Leadership Library Spotlight
by on Sep 2nd, 2010 at 10:00 pm
Book: The Knowledge of the Holy: The Attributes of God: Their Meaning in the Christian Life
Author: A. W. Tozer
“What comes into our minds when we think about God is the most important thing about us” p. 1
“Always the most revealing thing about the Church is her idea of God, just as her most significant message is what she says about Him or leaves unsaid, for her silence is often more eloquent than her speech. She can never escape the self-disclosure of her witness concerning God.” p. 2
One of my favorite authors is A. W. Tozer because he had a gift for clearly and simply explaining hard-to-grasp issues in a way that was memorable and challenging. The more I read biblical and scholarly literature, the more thankful I am for a man who could get down to the heart of a matter, address it, and move on. While scholarship has its important place, this resource is among the finer works to be submitted in the twentieth century, and the message still demands our attention. Dated it is not.
Read More
Meet Lee Caterson
by on Sep 1st, 2010 at 10:45 pm
About four years ago, I had the pleasure of meeting Lee Caterson when he came to live as a freshman college student in one of my dorms. Though he was a well-respected person in our community from the beginning, the trials that were about to come upon Lee’s life and college career would cause us to esteem him highly.
I have asked Lee to join the Making of Men writing team for a number of reasons:
First, he is a young Christian man who wants to pursue God-honoring manhood for the rest of his life.
Second, he has refused to join many of his Christian and non-Christian peers in prolonging (or even entering) adolescence.
Third, I want to have peers speaking to one another through this site and Lee is a leader among his peers.
Fourth, I have personally watched Lee live under great stress, the kind that even adults would fear, and he has shown me that his trust in God is real. I have learned from him what confidence in the Lord means in the midst of trials.
Fifth, I believe that Lee needs an opportunity to be stretched and mentored. This ministry of writing will allow him to grow as a communicator to his generation.
Sixth, he actually has something to say.
Seventh, he would be embarrassed at this list, which is an indication of his humility.
So, in the months (and hopefully years) to come, Lee will be offering occasional thoughts about life as a young man in this culture. Hopefully, you will find that you are not alone in trying to pursue manhood. I’m praying that God will grow Lee through this experience and that his words will encourage you. So, let’s meet him!
Read More
New Links For The Making Of Men
by on Aug 31st, 2010 at 11:30 pm
Since taking a break in February, I have added many new web sites to my daily list of online reading. They will be added to our site in smaller bits instead of giving you one great data dump.
These links are being listed not because we agree with everything they write or because they concentrate entirely on the issue of manhood, but because they offer challenging thoughts to important ideas about life and occasionally, they discuss issues related to manhood.
Read More
Developing a Critical Mind & Not a Critical Spirit
by on Aug 30th, 2010 at 11:20 pm
The college years can be a pivotal time in a man’s life. Perhaps, for the first time, he is challenged to think critically. He is given access to the thoughts, arguments, and ideas of many scholars that might differ on the same issues, and the development of critical thinking skills is essential to getting to the truth. The leaders in the church and society need to be critical thinkers, so embrace the opportunity to begin strengthening your mental muscles.
As you learn how to test all things, avoid allowing your newfound critical skills to grow out of control and turn into a critical spirit. There is a difference. One is necessary for wisdom and the other is destructive. Here are just a few simple differences between a critical mind and critical spirit:
#1: A Critical Mind Seeks to Understand a Person’s Perspective
Good listening is vital to acquiring a critical mind. We often tend to impose our own perspective on others, so a constructively critical person will make sure that the speaker or author is carefully understood before casting a judgment on the merits of the argument.
Read More
Manhood in the News
by on Aug 29th, 2010 at 11:00 pm
Well, gentlemen, here are some more articles worth your attention. As always, I send them to you to think about them, wrestle with them, and make your own conclusions about them. I’m not necessarily in agreement with all of them, but they are worth taking and holding against the rubric of Scripture to see what is true.
“Why Aren’t ‘Emerging Adults’ Emerging as Adults?’” by Albert Mohler
It is hard to let time pass without including something from Dr. Al Mohler because he is usually paying close to attention to issues of masculinity and culture. In this article, he interacts with the thoughts of other sociologists on the growing pattern of young men and the seemingly later ages in which they are embracing the responsibilities and opportunities of adulthood.
I’m still working through and chewing on this particular article because though I agree with a large percentage of what Dr. Mohler says, I also wonder if the older generation of Christian leaders is truly sensitive to the nature of life in today’s economy as a person in his twenties. I just completed my twenties last week and can say that it was nothing like my father’s twenties or my grandfather’s twenties. I’m asking the question: to what degree have today’s males failed and to what degree are today’s males being as responsible as they can in a world where jobs are not readily available, the cost of necessities is much higher than thirty years ago, the debt from high college expenses is exponentially greater than thirty years ago, and the idea of renting an apartment would only exacerbate the debt of a young man today? Notice that I have not even added the costs that this younger generation will incur at the hands of today’s big spenders (i.e. insolvent government programs, growing costs of health care, deferred maintenance of our nation’s infrastructure, not-so-rosy look at the future of the market, etc.).
