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What does it mean to be a man? Moreover, how does a father instill these qualities in his son? Using as an example the process by which a boy moved through the medieval stages of knighthood, author Robert Lewis identifies parallel stages for today's fathers to create ceremonies to commemorate significant milestones in a young man's journey toward becoming a modern-day knight. Beginning with a biblical perspective of manhood, author-pastor Robert Lewis shares a unique approach to shaping a boy into a man by equipping him with three essential elements: a vision, a code of conduct, and a cause (Christianity) in which to invest his life. Complete with ceremony ideas to celebrate accomplishments and ingrain them in his mind, this softcover is as insightful as it is practical in raising a boy to be a chivalrous, godly man.

Customer Reviews:

• helpful, but incomplete
  Lewis addresses a major need in our society: raising our boys into men. This is a timely message because we live in a society that has completely forgotten that there is such a thing. Or else its definition of a man is far short of what the Bible calls 'a man'. Lewis offers many helpful tips on how to celebrate rites of passage from boyhood to manhood - tips that I may just use with my own sons.
  That said, I felt that his overall view of what a man is still fell short of the biblical standard. What was lacking in this book was 'how' this is done. To come up with good insight and goals to strive for in wanting to become a man is one thing - to show young men 'how' that is to be done is quite another. Our power to become men and to live like men and to treat women as they should be treated and to stand for truth the way we're called to is rooted firmly in Jesus Christ, not in our best intentions to be men. I'm not sure that Lewis wouldn't agree with this; however, I did not read much of it in his book.
  We cannot just give ourselves a good vision of manhood and then strive, in our own best intentions, to live it out. We WILL fail at this if it is not rooted in our life source Himself, Jesus Christ. I appreciate what Lewis has done - he has narrowed the gap between what little writing is out there on biblical manhood and what should be. But I would have liked to have seen our Savior magnified more as the Cornerstone for how such men are made and sustained....more info
• Raising A Modern-Day Knight
  Important information for every dad that wants to raise a son according to biblical principals. A must read book to move beyond good intentions and give what every son needs--love, affirmation, vision, direction and a father's blessing....more info
• What is a man?
  That is the key question for men born and raised under the infuence of a society burdened by political correctness and absent fathers. The most disturbing askers of this question are young males themselves, who are receiveing so many inputs from so many unreliable sources. Robert Lewis has not only answered the question for himself and his sons, but provides a model based on the most noble parts of the mideval concept of knighthood. His answers are compelling, soundly based in Christianity, and illustrated with many "how to" methods that have worked for him and others. While the book is targeted at fathers with juvenile sons, it has meaning for all of us....more info
• A father and son relationship can only benefit from this book
  Don't miss the point of this book, Knighthood as defined by the author involves becoming a real man through faith and walking with Christ. This text is talking about biblical manhood. The author helps to point out that a boy can for example become an excellent student through study and determination under a parents tutelage but still end up uneducated in the truly important things in life. A father can even train a son to be an Olympic medalist but he can still turn out to be a miserable human being.
  
  As a father doing such things as getting down on the floor and playing with your son and being involved in a sons activities, schooling and sports are very important - but don't be confused all of those things aren't enough. This book points out the need for benchmarking and rites of passage for young boys within a community of Godly men.
  
  If you come from a family that the father is or was absent, due to divorce, or death - and haven't ever been "knighted" by another father figure - a substitute like a stepfather, grandfather, an older brother, family friend, a coach, or a special teacher then this book will be of some use to you raising your boy on his life's journey. I am a Christian and have a son. I studied this text with a small group of men at a men's group at my church. One of the reasons this book and its ideas are so warmly received is because so many fathers have never been "knighted" themselves. I will agree that yes some of these things from the book can be learned in a classroom, in the sports arena, locker room, scouts, or in the military - but definitely not ALL of these things and probably not with a focus on putting God first. The books strongest concept is that a real man rejects passivity; a real man accepts responsibility; a real man leads courageously and finally, a real man expects the greater reward.
  
