One of the most important developments of the last five years has been the reemergence of young men in the Church. For decades, the absence of men in the Church had been regularly bemoaned as an almost insurmountable hurdle. As it turns out, male disengagement may have had more to do with the Church than men themselves. Men simply weren’t attracted to the wishy-washy, dumbed-down expression of Christianity that asked nothing of them other than smiling at hopeless platitudes.
As a Catholic theologian and catechist, I have come to realize that education must extend beyond imparting information to include life-changing experiences. Learning, though essential, is not sufficient in itself, and parish catechetical programs often don’t appeal to the average man. I’ve committed myself to building culture, investing in experiences of the faith that are rooted in community and invite people to live differently.
As part of the men’s revival currently underway, Exodus 90 has reached more than 200,000 men over the last ten years. Personally, I joined the content team three years ago because I recognized the need to help men become leaders in their families and parishes. Countless studies have confirmed that fathers have the most influence on their children’s faith, yet experience shows that most are willing to outsource responsibilities to mothers. After decades of failed catechesis, many understandably feel inadequate to talk about their beliefs or pray with others. This is why we have prioritized meeting in person and daily prayer as core elements of our approach at Exodus 90.
Exodus 90 originally grew out of seminary formation, offering a ninety-day spiritual bootcamp focused on prayer, pulling back from technology, growing in discipline, getting in shape, and growing in friendship with other men. As it turned into an apostolate in the world, men gravitated toward embracing this three-month experience leading up to Easter, something that’s caught on now every year. Beyond the ninety days, Exodus 90 offers content every day throughout the liturgical year on its app, providing a daily Scripture reading and reflection led by spiritual guides such as Fr. Boniface Hicks, OSB, Fr. Lawrence Lew, OP, and Bishop James Conley.
The combination of prayer, asceticism, and fraternity meetings has proven effective in changing men’s lives and setting them free from many unhealthy attachments. Exodus 90 might be best known for the discipline of taking cold showers, but without a doubt, praying daily is the most important discipline we embrace. But cold showers–along with limiting technology, exercising, and fasting–certainly do help to embrace order and stand in readiness to take up our cross.
Exodus 90 helps men to overcome three particular challenges in our culture: secularism, distraction, and individualism.
First, secularism entails removing faith from daily life, keeping it private and hidden from view. Rather than entering church only once a week for an hour, Exodus 90 helps men to embrace a daily rhythm of prayer through silent meditation, allowing faith to saturate life. Our daily reflections get them started with lectio divina, taking Scripture as the foundation for prayer. We also strongly encourage honoring the Lord’s Day as a time of leisure that anchors our celebration throughout the year, which complements the embrace of asceticism and penance.
Second, in addition to the old problems that prevent men from engaging with the faith, there are many additional distractions that have made it even more difficult. The disciplines of Exodus 90 are not an end in themselves, though many men are tempted to view them primarily as a challenge of toughness. Their purpose entails freeing up our minds and hearts for others–God first and then those who depend on us. We have to be disciplined to get our priorities right, to sacrifice, and break free of the things that weigh us down and hold us back from doing what we ought. Exodus 90 promises freedom to those who embrace its path of prayer and sacrifice, and it works when we have the right goal: to be present for others, to offer ourselves to them.
Third, individualism pervades our culture, often held out as a primary goal, yet it is a false freedom that denies our dependence on others. There is no true path to freedom and happiness without communion with others. Men may not be comfortable talking about their faith, struggles, and interior life, and, truthfully, it’s not usually easy or comfortable. Christian fraternity does not focus on natural friendship, simply hanging out with men we like or with whom we share interests. It calls us to commit to others for God’s sake, and this attention, rooted in charity, helps us grow in the spiritual life.
Exodus 90 begins this year on January 5th. I invite men to join tens of thousands of their brothers in reading the Book of Exodus in pursuit of their own experience of liberation from the bonds of spiritual slavery that continue to plague us in the modern world. We will be led by Jamie Baxter, our founder, Fr. Boniface Hicks, and Bishop Erik Varden. You can find out more at exodus90.com
