Have you ever carried a father wound that shaped how you see yourself, God, or the world around you?
In this raw and powerful episode of the Shame(less) Podcast, Ken Freire sits down with Jonathan Lewis, founder of Fathers for Fathers, to unpack how trauma, addiction, and anger often stem from deep places of brokenness and how the Father’s heart of God brings real healing.
Jonathan shares his own journey: from trying to save his drowning father as a teen… to two decades of fog, despondency, addiction, and anger… to encountering Jesus in his 30s and finding a redemptive calling to help men break free.
If you’ve ever felt like your past disqualifies you or if you’re tired of holding it together alone, this episode might just be the beginning of something new.
💡 What You’ll Learn:
- Why fatherlessness impacts men more spiritually than we realize
- How trauma shows up as despondency, anger, addiction, and isolation
- The number one lie men believe about masculinity and the truth Scripture reveals
- Why surrendering to the Father is the hardest and most masculine thing a man can do
- How Fathers for Fathers is helping churches disciple broken men
- The power of fasting, shared hardship, and vulnerability in male community
- What it looks like to trust God with the things you fear most: your kids, your legacy, your wounds
📌 Notable Quotes:
“We try to itch a spiritual wound with a broken stump and it doesn’t work. Only the Father can reach it.” — Jonathan Lewis
“Anger in men is often born out of a deep injustice we know we can’t fix. That’s why we need a Savior.” — Ken Freire
“Hell wasn’t created for you but rebellion leads us there. The gospel gives us a way out.” — Jonathan Lewis
⏱️ Timestamps:
0:00 – The weight of fatherlessness
3:00 – Jonathan’s story: losing his dad and blaming himself
7:00 – How trauma and guilt shaped his manhood
10:00 – The fog of despondency and false identity
14:00 – Anger, masculinity, and what’s really going on under the surface
21:00 – The question every man must answer: Who is Jesus?
26:00 – Why surrender is the bravest act a man can make
33:00 – What Fathers for Fathers actually does and how churches can join
37:00 – Wilderness hikes, baptisms, and why shared pain brings freedom
42:00 – Father’s Day challenge: fast, pray, walk, and step up
📣 Call to Action:
Feeling the weight of fatherlessness, addiction, or disconnection from your purpose?
Go to http://www.fathersforfathers.org to learn more, join a hike, or bring a men’s ministry to your church.
📲 Text Jonathan directly. His number is listed on all socials, and yes, he actually replies.
Want more content like this?
🔔 Subscribe, leave a review, and share this episode with a man who needs to hear it.