  This is a GREAT group study book for men because it provides the catalyst for discussions on topics men rarely talk about. It is also very good as an audio book for the car. The only downside I have found is that the audio book can only be purchased on cassette.
  Rating: Strong Buy...more info
• Wow...
  Everything a boy dreams about in becoming a man is covered in this book. My son has yet to be born, but I can't wait to get started practicing the principles in this book. Based on Biblical truths, Raising a Modern Day Knight is just what Christians in the world today need in raising boys into men....more info
• A book every father should have!
  I picked up Raising a Modern Day Knight while attending a recent Family Life marriage conference. I'm sure there isn't a dad out there that doesn't want to raise his kids properly, and especially his son. I have a five year old and know that right now, I am his hero, his best friend, the best guy in the world. I don't want to squander his admiration and unconditional love. I want to know how I can raise my son so he will be a strong man. This book attempts to answer that question. This is a Focus on the Family book and broaches the subject of parenting from a Christian point of view. It's also a very short book and can probably be read in a couple of hours. In its brevity, you aren't going to get a lot of content, but what you do get is good stuff.
  
  Author Robert Lewis equates raising a son to the process of raising a young man to be a knight back in the dark ages. At times, the analogy is cumbersome, but the book still offers a lot of good points. Also, the book is filled with tons of scriptural references, which at times caused my eyes to glaze over. I feel the scripture references needed to be backed by more examples or antecdotes. This book is primarly about teaching your older kid how to be a man, and how to do it through ceremonies. The book doesn't include much discussion on how kids think and act, so don't expect that in here. This book is probably for men with kids approaching puberty and older, because it focuses a lot on guiding your young boys into manhood through memorable ceromonies.
  
  Lewis men need to teach their boys how to be men by providing a strong example in Jesus, living right in their own lives, guiding them through memorable ceremonies and surrounding them with a community of men. The ceremonies are a big focus of the book, and although the author says he provides a lot of examples of different types of ceremonies, they really are all the same. You may not want to give your son a family crest at his college graduation, but the book does stress the importance of ceremonies for your children Some of the most power ful segments of the book are when fathers mention they failed their sons, or when sons said their dads weren't there for them.
  
  Every father should read this book and every father should understand that the role of a father is the most important job they will ever have.
  ...more info
• Many good insights
  As I began reading this book, my initial reaction was negative. The author obviously was portraying knighthood in a romantic fashion, one drawn more from Hollywood movies than research in the area. It wasn't long, however, that I gave him a mulligan on that one and listened to the more important points he was making. I finally decided that if he wanted to use a romanticized notion of knighthood, I could deal with that because he was also saying a lot of things that needed saying. Lewis' premise is that boys have know idea what a man is. That resonated. I also liked his principles of manhood: A real man rejects passivity, accepts responsibility, leads courageously and expects the greater reward. Even more appealing to me was his assertion that ceremonies that mark key life passages in ways that make them memorable for a lifetime are important. While I am proud of the men my sons have grown to be, even without the book, I can see how memorable ceremonies in their lives would have been advantageous. All in all, this is a book with enough insights in it that it would be worth the time of any father, but especially of boys in the 10-12 year-old age range....more info
• Every Man Needs to Read This
  I cannot thank Robert Lewis enough for this book. I pastor a church and will be ordering the "Raising a Modern Day Night" DVD series, as well as enough books for the men in my church. I am going to teach a class where our men read a chapter or two at a time and then get together and discuss what we are learning. I have already mentioned this to a couple of men in the Church and both of them said that they themselves wanted to be a modern day night. Robert Lewis also has a .com website called Mensfraternity where I am going to be ordering his Manhood series for myself and my church.
  
