Baptist Men
Christian Cunningham
THE URGENCY OF BIBLICAL MANHOOD
adapted from: A Guide to Biblical Manhood
2 Timothy 3:16-17 All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be competent, equipped for every good work.
We need men
If ever there was a time we needed men to know their purpose and to be men again, it’s now. Our world is filled with great uncertainty and instability and leaders are hard to find. We need men who aren’t pre-occupied with their amusements or appearance, but instead are willing and able to take on manly challenges. But it’s not enough for men to take up manly activities here and there.
Men abound who can do manly stuff (like shave with a straight razor, build fires without matches, and deep fry turkeys) while still being disengaged where their leadership is needed most. Every day, men hide behind computer screens or pleasure pursuits instead of engaging. We need men with consistent character: integrity, courage, perseverance and a willingness to sacrifice and lead for the greater good.
We need men of God
I am convinced that what we need most are men of God. We need men who won’t just stand up, but will stand on something solid and timeless. In a relativistic world, men need to understand who God designed them to be, how they are prone to sin in their manhood because of the fall and how Jesus came to redeem them as men.
We need men of God who are doers of the Word
There are too many men with great gaps between their beliefs and behaviors on biblical manhood. We need men of God who are active and consistent in living out their faith. “Be doers of the word,” says James, “and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.” (James 1:22).
It doesn’t matter what you believe about God or biblical manhood if it doesn’t make a meaningful difference in the way you live — in the classroom, on the job, as a husband or as a father. This page is devoted to practical theology — the doing of the word. What you’ll mostly see at this site are practical ways to live it out every day of your life, to push past the barriers that often separate belief from behavior.
I realize this kind of practical application of biblical manhood can be seen as subjective. I am not saying that acting on all the specifics that will be provided is the only effective way to demonstrate biblical manhood. I am convinced, however, that beliefs have to result in action. The last thing the world needs is men with great insights on biblical manhood sitting on the sidelines [or worse, acting in ways that contradict what they believe].
We need men of God who are doers of the Word for the sake of the Gospel
Ultimately, however, I've created this page because biblical manhood has to lead to urgency for the sake of the Gospel. Your church needs men who will shoulder the weight of manhood as God designed it, who will live it out day to day but will incline their manhood toward the Gospel. It is the Gospel that saves men — as Jesus replaces their sin and rebellion with his righteousness — and it’s what makes it possible for men to be redeemed in their masculinity and to serve God with all of their manhood. And it’s for the sake of the Gospel that redeemed men have a new commission for their leadership — to proclaim the good news and make disciples. Instead of compartmentalizing the Gospel, redeemed men are to see it intersecting with their life at work, in their marriage and with their kids.
As your pastor, I see cultivating redeemed men as the primary front for church revitalization with the purpose of advancing the Gospel. The Gospel needs of our world today provide unlimited opportunities for both men and women to serve. But so many of the needs require a kind of courage, toughness, and self sacrifice, that God gifted men to bring.
Please join me in praying this ministry will admonish, encourage and instruct you to be a man of God who is a doer of the Word for the sake of the Gospel and for our Church.
Daryl L. Poe, DMin
Senior Pastor
