The Masculine Mandate: God's Calling to Men

There are a lot of bad ideas out there on what it means to be a man. Our culture sends us all kinds of mixed and harmful messages about what manhood is. Unfortunately, many Christian books on manhood are equally flawed and yet disturbingly popular (Wild At Heart would be a prime example of this!). Thankfully there are some excellent, challenging and most importantly, Biblical, books available out there on manhood. One classic that I recommend is Kent Hughes, Disciplines of A Godly Man. Dan Doriani's Life of a God-Made Man is another excellent, grace-centered book that will profit any man who reads it. Now I am thankful that I can add a third book to that list, Richard Phillips' new book, The Masculine Mandate: God's Calling for Men. Richard Phillips is a pastor, a husband & father, and a former military officer who cares about the church, and the way the church is weakened when men don't follow God's calling. He writes that "the purpose of this book is to provide straight, clear, and pointed teaching on what the Bible says to men as men. I write this, not looking down on today's guy--thankfully, I am neither old enough nor grumpy enough for that yet! - but as a brother in Christ who believes the Bible and has had reason (both personal and pastoral) to search God's Word for guidance on manhood. This is a journey I have been on for quite a while." (pp. xiv). Phillips divides the book into two sections. The first section is called, "Understanding Our Mandate". In this section, he takes us back to the account in Genesis of the creation of man in order to see what we can learn from the design and calling of man in that narrative. He argues that from Adam's calling, we see the calling for all godly men - to work and keep the `garden' that God has place us in. Does that sound boring? The author would argue, "No"! "For it is in obedience to Scripture that the adventure of a man's life truly begins. God calls us to bear His image in the real world, in this garden that has become corrupted by sin but is being redeemed by the power of God's grace in Christ. He calls us to do this by being leaders and servants in the ultimate cause of displaying God's glory and bearing the fruit of God's love in real relationships. 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." (pp. 9). For most men, their identity is tied up in their work. Phillips also establishes the idea, again from Scripture, that men are designed and called to work. "God placed Adam in the garden and put him to work. Therefore, because God is good and has chosen to be glorified through our labor, we are able to enjoy work and find a significant part of our identity in it. In fact, as we keep work in proper balance, retaining our primary identity in Christ, God wants us to invest significant passion in our work and find true meaning in it." (pp. 18). Phillips recognizes that from the Fall, work is now a challenge due to sin and the other effects of the Fall, as promised in Gen. 3:17-19. And he lists some considerations that men must have as they approach, choose, and evaluate their work, broadly categorized as: Glorify God, Serve Others, Calling and Enjoyment, Material Needs, and Godly and Balanced Life. (pp. 22-23). The first section winds down with a chapter on how being made in the image of God determines our calling and concludes with a chapter comparing our calling as men, to be leaders in the model Scripture uses most, that of a shepherd-lord. I especially appreciated this chapter, with it's focus on David as a Shepherd-King, and of course, how our Lord Jesus, the Good Shepherd, led by sacrifice for the good of those he loved! If you currently base your idea of what a leader should be by reading many of the leadership bestsellers out there (Christian and secular), then you really need to read this chapter! After establishing the Biblical and theological basis for this Masculine Mandate in the first half of the book, the second section, "Living Our Mandate", fleshes out what this should look like for us in our marriages, in fatherhood, in our friendships and in the church. These chapters are both convicting, and yet very encouraging and very hopeful. His three chapters on marriage give the design for marriage, the reason marriage is so hard (hint - sin is involved!), and how God redeems marriage, and how a man who desires to follow God, can lead and love His wife. One very powerful illustration he gave hit me hard: "When Paul says that a husband must embrace self-sacrifice for the sake of his wife's well-being, this of course includes her physical safety. But the main threat against which a man must protect his wife is his own sin. A friend once expressed his awakening to this truth in these words: `I used to think that if a man came into my home to attack my wife, I would certainly stand up to him. But then I came to realize that the man who enters my house and assaults my wife every day is me, through my anger, my harsh words, my complaints and my indifference. As a Christian, I came to realize that the man I needed to kill in order to protect my wife is myself as a sinner.' This is exactly right." (pp. 87). If you really want to learn and follow what God has called you to be as a man in this fallen world, this book would be a great place to start. And if enough men read something like this, and seek God's strength, mercy and grace to follow it's teaching, we might see our churches renewed, our families and marriages strengthened, and our witness magnified before a watching world. Are you man enough to read it? (Sorry, couldn't resist!)

