We are "de-Cathinated" (but definitely not decaffeinated) for this BONUS episode. Ben is joined by three of his pastor friends (Adam Poe, Phil Bange, and Justin Monfort), all from local churches of different Protestant denominations, to discuss this episode's title question. While we will be without the Catholic Chadder, these dynamic men are poised to deliver some absolutely great insights. In true Man Talk fashion, there's a four-way free-flowing discussion through...

Beacons of Light, implemented in the Archdiocese of Cincinnati in July of 2022, is an attempt to address difficult realities facing Catholics, realities like declining Mass attendance and growing priest shortages. A consolidation of parish churches into groupings called “Families” has ensued with the hope that shared resources might enable Catholics to move "from a mindset of maintenance to a mindset of mission." Despite its good intentions and its arguably necessary measures, Beacons has pro...

Episode 138 - It's the last hurrah here on the Manhood Restored podcast! Two and half years of weekly episodes add up to 150 (counting BONUSES!), and we find ourselves having one last mighty conversation. Ben and Chad could think of no better way to sign off than to interact with questions from you, Dear Listener. We sincerely THANK YOU for coming along with us on this project - it's been a blast! God Bless you! Here are the question topics, in order of how we ...

Plug 'em in and pass 'em around - the microphones, that is! Four microphones to be exact. And four men, for the last MAN TALK, convene a roundtable on this crucial leading question. Two hosts and two guest hosts have a very timely and important conversation. A really great conversation. A beautiful conversation. By the end, each man reveals how he'll be voting in the 2024 --okay, not really. But they do each finally give their conclusion on the questi...

Episode 136 - We've established that feminism has a fatal foothold in all sorts of cultural and societal institutions - it's made schooling anti-boy; it's made dating and marriage miserable for many--men and women alike; it's turned our storytelling into unrealistic propaganda; it's opened the floodgates for every form of gender confusion under the sun. But is it possible that it's also managed to emasculate our theology? Ben does the opposite of smooth things over in this...

Episode 135 - One hundred and thirty-five episodes in and the core message of this podcast remains the same: Men—MIGHTY MEN—are the solution to the problems besetting western society today. What kind of men in particular? What makes a man mighty and how can he become fit for the task of righting the ship? Piece by piece, that is the puzzle we’ve been putting together at the Manhood Restored podcast. This episode puts a frame around that puzzle’s final, integrate...

Episode 134 - We have "grilled" each other on our differences, come together on the ways we agree, and debated big topics like salvation. Now with the end of our conversations drawing near, we couldn't conclude the podcast without one last Catholic vs. Protestant debate! Ben , professing to be the titleholder, heard a challenge in a recent Man Talk episode and can't resist leading the protest; Chad, relishing the role of "underdog", is all too happy to oblige as contender ...

Episode 133 - The trends in survey data on friendship are indicating steep declines in recent decades - in both friendship quality and quantity. That trend, it's popularly believed, has most especially affected men. One 2021 survey found that men with at least six "close friends" has dropped from 55 percent to 27 percent since1990! How can that be in a society that purports to be so "social" and "connected"? Oh, the irony! Chad's parades as the Grand Poohbah in this ...

Episode 132 - It's been a long many years since the tectonic times of the Seneca Falls Convention; the societal fracture left at its feminist epicenter has widened into a canyon-sized divide between the sexes. The tremors of nearly 200 years of feminism have been felt by nearly every corner of our society. Its harmful effects are found in culture, education, economics, sexuality. Even Christian institutions have been far from immune. That's including the instit...

Episode 131 - *LISTEN IN FOR A MANHOOD RESTORED SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT* Parents and grandparents passing along hard-earned wisdom to the next generation is probably most often accomplished through oral storytelling, impromtu lectures, and incidental conversation. But there's nothing like the written word (or a written-up podcast episode) to really focus and articulate the "the things you want them to know"; taking the time to think through what's worth sharing and putting those th...

