The 5 Big Mankillers

Every man is fighting a battle, whether he realizes it or not. The enemy’s strategy is ancient and effective: steal your identity, kill your confidence, and destroy your purpose. The Big 5 Mankillers is a bold, battle-tested study guide designed to expose and dismantle the five greatest weapons Satan uses to take men down.

This isn’t just another Bible study—it’s a map. A practical, Scripture-rooted journey that leads you straight to the truth of who you are in Christ. When a man understands his true identity—created in the image of the living God, unshackled from fear, approval, and performance—everything changes. He no longer asks if he’s enough. He knows Whose he is.

Jesus said, The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full (John 10:10 NIV). This guide shows you how to step fully into that abundant life with a sense of purpose and clarity.

Brent Henderson is an in-demand speaker, author, outdoor adventurer, ordained pastor, and national recording artist who toured with Grammy and Dove Award–winning artists Steven Curtis Chapman and Sandi Patty, and has spent the past 25 years in men’s ministry. He is also the host of The Unleashed Podcast, known for using gripping real-life survival stories to spark lasting spiritual transformation in men.

From commercial fishing in Alaska’s deadly waters and enduring bone-chilling hypothermia to facing multiple dangerous game charges and temporarily losing his sight high in the Rocky Mountains, Brent’s life has been forged where mistakes are costly and danger is unforgiving if you’re unprepared. On one hunt, Brent was forced to stop a charging bear at five yards. His experiences—specifically the ones where he was unable to see the threat and was later forced to confront it head-on—helped shape the framework behind The Big 5 Mankillers. Drawing on lessons from Africa’s “Big 5” predators, the book equips men to recognize the unseen strategies the enemy uses to isolate, weaken, and destroy them.

Brent is a John Maxwell–certified life coach and serves as executive director of Unleashed.Men. More than 20,000 men have come to Christ through his events. He and his wife, Stacy, live in central Indiana.

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My friend Brent Henderson has written a powerful guide that goes straight after the greatest threats to a man’s heart and legacy. The contrasts in this book are unforgettable—raw yet wise, vulnerable yet courageous, practical yet profound. This is not a solo journey. Gather a few trusted friends, men from your church, or family members, and discover together how to turn the tables—moving from being the hunted to becoming the hunters.

R.T. Phillips, Former President of Promise Keepers; Founder of CORE

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Every serious deer hunter knows that encountering a wary, mature buck often requires leaving the field edges and venturing deeper into the woods. That same principle applies to spiritual growth—and it’s exactly how Brent Henderson guides men in The Big 5 Mankillers. Saturated with life-transforming Scripture, relatable stories, and thought-provoking questions, this study invites you to move beyond the surface and into deeper wisdom—wisdom that has the power to make you spiritually and emotionally stronger.

Steve Chapman, Author, A Look at Life From a Deer Stand

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As I have ministered over the last fifty-seven years across this country and globally, I am convinced that most men desire to do it right, but so easily get it wrong. Brent Henderson’s Big 5 Mankillers is a wonderful guide with clear steps to be the men or man of God we all want to be. This guide helps the man in the twenty-first century face the challenges of a culture where men are undervalued by society and themselves. Brent is helping us apply the Scripture with the dignity of our God intended manhood and overcome the shame and blame the enemy desires to defeat us.

Dr. Gary E. Wright, President and Founder, World Renewal

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Brent Henderson is a hunter and a storyteller—and he writes like one. Using the deadly Big Five of Africa as his scope, he exposes the real predators stalking a man’s life: anger, fear, shame...and the lies we live in, but never escape. This book doesn’t coddle. It confronts. Page by page, Henderson leads men into a hard, honest pursuit of truth that costs something—and changes everything. This is a step-by-step pursuit of truth that strips away excuses and demands a decision.

Keith A. Wooden, Pastor and Digital Creator

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Brent Henderson is a masterful professional hunter, leading men on safari through the pages of this amazing book. He uses the Big Five in Africa as illustrations of the Big Five Mankillers: 1. Lack of Purpose, 2. Lack of Respect, 3. Anger, 4. Lust, and 5. Shame. I began the safari of reading and literally couldn’t quit until I completed it. This book is a hammer that breaks into pieces the fragile lies of the imposter lion Satan and builds powerful confidence in me—a confidence based solely on the truth of God's word. The Big Five Mankillers is a leave-it-all-in-the gym workout. It is walking up to the pool and not just sticking your toe in but diving headfirst into the deep end. I closed the last page knowing that God's righteousness covers me, and the claws of the imposter lion will not hurt me. This book may have surpassed my all-time favorite man's book, Wild at Heart. I encourage you to go on the safari with Brent, get rid of the fear in your life, and find your roar!

Dr. Jimmy Sites, Adventurer, Filmmaker, Unleashed Man

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Every man who wants to live free and fully alive should read this book. The Big 5 Mankillers reads like a backcountry expedition for the heart—guiding men through fear, anger, shame, and identity, always pointing to the only true compass: Christ in you. This is rugged discipleship—honest, gritty, and transformational. Brent Henderson has lived the battles he writes about and serves as a trusted guide who helps men silence the lies that stalk their hearts and reclaim who God created them to be. With the heart of a shepherd and the courage of a warrior, Brent Henderson provides a clear pathway back to identity, purpose, and Kingdom impact. Every man—and every discipler of men—should go through this book.

Dwight Robertson, Founding President & CEO, FORGE Ministries, International Speaker & Author

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The Big 5 Mankillers delivers a clear, biblical framework for discovering your identity, strengthening your faith, and building a closer relationship with God our Father. I haven’t just read this book—I’ve lived it.

I’ve worked through this material alongside Brent Henderson for more than 18 months, and it has truly changed my life. It has shaped me into the parent I want to be for my children and the godly husband I want to be for my wife.

What sets this book apart is its practicality. It doesn’t just offer ideas to admire—it gives men a roadmap they can actually follow. I’ve seen the results firsthand, and I believe this message is desperately needed today.

Justin Korsmeyer, Business Owner