Something is stirring in men today. Have you noticed?
Across the headlines, in new studies and stories, a pattern is emerging: men are hungry — for purpose, for community, for truth. The latest research shows about 43% of men now report weekly church attendance, the highest level in five years and a clear reversal of decades-long decline.And it’s not just numbers. From England to the U.S., young men are rejecting the narratives that have left them disoriented and are returning to faith and tradition. A recent Bible Society report found that among 18–24-year-olds in England and Wales, monthly church attendance has jumped from 4% to 16% since 2018 — with young men leading that surge, up from 4% to 21%.
These are not small shifts. They signal something deeper — a quiet revival of biblical manhood.
Thanksgiving reminds us that gratitude is not born from abundance but endurance — not from comfort, but conviction. And perhaps it’s no coincidence that, in this season of gratitude, we’re seeing something remarkable stir in the hearts of men.
The First Table in the Wilderness
We’ve been here before.
Four centuries ago, a small band of weary families huddled on the rocky shores of a new world. They had survived the storm-tossed Atlantic, buried half their company, and faced a winter so cruel it threatened to finish what the sea had started. The wilderness surrounding them must have been terrifying — strange creatures, dark forests, howling winds, and unfamiliar people inhabiting a land not yet marked by maps.
Yet on a bleak November day, Elder William Brewster gathered those survivors around a rough-hewn table in the wilderness and led them in giving thanks.
Their gratitude was not for abundance but for Providence — not for ease, but endurance. In a world untamed and uncertain, they bowed their heads and worshiped the God who had guided them through the storm.
Brewster was no celebrity pastor. He was a man of conviction — a husband, a father, a teacher, and a mentor. To William Bradford and others who would one day shape the colonies, Brewster was a grounding presence — an anchor of faith and courage. Around his fire, young men gathered to hear his wisdom. Around his table, they learned what it meant to lead, to serve, and to give thanks.
His quiet faith forged a generation of men who would shape a nation. It’s no wonder he is remembered as the Father of New England.
A Quiet Revival
Today, around campfires, in church basements, and at kitchen tables, fathers and sons are opening their Bibles together again.
In a distracted and divided age, they are rediscovering the same faith and fortitude that sustained the Pilgrims — a masculinity rooted not in dominance, but in service; not in pride, but in courage; not in self-reliance, but in dependence on God.
In a culture that too often sidelines men, this return to spiritual leadership is not loud, but it is real. It is the kind of slow, steady renewal that changes families, churches, and ultimately, nations.
The Mentors Behind Great Men
Every generation needs its Brewsters — men who will steady the ship, light the fire, and gather others to give thanks.
Today’s wilderness looks different. It’s not marked by forests and snow, but by distraction, confusion, and fatherlessness. Yet the need is the same: men who will mentor, guide, and point others toward God’s truth.
In Trail Life USA, those men are stepping forward. Around the fire, they are shaping tomorrow’s William Bradfords — boys who will grow into men of faith, character, and courage. Their tools may be tents and rope instead of muskets and flint, but their mission hasn’t changed: to honor God, lead with integrity, serve others, and experience adventure.
They build more than fires.
They build character.
They build courage.
They build faith.
They build legacies.
A Table in the Wilderness
Thanksgiving reminds us that gratitude itself is a form of strength. It requires humility — an admission that we are not self-made.
Psalm 23 speaks of a table prepared “in the presence of enemies.” That’s as true in 2025 as it was in 1621. Gratitude, faith, and family are acts of resistance in an age of cynicism.
This year, as we gather around our own tables — some full, some modest — we can take a cue from Brewster and those early settlers. In a harsh world, they paused to give thanks. In a disoriented one, we can do the same.
Because when fathers give thanks with their families, when men lead with humility, and when faith once again informs manhood — cultures heal, and nations endure.
The revival has already begun. Quietly, steadily — around campfires, dinner tables, and pews — men are returning home.
The next generation is watching. The revival has begun. It’s time for men to rise and take their place. Like Brewster and Bradford before us, may we gather the weary, guide the young, and give thanks. If we do, the faith that built a nation can still build our sons — and our sons’ sons.
And that may be the most hopeful Thanksgiving story of all.
Find a Troop near you—or start one today at TrailLifeUSA.com.