Episode 130 - Facing down a question of far-wielding proportions is yet again the task of this MAN TALK episode, setting loose four men and four microphones on a topic that requires substantial time to work out. Hosts and Guest Hosts hash out this perennially debated question and aim at "solving the world's problems" in just over 90 minutes! The four will each give their final answers by episode's end. (What's your opinion, dear listener? Email us at mightymen@manhood...

Episode 129 - A world where every temporal necessity is given and every environmental factor optimized is a world poised for flourishing. Plentiful food and drink. Adequate space and healthy conditions. Safety and comfort and communal harmony. You couldn't imagine a more perfect existence; it'd be a veritable Utopia. Except that there's no such thing. And that's a curious fact--for mice, and for men. Ben watermelons his way back to his junior high d...

Episode 128 - Nobody likes being told a lie. That is, unless you agree up front to go along with the lie. But what if you've gone along with the lies so long, you're not so sure you know what’s true anymore? Maybe what's real is only a matter of what you're willing to go along with. Enter five foot-five, one-hundred- and fifteen-pound girl-boss action heroes. Enter Angelina Jolie and Scarlett Johansson. Enter the Feminist Fatale. Chad classes up as a cru...

Episode 127 - This mighty good guest is a coffee aficionado if there ever was one! Jeff Hazel is the owner of Hazelnut Coffee Company, a very popular coffee shop in Celina, Ohio. He also roasts beans under his own label, Old Hatch Coffee Roastery, supplying beans for other coffee shops. Jeff joins the podcast to discuss, debate, and otherwise educate listeners on what's arguably one of man's favorite drinks! Chad, the smooth-finishing Frenchman by heritage, is the frontli...

Episode 126 - Picture a roadside diner, a cozy spot with booths and tables for four. Inside the air is thick with grease and the smell of all-day coffee; there's the white-noise clatter of cooking and plates and silverware. Then notice the lunch patrons, some sitting together, others alone. The waitresses are taking orders, joking and smiling. It's a familiar scene all over America, a routine acted out by millions daily. And then, there in this diner, pict...

Episode 125 - G.K. Chesterton once wrote, "We make our friends; we make our enemies; but God makes our neighbor." It can be the hardest thing, can't it, to see--to really notice--the people who live in our most direct proximity? For all the "connectedness" that we presume to possess through things like social media, there's something too often lacking in our person-to-person neighborliness these days. And that's not just a shame, it's a failure to heed a Gospel admonition....

Episode 124 - Carter Hellwarth is first-year college student at Bowling Green State University studying communication and film production. Carter grew up on a dairy farm in Mercer County, Ohio, was Class President of this graduating glass, and ranked near the top of his class at Parkway High School. He also placed 2nd in the Nation at the 2023 National FFA Convention for Extemporaneous Public Speaking. Ben takes on the role of mastermind behind this "sneak att...

Episode 123 - Since legalizing sports betting in January of 2023, the gambling scene in Ohio is going full tilt! First there was Powerball and Mega Millions, then came the Casinos. Now on the scene is the likes of FanDuel and DraftKings. Gambling in Ohio is on the ascendency, and the sports betting variety is particularly popular with men (as high as 80% sports betting app users are men!). And something about the trend bothers Ben. Or does it? Ben, the co...

Episode 122 - When a man knows the history of his ancestors, he knows his place in the world. He knows the names of those who passed on his name; he knows how he came to be at the place he presently stands; he knows the kind of character he ought to (or ought not) emulate in order to bring honor to his family. But when a man does not know the history of his ancestors, he's left adrift and grasping without direction. Chad-son of Douglas, son of James, son of Victor, ...

Episode 121 - Joel Penton is a former defensive tackle and national champion for the Ohio State University Buckeyes, as well as a Danny Wuerffel Trophy recipient (the "humanitarian Heisman"). He is the author of three books and the founder and CEO of LifeWise Academy--a groundbreaking program providing Bible education to students in over 300 of our nation's public schools, during school hours. He is a widely sought-after speaker with over 1,000 live audiences having taken in his...