectsChristianity. 3. Knights and knighthoodMiscellanea. I. Title.

BV4846.L48 2007

248.8421dc22

2006026132

Printed in the United States of America
4 5 6 7 8 9 / 13 11 10 09 08

Build: 2013-06-17 12:01:29

To dads everywhere who desire to empower
their sons with a manhood of honor,
molded by the life of Jesus Christ.

CONTENTS

W ow! Let me get right to the point. If youre a man, you need this book. And if you have a son, you really need this book. Frankly, our whole culture needs this book.

Every once in a while a volume comes along that stands alone, separating itself from the myriad of others coming off the presses like thousands of tiny aspirin tablets on a conveyor belt. Raising a Modern-Day Knight is such a standout book. I picked it up on New Years Day before the games started. Now, I love football, but you would not have known it that day. Robert Lewis reached up out of the pages of this volume and thrust his message down into my chest with such captivating force that I forgot all about my favorite sport.

Emotion. Reflection. Instruction. Inspiration. Commission. Its all here. This is a great book because its well written by a great man to address a great need. There is a passion in itand a vision.

Heres why you need this book: Our culture is in deep trouble, and at the heart of its trouble is its loss of a vision of manhood. If its difficult for you and me as adult males to maintain our masculine balance in this gender-neutral culture, imagine what it must be like for our young sons who are growing up in an increasingly feminized world. C. S. Lewis summed it up years ago when he stated that modernists castrate and bid the geldings be fruitful.

We men are beginning to find the trail back. And weve got to show it to our sons. The Bible provides an absolutely accurate map, and Robert Lewis has helped us calibrate our compasses. Raising a Modern-Day Knight is a magnificent field manual for fathers who want to see their sons become men. Real men. Godly men.

Just how does a boy become a man? It certainly doesnt just happen anymore if it ever did. What is a man? What processes produce such a man? And how do you know when youve become a man? These three questions are critical. Youll find the answers to all three between the covers of this book. Where does a young man go to become a man of strength, heart, conviction, and vision? He ought to be able to go to his dad! Boys become men by emulating older men, especially their fathers.

Let me tell you just a word about Robert Lewis. Ive known him for more than 20 years, and I trust him. Every now and then you come across a man you could ride the river with. Robert Lewis is such a man. He is a man of strength, heart, conviction, and vision. He has always been a leaderon the football field as a Division I line-backer in the church as a pastor of a dynamic, growing, and influential church and across the country as a nationally recognized speaker and author addressing critical family issues.

Robert Lewis has given fathers a magnificent, manly curriculum for turning boys into men. It is, by far, the finest Ive seen. There is clear definition and thoughtful process and invigorating ceremony. As always, with Robert, the material is rock-solid biblical and intensely practical. I wish Id had this book 20 years ago. Im glad youve got it in your hands now. Devour it.