ManTime – Developing men the way Jesus did

What is ManTime?

The newest thing in men’s ministry — is the oldest thing.

Jesus used parables to disciple his men. And we’re reviving this ancient practice with a new video series called ManTime.

How it’s different: Every other video series for men is based on sermon-style teaching. A man (or men) speaks to a crowd or a camera, lecture style.

ManTime uses parables: the teaching method favored by Jesus.

After they watch the brief (40-second) parable video, the men work together in small teams to discern its deeper meaning.

What is a parable?

A parable is a little story with a bigger meaning.

Parables have been used for centuries to build character in men.

And parables were Jesus’ go-to method of teaching. The Bible records:

• 1 of Jesus’ sermons
• 40+ of Jesus’ parables

Parables comprise more than a third of Christ’s recorded teachings. More on this in a minute…

Are you retelling Jesus’ parables?

No. These are original parables that lead men to Biblical truth.

Jesus crafted his parables around things people commonly saw in the first century. Wineskins. Vineyards. Sheep. Fig trees. Virgins. Valuable coins. Pearls.

This was by design. He wanted people to recall his teachings as they went about their daily lives.

But in the 21st century, we interact with different things. When is the last time you sewed a patch onto a wineskin?

ManTime uses common, everyday objects we see every day. Coffee cups. Bicycles. Cardboard boxes. Candy. Ladders. Gym shoes. Matches.

How does ManTime work?

Call your men together. Sit them around tables of 3-4 men. Then play the ManTime video parable:

• The parable is less than a minute long. It’s visual.
• The parable’s meaning is not immediately clear.
• The men work in groups to try to figure out the parable’s deeper meaning
  • They puzzle
  • They discuss
  • They argue
• After a time, each group shares its interpretation of the parable
• The leader plays the interpretation video
• Ah-hah! Now that the parable’s deeper meaning has been revealed, the men begin an in depth discussion.
• As the meeting wraps up, each man shoots a QR code, and the parable pops up on his phone.
• Each man is challenged to share the parable with his family, friends and on social media.

How did ManTime come about?

ManTime creator David Murrow is the author of the bestselling book, Why Men Hate Going to Church. In the past two decades he has interacted with hundreds of church-based men’s leaders. Here are the three questions he most often hears:

1. How do I get more guys involved in our men’s ministry?
2. Why is it so hard to get young men involved?
3. Why do our men slowly disappear, like air leaking from a balloon?

Murrow was stumped. So he turned to the Bible, to see how Jesus discipled his men. And he was surprised by what he found. Look at this passage from the Gospel of Matthew:

Jesus spoke all these things to the crowd in parables; he did not say anything to them without using a parable.

David thought to himself, “We’ve flipped this. We don’t say anything to them with a parable.”

Two verses later, Matthew tells us the rest of the story:

Then he (Jesus) left the crowd and went into the house. His disciples came to him and said, “Explain to us the parable of the weeds in the field.”

This passage unlocks the teaching brilliance of Jesus. While his rivals (the Pharisees) used lengthy lectures to deliver truth, Jesus led his men through a 4-step process to discover the truth.

1. Tell. He tells them a little story whose meaning is not immediately clear.
2. Ponder. They don’t understand. So they puzzle. They discuss. They argue.
3. Reveal. Eventually, Jesus reveals the parable’s deeper lesson. Their eyes are opened.
4. Remember and Retell. Because of step 2, the story (and its meaning) is implanted in their hearts. And the disciples now had a powerful illustration they would remember the rest of their lives, using it to disciple others.

ManTime follows this ancient script. We use the same 4-step process to implant truth in the hearts of men.

When does ManTime launch?

ManTime launches worldwide in the Autumn of 2026.