Zack Curry is the Executive Pastor at Jesus Culture and he's the host of the Man Camp Podcast. For the past 15 years he has been ministering to students in high school and College. Zack’s passion is to see student leaders raised up to go into all areas of society to release the kingdom of God and see cultural transformation. Zack and his wife Melissa have three beautiful little girls Grace, Olivia and Ellie.

Conversation Notes:

• 2:48 - The Man Camp Podcast
• 3:03 - Zack introducing himself (wife, 3 girls & a male Goldendoodle)
• 3:40 - Amazing adventure of ministry with Jesus Culture
• 4:05 - "Our legacy as parents and as a dad is one of the greatest measures of success and what real fruit looks like"
• 4:20 - The need for a healthy balance of ministry and dad life
• 5:00 - Zack talks about some recent adventures with his girls
• 5:10 - "We're raising strong confident women... I don't want my girls to not know who they are or to be looking to a man when they get older to validate them..."
• 5:40 - The hashtag #dateyourdaughters
• 6:00 - Using adventure to teach his girls to overcome fear or to be confident
• 7:20 - "The challenge for us, as dads, is to be disconnected and not present"
• 8:45 - We grow through hardships
• 8:50 - The painful moments of his mom battling cancer
• 11:00 - Story of his daughter wanting to pray for her grandmother
• 11:50 - We should have faith like a child
• 12:04 - Moment of weakness when his daughters showed their faith to pray
• 12:30 - "What we model, what we teach, what we invest in our kids will come out of them."
• 13:30 - When we sow, we reap what we sow and not just in our life... it's in our kids life.
• 15:02 - The miracle story of Zack's mom being healed
• 15:44 - Living fully alive does not mean that we're doing crazy wild adventures
• 16:30 - Move ourself into dependance. Refuse to coast.
• 17:45 - Moments of just trying to get through the day. The hard moments.
• 18:30 - "Our heart matters and we need to live fully alive. And that is not separate from your role as a dad. It's important that you take care of yourself because you're modeling something for them... You've got to have something you're looking forward to. Make sure your heart is alive physically, spiritually and emotionally"
• 19:20 - Caution about not centering your life around our kids
• 20:10 - "My goal is to stay connected to my daughters heart. I want to do stuff together and I want her to want me to be part of her world."
• 21:31 - There is a tendency to isolate as men, but we need other people. We can't do this alone.
• 22:00 - The importance of brotherhood
• 23:00 - Make sure you're known. Be known. Share your story. Make sure at least a hand full of other guys know your story. And share your dreams.
• 24:10 - Do you have something that you're looking forward to? If not, that's a RED FLAG.
• 24:45 - When was the last time you went on an adventure? Do you have an adventure you're looking forward to now?
• 26:20 - The power of reminding dads of who they are
• 27:50 - The areas that Zack is working on in his fatherhood (loosing his patience & not being present with his kids)
• 29:00 - Missing moments that won't always be there
• 30:05 - Parenting is not easy. "Being a dad is one of the hardest things I've ever done and the most rewarding thing"
• 32:00 - Intentional rhythms and focusses
• Values (Character, Integrity, Love Jesus, Work Ethic, Gratitude)
• 22:50 - "We want our kids to know their identity, to know Jesus and walk in a confidence through every season"
• 33:20 - It's taught... It's not just learned.
• 34:12 - "Are we aware of what's influencing our kids and are we being intentional?"
• 34:40 - "God want to use our kids now, not just later in life"
• 35:50 - Planting seeds in our kids that we are confident will come to fruition in the future. We will reap what we sow.
• 36:32 - Time Machine Advice = Take more time to be present and enjoy the moments
• 37:23 - John Eldridge book: You Have What It Takes
• 37:40 - "You have what it takes. Don't compare yourself. There is no one else who can take your place. Just you being in the game is more than many kids have"
• 39:10 - Zack prays for all of us dads

Episode Links:

• The Man Camp Podcast
• Jesus Culture
• Zack's Instagram:
• John Eldridge Interview