  The book is divided into five sections. They are "The Need For Modern Day Knights", where Lewis lays out the desperate need in the modern world for fathers to take their role as dad seriously; "The Knight and his Ideals", where a vision of manhood, code of conduct and the need for a transcendent cause being instilled in our sons is laid out; "The Knight and His Ceremonies", which for me was the most interesting part of the book; "The Knight and His Round Table", which speaks of the community of men that your son needs around him to reinforce the stuff discussed in section 2; "The Knight and His Legacy", which has a very important chapter for dad's who think that they have blown it and it is too late for them.
  I cannot recommend this book strongly enough to every man. Some men will say "I don't have any sons", but every man has been a son and this book will heal and help you in your manhood or in your relationship with your father. May God richly bless you as you take the journey through this great book. Buy it, I promise you will not regret it....more info
• Very worthwhile
  The concept sounded hokey to me when a friend first described it, but a couple of years later I finally read it. Wow, what a great guide. I'm using this with my boys. One caution - if your boys are younger, it's still worth reading, but there's a temptation to try to rush them into some of the knighthood stuff. I started a little earlier with my first boy than was probably appropriate - he was a very precocious 7, but I'd still recommended waiting a couple of years. All in all, highly recommended. I'm buying copies for several friends....more info
• What a great book!
  If you are serious about raising your son on how to be a man, this is the book for you! But you must read it with an open mind, because I learned alot about myself after my first time reading the book. After that, I was able to concentrate on how I wanted to be the father to my son that I think God wants me to be....more info
• If you have a son - You Have To READ This Book!
  Every son needs a father willing to do for him what Robert Lewis, Bill Wellons, and Bill Parkinson did for their sons! This is a great book! I am a mother of an 8 month old son that will some day turn into a "Modern-Day Knight". I know this, because he has a wonderful father that will teach him how to become a man. This book provides great insight and guidance. I would recommend this book to both mothers and fathers of sons, Christian or not....more info
• A must for all Fathers and Sons
  I found this book to be an outstanding resource. I have two young boys and I plan on using the information shared in this book to help me introduce my sons to what it means to be a man. The principles shared in this book will help any father regardless of race, relegion or societal status. Dr. Lewis was able to help me deal with issues I had regarding the death of my father at a young age. I was concerned that because he died when I was 3 years old that I would have a problem passing on to my sons what it really means to be a man. I consider the information shared by Dr. Lewis to be priceless. I highly recommend this book to all men raising boys....more info
• Raising Boys Into Men of Honor
  By far, my greatest joy in life is being "Daddy" to my toddler son. I take that responsibility very seriously, and am constantly looking for ways and times to refine my performance in that critical role. Robert Lewis' excellent book has given me some different and exciting perspectives on my dad role and responsibilities that can and should be contemplated by dads everywhere.
  
  I was first drawn to the book by the cover's image of a modern-day dad passing an ornate, manly sword to his son. I did not initially comprehend the connections between medieval knights and my relationship with my son, but since my son likes to play with knights, dragons, and castle toys, I felt compelled to explore the story behind the cover. What I discovered is that Lewis effectively balanced historical research and his deep biblical/religious/spiritual knowledge to explain and reinforce how the supportive environment for medieval knights' prescribed progression from page to squire to knighthood can be applied to the raising of sons in today's chaotic and challenging world.
  
  On the very first page, Lewis asked some seemingly simple, yet profoundly challenging questions that I knew were mine, as a dad, to answer: "How does a boy grow into a man? A real man? A godly man? One with character, conviction, and vision? Where does he go to find a manly sense of himself? Who confers upon him the title and responsibilities of manhood?" In the pages that followed, Lewis shared his detailed insights, efforts, and experiences in answering those questions both as a father and as a pastor of a church. The book's twelve chapters were organized into five parts, based on the history and modern-day perceptions of medieval knights: I-The Need For a Modern-Day Knighthood, II-The Knight and His Ideals, III-The Knight and His Ceremonies, IV-The Knight and His Round Table, and V-The Knight and His Legacy.
  
