I've started a young men's study on the book, The Masculine Mandate, by Richard Phillips. This book got my attention over a year ago because it addressed biblical leadership for men today. There are not that many books on leadership that promote the creation design of Genesis 1 and 2. But the crisis in leadership in our culture shows how important this study is for the family and church.
As you can imagine it's a great challenge to try to bridge the gap between a sixty-something year old man, and the predominately twenty-something group of young men. My strategy has been to enlist the support of a thirty-something young man, husband and father, to connect our ages. Basically I am a "baby boomer" trying to relate to the "millennials". But the man in the middle is helping me a lot.
The following outline is my six week plan to establish a foundation for this book. The book is much better as it discusses the issues in greater detail. But, these young men are not big readers and that's part of the challenge. They have grown up on TV and the Internet, Facebook, Snapchat and texting. So, a condensed summary outline is what I've given them to try to establish a big picture of the book, and what biblical manhood looks like. This is what it looks like.
Part One describes the "mandate" that God gives to men. Part Two describes living it out in life. We will discover six major topics that we can learn from and discuss.
Week One - our PURPOSE. Ch.1, (p.6), references Gen.1:26-27, and describes how God created Adam, and we are created in the "image of God". We bear God's image, as we are spiritual people representing God. Manhood is seen in the "who, where, what, and how," of God's creation design. "Who" we are is God's "image bearers" and created to be with God. Our primary purpose in life then is to know, live for, and to serve God.
Week Five - our FAMILY. Ch.9, (p.126), references Gen.2:15 and our calling "to work and to keep" the creation of God. This also applies to being a father. We are called to nurture and to protect our children. This equates to discipling (work) and disciplining (keep) our children. Teaching and correcting, training and educating, for the heart and the head. Proverbs 4:23 speaks of wisdom, "keep your heart with all vigilance..." God calls us to him as "our Father".
Week Six - Our FRIENDSHIPS and FAITH. Ch.11, (p.165), references 1Sam.18:1, and describes, "the soul of Jonathan was knit to the soul of David, and Jonathan loved him as his own soul." Such a Godly friendship is a great asset in life. And in John 15:1 we see, "Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends." Faith is "a gift" and not an achievement, Eph.2:8-9. It is completely by grace but we must walk in faith, and then it will transform all of our life.
As you can imagine it's a great challenge to try to bridge the gap between a sixty-something year old man, and the predominately twenty-something group of young men. My strategy has been to enlist the support of a thirty-something young man, husband and father, to connect our ages. Basically I am a "baby boomer" trying to relate to the "millennials". But the man in the middle is helping me a lot.
The following outline is my six week plan to establish a foundation for this book. The book is much better as it discusses the issues in greater detail. But, these young men are not big readers and that's part of the challenge. They have grown up on TV and the Internet, Facebook, Snapchat and texting. So, a condensed summary outline is what I've given them to try to establish a big picture of the book, and what biblical manhood looks like. This is what it looks like.
The Masculine Mandate
Part One describes the "mandate" that God gives to men. Part Two describes living it out in life. We will discover six major topics that we can learn from and discuss.
Week One - our PURPOSE. Ch.1, (p.6), references Gen.1:26-27, and describes how God created Adam, and we are created in the "image of God". We bear God's image, as we are spiritual people representing God. Manhood is seen in the "who, where, what, and how," of God's creation design. "Who" we are is God's "image bearers" and created to be with God. Our primary purpose in life then is to know, live for, and to serve God.
Week Two - our VOCATION. Ch.1, (p.9), reference Gen.1:28, and "the calling" from God to, "be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth and subdue it and have dominion." This has been referred to as the "creation mandate", God's calling to humanity in general. "What" is our calling - we are called to be God's "co-laborers" and this is before the "fall". But our calling as men in leadership is found in Gen.2:15, to "work and keep" in the "masculine mandate". What is your particular skill and job?
Week Three - our FINANCES. Ch.1, (p.10), also references Gen.2:15, and the "How" of our calling, "The Lord God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to work it and keep it." To "work" so as "to labor and make things grow", and to "keep", so as to protect and sustain progress already achieved". In today's world we do this primarily with financial management. All resources belong to God, and we are just his stewards of it all.
Week Four - our RELATIONSHIPS. Ch.6, (p.77), references Gen.2:18, and our relationships with the opposite sex. We are created with a purpose, Gen.1:28, and with a calling, Gen.2:15, and we are also created for a wife. The "creation design" was incomplete initially, Gen.2:18, "It is not good that man should be alone"; and "not good" means not complete. God created us "male and female" so to become one flesh, Gen.2:24. Friendship is foundational, partnership is the plan, and love is the goal.
Week Five - our FAMILY. Ch.9, (p.126), references Gen.2:15 and our calling "to work and to keep" the creation of God. This also applies to being a father. We are called to nurture and to protect our children. This equates to discipling (work) and disciplining (keep) our children. Teaching and correcting, training and educating, for the heart and the head. Proverbs 4:23 speaks of wisdom, "keep your heart with all vigilance..." God calls us to him as "our Father".
Week Six - Our FRIENDSHIPS and FAITH. Ch.11, (p.165), references 1Sam.18:1, and describes, "the soul of Jonathan was knit to the soul of David, and Jonathan loved him as his own soul." Such a Godly friendship is a great asset in life. And in John 15:1 we see, "Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends." Faith is "a gift" and not an achievement, Eph.2:8-9. It is completely by grace but we must walk in faith, and then it will transform all of our life.
These topics are a lot easier to discuss than accomplish. But we need a blueprint to live by and God's Word gives us that design. The Masculine Mandate calls us to live for these truths.