When was the last time you saw a sign that said "Men Needed?" Probably never but we certainly should. In his new book "The Masculine Mandate: God's Calling to Men", Richard Phillips says this is exactly what we need - Men. Phillips contends that we don't merely need the kind of men that like to hike, camp or hunt but the kind of men that God has called men to be - godly, manly men. Phillips believes that both the secular and Christian cultures have watered down and miss-communicated God's idea of a man. Through both exegesis and application Phillips explains both the Masculine Mandate and how it applies to the life of a man. In the first section Phillips starts in Genesis 2 and identifies four essential aspects of a man. First, who man is - he is created by God from the dust of the ground and in His image. Second, where man is - God placed man in the garden. Third, what man is - as mandated by God, man is a lord over creation and God's servant. Fourth, how man obeys God - man obeys God by working and keeping the garden. It is the fourth aspect of man, obedience through work, which Phillips concentrates on during the first section of the book. With Genesis 2:15 as the foundation Phillips says, "We are to devote ourselves to working/building and keeping/protecting everything placed into our charge (pg., 12)." The two concepts of working and keeping are the basis around which God gives man his calling and purpose. Similarly foundational to these concepts is the fact that man was created in the image of God (Gen. 1:26-17). From this Phillips states the purpose of man, "Revealing the glory of God to a sin-darkened world so that He will be praised and that lost sinners will be saved by coming to know the Lord. The great purpose of our lives is to reveal the glory and grace of God both by what we do and who we are (pg., 34)." In the second part Phillips explores how the Masculine Mandate is applied to a man's life. First, there is his marriage as an institution created by God. While discussing the purpose for God's creation of and Eve for Adam, Phillips rightly points out that God did not create her as a "companion" or "mate" but rather a "helper": "God said Adam needed a "helper" because it places the primary emphasis on the shared mandate to work and keep God's creation under the man's leadership (pg., 58)." As a helper women are equal as persons and yet God created them with complimentary differences to help in the fulfillment of God's mandate. Phillips emphasizes that men need to pursue women and not just a career. Second, there is his marriage as cured by sin. Phillips aptly notes that when Eve presented the fruit to Adam to eat "he thought he must choose between the woman and God, between the gift (the woman) and the Giver (pg., 68)." The curse has put a strain on marriage but has not diminished its inherent created goodness. Phillips explains that the curse has affected the marriage relationship by God drawing the man "unwholesomely away from the woman, even as God's curse on the woman draws her unwholesomely toward the man (pg., 73)." Third, there is his ministry in his marriage. Drawn from Ephesians 5:26, Phillips challenges men to have a "nurturing ministry of love toward his wife (pg., 83)." Moving from a man's marriage to his children, Phillips applies the Masculine Mandate to men as nurturers of their hearts towards Christ and keepers of their hearts from sin (pg., 94). A father is to both discipline and disciple his children. Phillips expands these two principles and gives many insightful points of application. Phillips moves from the family to a man's friendships. He draws from the Biblical friendship of David and Jonathan from I Samuel. To be a manly friend one must be willing to initiate friendship, ask how he can help the other and seek to encourage other men in the faith. Not only is a man to be a friend but he is to be a church-men. Once again applying the creational mandate to "work" Phillips contends that men are to be about the work of the ministry of the church (pg., 131). He is to be a proclaimer and protector of the truth. Finally, the Masculine Mandate is summed up in his service to the Lord in all areas of his life. While he may retire from his job, he is never to retire in his service to the Lord (pg., 144). He is to be a disciple and disciple-maker as long as he can until the day he dies. He is to see his calling as a gift from God and is to serve the Lord with joy and humility. A man "works" for the Lord so that he can hear Jesus say to him, "Well done, good and faithful servant. Enter into the joy of your Master (Matt. 25:21)." I strongly recommend this book to all married and to-be married men! It should be read both personally and would give its greatest benefit if it were used as a small group study for men. Read it! Apply it! Share it!

This book is mainly a guide for Christian men on how to lead their lives in various aspects. He begins the book by examining the story of Adam and Eve in the Book of Genesis where Adam was given the mandate to work and keep the garden. The author explores the concepts of what it means to work and keep and how the modern man should fulfill those roles. He makes it a point that God created man and woman to be different, but essentially complementary and that it is essential that good Christian men avoid feminizing themselves. The second part of the book goes into more detail about how men should live their lives in different roles including as a husband, a father, and a servant in the church. I found this book to be an interesting discussion of how men should work, keep, and lead with a focus on teachings from the Bible and the concept of how God specifically created men to fulfill these different roles, especially in contrast to roles that should be fulfilled by women. While it was mostly interesting, I did have some quibbles with some of the details in the book that I disagreed with. Also, as other reviews have noted, this book, while ostensibly targeted to Christian men in general, is more focused on married men. While the book says that the unmarried man should find a wife, this may not be possible for all men. Thus, those who are unmarried and without children may find much of the book to be inapplicable or unhelpful. Overall, this was an interesting enough read with its strong references to the Bible and teachings that Christian men should be aware of.