  Lewis' easy-to-read writing style made reading this `Christian fatherhood primer' both enlightening and entertaining. Although my son is not yet old enough to be a page, I now have a much deeper appreciation for my role and responsibilities in guiding and nurturing him to become a modern-day knight. I believe dads, sons, families, and communities as a whole would reap many rewards in striving to live up to the values and principles presented in this book.
  ...more info
• Very Dangerous Pseudo-Biblical Program
  As a father of 2 boys and 2 girls and a Christian seeking the Scriptures above all other voices for counsel, I find Lewis and Weber's narrow vision of manhood to be disturbing. There is nothing more dangerous than a half-truth taken as "The Truth". When we substitute any abstraction, whether it is "knighthood" or "wild at heart" for the person of Jesus Christ and the lives of the apostles, then we have swallowed our culture and blinded ourselves to the prophetic nature of God's call. One can find the roots of this book in the secular/Jungian men's movement literature starting with Joseph Campbell's and most popularly with Robert Bly's works. Whether the paradigm of knighthood is more pagan than Christian can be tested with one clear question.
  Was Jesus Christ a knight? He certainly exhibited many of the chivalrous qualities the authors delineate, but ultimately, no, he was not a knight. He exhibited the knight's best qualities, but far less than those of a sage/rabbi, a healer, a servant, a prophet, and apostle of the Father, and a priest. No one ever called him the Aramaic equivalent of "knight". They called him teacher/rabbi or a prophet or healer or Messiah (the one role unique to him, not shared with his apostles). He himself saw himself as a physician, a servant of all, and especially the "Son of Man", his term for the "Suffering Servant" of Isaiah and Daniel.
  Fundamentally, I don't doubt that this program is better than nothing at all, but I am afraid it will only continue to teach our boys to think of themselves as more special than girls, seek their own strength vs. God's, prone to fight first vs. make peace, and cover their vulnerabilities vs. sharing them in community, and finally increase their independence and individualism vs. interdependence in the Body of Christ. We need a balanced program of training young men to admire Jesus in all his traits and to seek a deep relationship with him through all means of grace, not merely a "vision, a code, etc."...more info
• Page, Squire, Knight
  This book hits the nail on the head. Today's society is desperatly missing a rite-of-passage into manhood. Mr. Lewis offers a great way to teach and motivate young boys into being real men and with the statistics of crime and fatherlessness today we definately need real men.
  
  The parallels of knighthood and manhood and very close as explained in this book. Our young men need the affirmation of the fathers and other men and ceremonies to represent their stages. This is seen in every college fraternity and on every military station. The rites-of-passage into the "club." Men desire these ceremonies and memories to draw their self image from. Mr. Lewis understands this and explains the importance of raising men with morals and values and using ceremony to "spike" the process home. It is so important that our boys be in the right ceremonies and learn the right things before the world sucks them into its own....more info
• modern day knight
  The book is very helpful with the raising of a boy. It is only helpful if you are willing to follow the instructions and perform or have the ceremonies....more info
• This will change your life!!
  This book filled a huge hole in my life. My father did not have a dad, and did not know what to do with me. This book helped me to dismiss that bitterness towards my father, he did the best he could. It helped me to define for me a definition of a real man. I try to read it daily, for sure weekly. I have statemens in five areas: Spirituality, Manhood, Marriage, Fatherhood, and Business. Examples are: A Real Man, seeks God First. A Real Man rejects the poison of passivity. A Real Man pours out equal measure of Love and Discipline to his children. A Real Man has dominion over his finances. A Real man's word is the mortar between the stones of committment in his wall of life. etc etc. but I will have my sons learn these and all the other confirming statements to be recited at a ceremony. I am building a family crest to symbolize my beliefs and will pass it on to my sons.God Bless you Robert Lewis. You are truly an awesome man of God.Guys, get this book for you, and if you have sons, Great, but get your act together first....more info