Read More
Leadership Library Spotlight
by on Aug 26th, 2010 at 10:12 pm
Book: The Masculine Mandate: God’s Calling to Men
Author: Richard D. Phillips
“That is the Masculine Mandate: to be spiritual men placed in real-world, God-defined relationships, as lords and servants under God, to bear God’s fruit by serving and leading.” p. 9
Many Christian books on manhood will offer descriptions of what real men are supposed to do, but they fail to construct a prescriptive idea of who a man is supposed to be. Readers are given a treatment on rules, regulations, and behaviors without a proper understanding of why these rules, regulations, and behaviors should even exist and how they work together to form a man.
Fortunately, Richard D. Phillips attempts to avoid this mistake by concentrating on the reasons for man and the elements that form him. In this book, Phillips bases his definition of manhood on the first man, Adam, and the initial mandate that God gave to this initially sinless person. His reason for existence is directly linked to the fact that he bears the image of God. Man is, therefore, to rule over the world and cultivate its resources in a way that would demonstrate who God is to this same world.
Read More
As You Prepare For Another Year Of School, pt. 2
by on Aug 24th, 2010 at 9:20 pm
Here are a few more pieces of advice to help you make the most of your time in school:
CHOOSE TO TAKE STRATEGIC BREAKS
When I was in college, I made the mistake of thinking that I would somehow be able to rest after all of my obligations in and out of class were satisfied. This thinking actually didn’t affect me too negatively in college because I was young and wired to be a workaholic. It was after I graduated and entered a world that always seemed to pile on more work that I learned the value of strategic rest.
I know that I mentioned earlier the need for students to embrace the stress of college. However, one way to manage stress is to get adequate rest. God did not design us to operate over long periods of time without a good amount of sleep, food, and community. Denying yourself any of these elements too often will result in a breakdown of your health and academic performance. You will also be denying yourself the opportunity to enjoy a life of trust in God’s provision for work.
Make a determination to set aside times of study and times of rest. As a seminary student, I made a commitment to do no work on Sundays and to strive to complete all work by Saturdays. Yes, weekdays and nights were really long on some occasions, but having time to recuperate was crucial for succeeding in actually learning something (and not just finishing work).
Read More
As You Prepare For Another Year Of School, pt. 1
by on Aug 23rd, 2010 at 6:14 pm
The summer break has come to a close and while I think we all, to some degree, mourn its passing, we still find that the excitement and promise of a new school year is something to savor.
Some of you are starting the grand adventure of college. You have left home for the first time. The hope of expanding your mind is strong. If you are anything like I was at the beginning of my freshmen year, there is also a sense of fear that accompanies such hope. Can you handle the academic demands of college courses? Did you pick the right major? Is it really possible that you will make a new circle of friends that will most likely cause your friendships from home to pale in comparison?
The rest of you are returning to resume your academic pursuits. The questions of freshmen year are, for the most part, answered and now new ones are upon you. What orgs and extra-curricular activities will you join? Are you meeting your academic goals? What are you going to do when you graduate? Are you going to graduate?
Regardless of your situation, the beginning of the school year is the best time to consider education as a whole. You are not yet encumbered with homework, exams, social activities, and other responsibilities that always seem to increase as the year continues. Now is the time to think about what education is and how it can best be utilized. Here are just a few thoughts to help you approach the school year with a purpose:
Read More
...Of Whom The World Was Not Worthy...
by on Feb 24th, 2010 at 12:19 am
Have you ever had a day where you started it with a definitive plan only to have something take place that completely changed what you did for the rest of it? Maybe it happens when you come down with a sudden illness. Maybe a phone call with news from home changes the trajectory of your day. Often, these types of days are deemed “bad” because they contain some traumatizing element to them, and that is what happened to me today. It was what I would call a divine interruption because I didn’t ask for it, didn’t want it when it happened, and God wouldn’t let me rest from it even though there was work, good work, to be done with the hours that remained in the day.
I have a regular online reading routine that contains a few dozen websites. Normally, I check these sites in the morning and leave them until the next day. If I don’t discipline myself in this way, I would spend an unhealthy amount of time waiting for new articles to sprout throughout the day. However, one article surfaced on my Google Reader and I checked it out, figuring that one little peak wouldn’t hurt.
Read More
Manhood on the Mind
by on Feb 22nd, 2010 at 1:58 am
Spring break is one week away for me. I’m looking forward to visiting with my mother, extended family, and my brother’s family. I’m also looking forward to going south where it (hopefully) is warmer and the southern charm is available even for Yankees such as myself. Not every moment will be light and easy. My grandfather, a hero of this country and in my own life, is not faring well, and I am preparing to speak with him for what might very well be the last time. Pray that I can learn one last lesson from him and honor someone to whom honor is due.
“The Critical Spirit” by Douglas Wilson
Just a thought for us as we embark on another week.
“Did He Get Married Too Young” by Albert Mohler
Dr. Albert Mohler offers an interesting review of David Lapp’s article on marriage and youth. What do you think of the issue?