Men Are Dying a Slow Death (And No One’s Talking About It)

Men are struggling—and most of the time, it isn’t loud or dramatic. It’s slow. It’s subtle. And it’s costing men their faith, their families, and their future. In this episode of Gaining Ground, Landon and Drew Sherman name what many men feel but rarely say out loud: when men stop growing, they don’t stay neutral—they drift. And drift, left unchecked, is deadly.

This conversation tackles the confusion men face in today’s culture, where masculinity is either mocked or exaggerated. One side tells men to be soft. The other tells them to be savage. But neither offers a sustainable, Christ-centered path forward. Landon and Drew unpack why biblical masculinity has nothing to do with hobbies, hustle culture, or appearances—and everything to do with growth, intentionality, and character. They expose how comparison, shame, exhaustion, and busyness quietly pull men off course, often without them even realizing it.

Drawing from 1 Timothy 4, the heart of Gaining Ground comes into focus: real growth takes diligence, practice, and time. The Apostle Paul’s charge to Timothy—“so that all may see your progress”—becomes a framework for understanding why personal growth isn’t just personal. When a man commits to growing in his faith, developing his God-given gifts, and living with integrity, everyone around him benefits. Growth doesn’t have to be explosive to be powerful. Incremental, steady progress is often what creates lasting change.

This episode also speaks directly to two kinds of men: the man who looks like he’s winning on the outside but feels stuck spiritually, and the man who wants to believe but isn’t sure he can because of his past or his failures. Through stories, humor, and honest reflection, Landon and Drew make it clear that no one is too far gone to grow, and no one is disqualified from starting again. God’s posture toward men isn’t condemnation—it’s patience, presence, and invitation.

At its core, this episode is a call to stop chasing extremes and start choosing consistency. You don’t need to gain 99 yards in one play. You need to gain a little ground—daily, weekly, over time. This is the beginning of a journey built around faith, brotherhood, responsibility, and wisdom, designed to help men grow in a way that’s sustainable and real.

If you’re tired of drifting, burned out from hustle culture, or unsure how to grow as a man of God, this episode sets the foundation. It’s not about perfection. It’s about progress. And when men grow, everyone gets better.

IN THIS EPISODE:
00:00 – Why men struggle to grow
01:05 – The cultural confusion around masculinity
02:30 – Be soft vs be savage (why both miss the mark)
03:35 – Comparison and shame in modern men
04:40 – Drift vs growth (how men slowly lose ground)
05:40 – How men drift from faith and family
06:50 – Why growth requires intention
09:50 – Success at work but stuck spiritually
11:45 – Feeling disqualified from faith
14:00 – Hustle culture vs sustainable growth
16:30 – Why slow, consistent growth works
17:50 – The myth of “busy seasons”
19:30 – 1 Timothy 4 and spiritual growth
24:05 – Character over performance
28:40 – Small gains that change everything

🚀 START HERE!
Learn more about the Gaining Ground men’s movement and how you can get involved at https://gaininggroundmen.com.

✅ ATTEND A GATHERING:
Join us every First Wednesday at 6:30am in the DFW area at a Compass Church campus. These in-person gatherings are designed to help men reset, refocus, and move forward with intention. Oh, and there’s coffee and breakfast of course. Register now at https://gaininggroundmen.com/gatherings/.

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MUSIC CREDITS:
Charged Up (Instrumental) - MARS
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Witch (Instrumental) - Lovedrug
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