Brett Powell on Why Brotherhood Matters More Than Ever
Why honoring masculinity, healing wounds through brotherhood, and stepping into a noble battle is the path every man was made for.
Brett Powell has spent decades walking with men—pastors, leaders, fathers, and ordinary guys trying to live with courage. In conversation, he came across as calm but passionate, the kind of man who speaks from scars, not just theories. His big message was simple: men matter, masculinity is good, and brotherhood is not optional.
“Is it okay to be a man?” Brett repeated a question that gets thrown around today. Then he answered with conviction: “It’s not just okay, it’s necessary. We need men.”
From the smoke of Canadian wildfires to the silent struggles of pastors in lonely rectories, Brett painted a picture of why men need to rediscover their mission and their brothers.
Here are three themes from his talk that every man needs to take to heart.
1. Brotherhood Is the Antidote to Loneliness
Brett started with gratitude. He honored the men who first launched retreats, conferences, and accountability groups. Those pioneers saw the need before anyone else. But today, the need has deepened.
The problem isn’t just that men are busy or distracted. It’s that they are lonely—sometimes even while surrounded by people. Brett pointed out that this was especially true for leaders like priests and bishops. They’re often placed on a pedestal, expected to live like spiritual superheroes, but rarely known as men.
“There’s something that’s worse than loneliness,” Brett said. “And that is to always be with people but still be lonely.”
His answer? Sacred brotherhood. A space where men can be known, encouraged, and corrected without shame. Brett described motorcycle rides with priests where conversations at the end of the day felt like “sitting at the feet of the rabbi.” He called it wind therapy—riding side by side, talking honestly about life.
“Once you’re a brother, you’re a brother,” he said. Those bonds don’t fade after the weekend. They carry you through the battles of real life.
Sacred brotherhood isn’t about surface-level small talk. It’s about creating places where wounds can be shared without embarrassment, where correction can be given in love, and where men can be built up instead of torn down.
2. Masculinity Isn’t a Problem to Fix
Brett didn’t shy away from the cultural battles around masculinity. Too often, he said, the message to men is that they are defective, dangerous, or unnecessary. But Scripture tells another story: men are created in God’s image, and that is good.
“It’s not an accident,” Brett insisted. “There’s not a natural deficiency in men. God doesn’t make mistakes.”
He pushed back on the idea that ministry to men should “tame” them. Instead, it should call them to be who they really are—strong, sacrificial, courageous, and tender.
Brett used John Eldredge’s framework to describe the masculine heart:
A battle to fight. Men are called to defend what is good, true, and beautiful.
An adventure to live. Life is meant to stretch us beyond comfort.
A beauty to rescue. Not because women are weak, but because men are wired to protect, cherish, and honor.
This vision, Brett said, was modeled perfectly in Jesus. Christ was both tender with the weak and fierce with the forces of evil. That’s the kind of magnanimous masculinity the world needs today.
“We want Christlike men. But there are battles,” Brett said. “And we have to fight for men’s hearts—to bring them into the light, into a space that is loved, supported, fought for, appreciated.”
The danger for modern men isn’t just aggression—it’s passivity. Brett reminded us that when Adam stayed silent in the garden, something in men was broken. Ever since, men have struggled with stepping back instead of stepping up.
The solution isn’t to strip masculinity of its strength. It’s to order it toward love.
3. From Programs to Presence
Brett is a fan of great resources—books like Be a Man by Fr. Larry Richards, videos, retreats, and podcasts. But he warned that these can’t become substitutes for real connection.
Sometimes men’s groups get stuck in “cerebralizing” faith—checking boxes, finishing studies, moving from program to program—without ever getting to the heart.
Real transformation happens when men share life. Brett told a story about a simple exercise around a board table. Instead of just sharing job titles, one leader asked: “What’s your favorite ice cream? And what’s the worst thing that’s ever happened to you?”
The room shifted. Men opened up. Masks dropped. Brotherhood began.
“Everybody has a wound,” Brett said. “You never lock eyes with another human being that doesn’t have one.”
The key is creating space where those wounds can be named without diminishing a man’s dignity. That takes silence, patience, and trust. It’s not about fixing each other. It’s about being present.
He encouraged groups to practice asking simple questions:
What’s a high point in your life right now?
What’s a low point?
Where are you anxious, angry, or excited?
Even sharing something small—a hard conversation with a daughter, the stress of leadership—creates openings for grace.
And when men are willing to sit in silence, to let others form their thoughts, or to admit “I don’t know what to do here,” brotherhood deepens.
The Call to Step Up
The conversation turned toward the bigger picture. Brett and Sean both noted how past generations of men gave up fortunes, safety, even their lives for causes greater than themselves—whether in the Crusades or in Shackleton’s polar expeditions. Men today, Brett argued, need the same kind of call.
“Men by nature are called to protect and serve,” he said. “And that which is under attack, we need to defend.”
The modern battlefield may not always involve swords or ice floes, but the stakes are just as high: the family, the faith, the dignity of life.
Brett challenged men to reimagine the battle cry—not as violence but as magnanimity. A willingness to fight for what matters, to live with courage, and to pour themselves out for others.
Closing Thoughts
At the end of the interview, Brett pointed listeners to his website (brettpowell.org), his blog, and his podcasts Way of the Heart and Leadership Where It Matters Most. But the real takeaway wasn’t about content. It was about commitment.
Brotherhood is not a luxury. Masculinity is not a mistake. Programs are not enough.
What every man needs is to be known, to be challenged, and to be loved as a brother.
“It is not good for man to be alone,” Brett reminded us, echoing Genesis. “And we won’t get there without sacred brotherhood.”
The path forward is clear. Men need to honor the gift of masculinity, fight for one another’s hearts, and step into a brotherhood that heals wounds and strengthens resolve.
Because when men stand together, tender and fierce, the world changes.