Over the years, that friendship has grown through mutual friends, shared faith and plenty of good-natured ribbing. Now, the two men (both previously featured in Cordillera Ranch Living magazine) have added another chapter to the relationship as co-authors of Becoming a Godly Man. The new book, dropping on November 3, is centered on faith and character, intentionally guiding the next generation of men.

The collaboration brings together two distinctly different, yet complementary, voices. David’s background is rooted largely in business and leadership, including careers with Xerox and FedEx before founding CornerStone Leadership Institute. Over the years, he has written more than 30 books focused on leadership and personal development. Randy, meanwhile, has spent four decades as a pastor in churches across the country and has authored more than 20 books.

The idea for Becoming a Godly Man began with David. One of his sons-in-law asked him to mentor his then-16-year-old grandson and share some of the wisdom he had gained through life and faith. David began looking for a resource that could help guide those conversations, but nothing he found felt quite right for what he wanted to accomplish. So he began creating one himself.

Starting with 1 Timothy and it’s teachings on character and leadership, David dug into Scripture and developed material he could work through with his grandson. The two met for an hour each Sunday morning for 12 weeks before church.

“It was an experience I may never have the opportunity to have again. That was really the beginning — finding a way to share this message with someone who could not only hear it, but really accept it,” recalled David, fondly.

As the material developed, David brought it to Randy, whose pastoral background and theological perspective made him a natural sounding board. Randy immediately saw potential in what David had created and encouraged him to take it further. “David already had the heartbeat of the project. I just came alongside and added my voice and content,” explained Randy.

It was Randy who ultimately suggested they turn the material into a book, and from there the project became a true collaboration. David, however, was quick to give his friend more credit than Randy gives himself. “I had a little bit of imposter syndrome,” admitted David. “I kept thinking, ‘Who am I to write this?’ Randy was the one who could look at it from his theological background and say, ‘This is good. This is scripturally valid.’ He played a much bigger role than he’ll lead you to believe.”

Their different backgrounds became one of the book’s strengths. “I bring some real practical business application to the biblical application. When you merge the two, you’ve got something unique and special. It’s not a sermon or a lecture. It’s somewhere in between,” said David.

Randy agreed, adding: “I bring more of the pastoral and spiritual side, and David brings this tremendous leadership experience. Together, our experiences give it a one-two punch.”

Or, as Randy later joked, “The businessman and the pastor came together and birthed a book.”

Becoming a Godly Man can be read independently, but both authors believe its greatest impact may come when it creates conversation between generations — father and son, grandfather and grandson, youth leader and student or another trusted mentor and young man. “We want someone to grab hold of these concepts and, ideally, do it in community,” elaborated Randy. “There’s something powerful about a grandfather, father or leader walking through this with a younger person and helping those ideas go deeper into his soul.”

For Randy, that relational element feels particularly important at a time when loneliness and disconnection have become increasingly common. “God just hardwired us for community. We’re stronger together,” he added. 

Both men also believe the book arrives at an important time for boys and young men. “There’s a crisis among men, particularly young men. The vision for this book is that they might anchor themselves in Scripture and create a turn in their lives that changes the direction of their lives as a whole,” said Randy.

The chapters explore aspects of godly character through Scripture, personal stories and practical application. David points to resisting temptation as one of the most important aspects, especially given the sheer number of influences young men face today. “There are temptations coming from all different directions. The decisions you make can have an incredible impact on the rest of your life,” explained David.

For Randy, the chapter on becoming a peacemaker really speaks to him personally. “Scripture tells us, if possible, to be at peace with everyone,” he shared. “That’s a real problem in our society today. People aren’t listening to each other. If a young man learns to seek peace with his wife, his neighbors and the people around him, that can create a seismic shift.”

Writing a book about character also required the authors to take a closer look at themselves. “When you put your name on a book like this, you’re saying, ‘I’m for this idea, and I expect to live by this idea,’” noted Randy.

David found himself asking many of the same questions he hoped readers would consider. “I realized I’m included in this, too. God gave me the ability to write, and this is one of the ways I can use that gift,” he said.

At 73, David sees Becoming a Godly Man as something more personal than another title to add to a long list of books. “I look at this as part of my legacy gift. I’m excited about the opportunity that maybe it can change someone’s life,” he said. 

Randy’s hope for the book is equally personal. “As I looked at these biblical principles, I kept coming back to, ‘I want to be that guy,’” he said. “I want my kids, someday when they’re looking at my casket, to be able to say, ‘My dad was that guy.’”

And perhaps that gets to the heart of what David and Randy are hoping to accomplish. Becoming a Godly Man isn’t about suggesting anyone has already arrived. It’s about giving men a practical, Scripture-centered way to think about who they are becoming, while encouraging fathers, grandfathers and mentors to walk alongside them. The closing words of the book offer both an invitation and a challenge:

“You can and should become a godly man. The next move is always yours. This is your life, your time and your opportunity. Our prayer is that you will shout up to Jesus, ‘Lord, I am your guy. Use my gifts and talents to glorify you!’”

You an find the book on Amazon, or for bulk book purchases, visit CornerStoneLeadership.com.