Pillar 01 · Discipleship & mentoring
Christian mentoring and discipleship, from men who live it.
Not more lecturing. Discipleship at Future Men means Christian men live on campus and walk through each day with your son. They teach him Scripture, hold him accountable and show him what it looks like to own his choices as a man.
The heart of the program
What does “life-on-life” mean?
Life-on-life means the men who mentor your son do not meet with him for an hour and go home. They live on campus. They eat with the students, work beside them, care for the animals with them, drive them to apprenticeships and go to church with them. They see how your son really lives every day, address it in the moment and get to the heart issues underneath.
These men teach, correct and invest in every student. They show your son what a godly man looks like in practice: responsibility, humility, hard work and faith.
The standard is clear. Your son is expected to own his choices, put away immature and self-focused habits, respect authority, work hard and live with integrity. When he falls short, a mentor is there to hold him to it and help him get back up.
One-on-one
Honest conversations.
Real accountability.
Vulnerable one-on-one conversations are a minimum standard at Future Men. Because mentors live on campus, those conversations happen on a work project, around the dinner table or on the drive back from an apprenticeship, right when they matter.
Scripture and prayer are the foundation. A mentor tells your son the truth, expects him to own his part and holds him to it.
Every day, every week
What discipleship looks like every week.
Faith is not a class at Future Men. It sets the standard for the whole day. These four things happen every week.
Christian men on campus
Christian men live on campus and walk through each day with the students: meals, chores, work projects and recreation. Your son has men beside him all day, not just in a scheduled session.
Bible studies and group classes
Almost every day, the whole house gathers for a group class: Bible study verse by verse through a book of the Bible, Biblical history and the inerrancy of Scripture, worldview classes on music, pornography, drugs and today’s culture, dating and preparing for marriage, and American history and government. Monday night adds another Bible study.
Church every Sunday
Every Sunday, mentors and students go to church together. The afternoon is for rest and homework.
Consistent accountability
Mentors are part of the whole day, so correction and encouragement come when they matter, not days later in an office. The standard is clear, and it is the same every day.
Faith
Scripture taught plainly. Faith never forced.
Many students come from Christian homes, but not all arrive with a strong foundation. Some have walked away from what they once believed. Others have never heard the gospel in a personal way. Wherever your son starts, Future Men is unapologetically Christian. We teach the truth of Scripture plainly, and we never force belief.
Mentors connect Scripture to everyday life all day long: a work project, a hard conversation at the dinner table, a moment of correction. They speak the truth with compassion. Your son is challenged to think for himself, bring his doubts into the open and learn not only what he believes but why it matters.
A personal relationship with Christ changes how a man sees himself, how he treats people and what he does with his future.
What students are working through
Whatever he is facing.
A clear standard.
Many students arrive struggling with anger, impulsivity, dishonesty, substance use, pornography or an immaturity that keeps them from moving forward. Today’s teens face heavy pressure and few solid examples of manhood.
Future Men is not a short-term fix. Every day, from work projects to worship, your son is expected to put away destructive patterns and take ownership of his life, with Christian men beside him holding him to it.
In their words
What former students and parents say about discipleship at Future Men
“I grew up without my father consistently in my life, and although I didn’t like the rules, Mr. Boldman and many others played a role in filling that void in my life for that season, which is something I will always be thankful for.”
“Of course we were praying for a complete transformation and for Adam to surrender his life to Christ, but we knew that was up to the Lord. Well, God exceeded our hopes and granted our prayers.”
“He wants to read the Bible with me each morning, he is helpful around the house, he looks for things to do”
Discipleship Director
Matt Williamson
Matt has served at Future Men for more than 14 years, first as a mentor and then as a director. He has worked with young people for over 20 years and serves as a pastor in his church.
Matt is married with seven children.
B.A., Biblical Counseling, The Master’s College (2005)
Meet the leadership teamOne of three pillars
Discipleship runs through
the school day and the workday.
- 01Discipleship
- 02Academics
- 03Trades
02 · Accredited academics
The same men help him study.
School is accredited by Cognia, with coursework prescribed for each student. The same mentors tutor students and supervise study, helping your son catch up and earn high school credits. Coursework is founded on God’s Word, and every student writes an exit paper reflecting on the issues that brought him to Future Men.
Accredited academics and credit recovery
03 · Trades & apprenticeships
Character is tested at work.
Every Tuesday and Thursday, every student works at a local business learning a trade. Showing up on time, taking direction from a boss and seeing every job through turn honesty, humility and diligence into habits.
Trade apprenticeships with local businesses
Parents ask
Questions about discipleship.
Read the questions parents ask most, then apply online whenever is convenient for you. Our admissions team will contact you within 24 hours, including weekends and holidays.
Is Future Men a counseling or therapy program?
No. Future Men is Christian mentoring and discipleship. We do not provide licensed therapy or psychiatric care. Our admissions team reviews every situation individually, and not every mental-health need can be safely served here.
Does my son have to be a Christian to come?
No. Many students come from Christian homes, but not all arrive with a strong foundation. Future Men is unapologetically Christian. Students take part in Bible studies and go to church every Sunday. We teach the gospel plainly, and we never force belief.
Will he have one-on-one time with a mentor?
Yes. Vulnerable one-on-one conversations are a minimum standard at Future Men. Mentors live on campus, so those conversations happen on a work project, around the table or after a hard day, when they matter most.
Who are the mentors?
Mentors are Christian men who live on campus with the students. Each one serves a yearlong internship, and they come from all over the United States wanting to serve God by walking alongside these students. Every adult completes the background checks required by Missouri law before working with students. Meet our leadership and mentors.
How will we stay in touch while he is here?
After a three-week settling-in period, every student has a scheduled weekly family call, monitored by staff. Parents have a scheduled call with staff every other week, starting right away. Parents can reach out whenever they need to and are encouraged to visit. How families stay connected.