It’s pretty cool when you get to watch Netflix “for work.” Highly recommended, if you can pull it off without getting fired.
In my case, it was a documentary called Louis Theroux: Inside the Manosphere. Working for a men’s ministry, it fit my job description to explore it, so I got to spend a workday afternoon checking it out.
(Full disclosure: there are some disturbing themes explored in this doc, so viewer discretion is advised! Not one to watch with the kids!)
The doc explores how young men in particular are being pulled into an unhealthy online culture at an alarming rate, and it is having a dramatic impact on how they view the world, themselves, and masculinity.
What’s more: it’s happening right under our noses.
What is “The Manosphere”?
Much is being discussed about this topic these days, but if you are unfamiliar, the “manosphere” is a loosely defined term referencing a range of online male influencers and communities that promote “hyper-masculine” ideas.
Dominated by personalities like Andrew Tate, Myron Gaines, and others, the manosphere doesn’t subscribe to a single worldview but, overall, emphasizes that men should be strong, productive, and thriving.
Nothing crazy so far! There’s a good chance you agree.
But it’s what comes next that is concerning.
What’s the Issue?
The manosphere tends to promote views of masculinity that are hyper-aggressive—emphasizing domination over others, taking what you want, using women for your own purposes while putting them in their place, and making wealth, fame, independence, and power the most important virtues a man possesses.
Much of what is celebrated has become more radical over time, emphasizing ideas that are decidedly extreme, misogynistic, and even violent.
These personalities are typically confident, handsome, fit, wealthy, famous, and allegedly surrounded by beautiful women.
They model behaviors such as cruelty, selfishness, sexual promiscuity, and dishonesty, and encourage control, manipulation, and even abuse in pursuit of their goals.
It glorifies a self-centered approach to life where a man does what he has to do to get what he wants. The end justifies the means; when you get the rewards you’re seeking, you’ve done well, regardless of what you had to do to get there.
This unhealthy attitude escalates many other unhealthy attitudes, and godly virtues like love, kindness, and gentleness (Galatians 5:22-23) are often dismissed as signs of weakness that will get in the way of what you want.
For a movement that emphasizes strength, there is also an unusual victimhood to it, teaching that men are being badly mistreated in our cultural moment and must aggressively take back what they feel they’ve lost. Intense anger is intentionally stirred up and reinforced by the community constantly complaining about the state of men and the adversaries (typically women, feminists, and “soft” men) who have brought about this state.
It leans heavily on the trope that if men simply worked harder, they could achieve everything these influencers do. By following their example (and typically paying for their content!), all men can attain the life they offer.
The movement has a massive online following, with one study showing that over 40% of young men follow at least one manosphere influencer. The number of men finding these online leaders and communities and falling into their unhealthy attitudes is growing rapidly.
What is Drawing Young Men?
In another Netflix show exploring this phenomenon, the fictional work Adolescence swept the 2025 Emmy Awards telling the tragic story of the devastating consequences of a boy caught up in this online world.
So why this this happening?
There are some obvious answers, like “These influencers are rich and successful,” or “They’re getting beautiful women,” and no doubt this plays a role. Young men are no strangers to the pursuit of success or beauty.
As well, in an age of lonely men, this movement gives men a sense of online community with other men that is often lacking.
But the main answer may be much simpler:
The manosphere is teaching young men how to be men.
It’s teaching them how to be a particular brand of really unhealthy men, but it’s nonetheless giving them a sense of masculine purpose and identity.
The manosphere is teaching young men how to be men.
It proudly proclaims that being a man is nothing to be ashamed of and that they should boldly embrace their masculinity.
Again, we would certainly agree with this—just not in the way the manosphere does it.
But the deep hunger for something to look to as an example of manhood is palpable, and the manosphere is rushing in to meet that need.
In a different stream of modern masculinity, non-manosphere teachers like Jordan Peterson and Scott Galloway have also become increasingly popular amongst young men, which has come about, in part, because of their clear and simple message:
“Here’s what it means to be a man, and here’s how to do it.”
Stand up straight.
Ask a girl out.
Take a risk.
Work hard.
Find your talents and make a living.
Push through disappointment.
Put others first.
Go make a positive impact on the world.
And so on.
It’s not Christian teaching, but it is generally healthier than the manosphere, and honestly, there isn’t much that is unique there. A lot of it you can certainly find in biblical principles.
But the popularity of the manosphere and of teaching like this demonstrates that young men are looking for someone to encourage them in being a man and show them how to do it.
Put another way:
Young men are desperate to be discipled in their masculinity.
And, as Spud Murphy puts it, “If the Church does not form men intentionally, the culture will do it accidentally.”
Young men are desperate to be discipled in their masculinity.
What Can Godly Men Do?
We believe that Christ came to live, teach, die, rise—and show us what a “real man” looks like (1 John 2:6).
For a generation hungry for discipleship into masculinity, we can give young men the answers they seek in a much godlier and healthier direction.
Fathers—be aware of what your sons are into online. Part of your responsibility as a dad is to monitor and guide your son’s online life. In our age, it is one of the most important things a father can do.
Churches—be aware of this cultural moment, and find ways to speak into it. Not just in warnings, but in the positive, Christ-following vision of what it means to be a man.
And to all of us—fathers and grandfathers, pastors, leaders, mentors, big brothers, and all other Christian men—we all have a duty to call forth the next generation of Christian men.
Someone did it for us, and now it is our calling to pass it on (Psalm 78:1-7).
Read and share the stories of the Old Testament, the Gospels, and the book of Acts. They are full of men who lived lives far from boring.
Men are looking for purpose, and our biblical heroes lived lives of godly purpose (e.g., Jeremiah 1:5; Nehemiah 2:17-18; Ephesians 2:10; etc.).
Men seek an element of risk and challenge in life, and our biblical heroes lived lives full of risk and faith, trusting God because there was literally nothing else to do, and seeing amazing things happen when they did (e.g., 1 Samuel 17; Matthew 14:28-31; Hebrews 11; etc.).
Men are looking to marry and father, and many (not all) of our biblical heroes did so (Genesis 2:24).
Men need other men—brothers in arms who lean on each other for strength and strengthen each other, and Scripture tells stories of such brotherhood (e.g., Exodus 17:12; 1 Samuel 18:1-4; Proverbs 27:17; etc.).
And although many biblical men are martyrs, they are never “victims.” Sacrifice is manly; endless complaining is not. You will certainly find biblical men struggling with God at times, but not whining. They ask, “Why?” but pick themselves up and press on with determination and grit (e.g., Job 1:20-22; Psalm 42; 2 Corinthians 11:23-28; etc.).
Men are looking for someone to show them how to do these and many other elements of manhood, and we, the Church, can do exactly that—pointing to Christ and other biblical heroes as examples of what being a man is, and then living out exactly how we do this as we do it together,teaching and modelling for young men what it looks like in real life.
The manosphere is toxic and unhealthy, but for those willing to listen, it offers the Church a crucial lesson about what young men in our culture deeply long for.
As we learn this, we can respond with the authority and power of Christ, and show young men what they’re looking for in a healthier, holier way.
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