*I received a complimentary copy of this book from Reformation Trust in exchange for my honest review.* I desire to be man. A man that follows the principles set forth in Scripture for being both a Christian and a man. It is a responsibility that I can very seriously realizing the implications that can occur should I shirk this responsibility. Enter The Masculines Mandate by Richard D. Phillips. Upon reading the first few pages I could tell that this book will get at the heart of the responsibilities God has placed on men. God desiring the best for this world has equipped men with the tool necessary to spread His love and show His glory. It first begins with understanding our mandate. Phillips did a masterful job explaining from the Garden of Eden why God placed man on the earth. It was for two reasons: to cultivate and to protect. All responsibilities of man find their foundation in those two responsibilities. This is God given. It is our sacred work. As image bearers of God we are to demonstrate His love for us as He nurtures us and protect us. From this foundational knowledge, Phillips lays out how this mandate finds its way into our lives. There is marriage. Man is made for marriage, "it is not good that man should be alone." Men do better when women are in their lives. A man succeeds far more when he loves and cherishes his wife. By cultivate her and protecting her, a man is fulfilling what God has created him to do. Phillips makes this very plain: to release this responsibility is to go against God. A man must make it a priority to be the champion of his wife. She must feel confident in him so that she can grow herself knowing that she can lean on him when she needs strength. A man must also protect his wife from not just outside influences but, should he deviate from truth, himself. By being a safe haven for his wife, a man can protect her from temptations and fears that satan would love to hurl at her. Phillips again does a wonderful job of why a man is vital in this role and how he can benefit when a man gives his all to protecting and nurturing his wife. From a great marriage comes children and Phillips gives excellent instruction on cultivating children and protecting them. Too many fathers would have others raise their sons and daughters but Phillips challenges men to step up and change the next generation via his children. It will not be easy as discipling and disciplining take great care. Phillips goes to some length in helping fathers understand that training children is their role. The training starts young by first being an example of masculinity and then being a teacher, mentor, guide, and leader in the home. Sometimes being a teacher requires disciplining wrong doing which is why Phillips has the two so close together. However, Phillips gives a warning to be careful about disciplining. The goal is to raise men who are equipped to raise men themselves. This cannot be done by either being tyrannical or by being absent. Men who act without love are sinning against God and misusing their leadership status for personal means. Yet, the father who has patience and knows that he is to correct the sin, not the errors will succeed in seeing children who not only love God, but also will be free to be as God created them. Last, a man lives our his mandate in the areas of: friendship, church, and being a servant of God. Men need other men to hold them accountable to what God requires of them. This can be done by friendships and being an active participant at church. When this is done, the servant of the Lord will shine brightly for he seeks to serve God and rid himself of all that will stand in his way.

This book works well in todays culture that is becoming more against men and raising up women. Constantly we are told how terrible men are in political arenas, that we are problem dad's, TV shows that make men look stupid, and so on. This book shows how God designed men to operate in all areas of life. Included the table of contents and recommend this book to people that have a heart all in for Jesus Christ. To the male at any age above mid teens, to women's that want to learn the male role and how that compliments their roles. This is an excellent book if you are young, but no matter what age you are at, this will speak volumes to you and done so with scripture taught in context of His Word that must be held to the highest standard, if we are truly seeking His ways above our desires and wants. Lastly, I recommend this book to the person who does not consider themselves a Christian yet. See how the Creator God has designed things to operate. So often the scripture you hear is for women to submit to their husbands. This book will show you the great responsibility put on the man's shoulders and submission is to a Godly man that submits to God's ways, even to death for his wife. That a husband that lives in Godly marriage is sacrifice to his wife, not demanding of his wife, then the understanding will start to seep in.

I truly enjoyed this read. Very challenging. We used this book in a men’s discipleship group and it was great.

I recommend to anyone who wants to understand the Biblical view of manhood. This book goes to the basics of what it means to be a man as God designed it. The book introduces the idea of manhood, which is essentially the mandate God gave to Adam - to work and to keep what God has given us. Adam was given the Garden of Eden and we have our own Edens, whether it be cultivating our families, our relationships, our careers, etc. Of course, the fall altered many things - but our mandate remains. The ultimate goal, of course, is to glorify God by building up others in Christ. In the end, that is the thesis of the book. Philips goes through the major callings of man - building a career, becoming a husband, and a father. The unifying theme is that men must serve Christ by serving others in all areas of his life. The book neatly takes the reader through a very organized, progression of logic, but always based on Biblical truth. The heart of the book, appropriately, is the three chapters in the middle on marriage. Phillips successfully utilizes sound Biblical logic to demonstrate what logic cannot entirely capture: the astonishing beauty of God's design for marriage. The reader will also appreciate Phillip's highly accessible, easy-to-read style. I recommend to both men (who hope to grow in obedience to God's plan for men) and women (who hope to find a Godly man as a husband).

As one reviewer pointed out, this book would greatly benefit from some sort of mention that it is mainly for married guys. The author devoted a short passage in this book to single guys. Really, it was the end of the chapter right before he started talking about marriage, and a guy's role therein. While I appreciated most of the author's exhortations to know the word, pray, work, keep, etc. I did not in the least appreciate what he said to single guys. The implication seemed to be that single guys have no life. They live selfishly. They eat pizza, and neglect to clean up the box. They cannot cook. They can only be redeemed if they find a wife. Quickly. And make babies. I understand, this is a very sweeping generalization. I am not quoting from the book, and the man makes a few allusions to the fact that some guys have been given what people refer to as the "gift of singleness", but he really only addresses single guys in passing. The rest of the book assumes that you went out and snagged a wife before continuing. There are even little hint, hints in the passages that do not deal with wives and children. As a young, shy, Christian, single, jobless male, I found this rather off-putting. While I greatly desire a wife, I understand from common sense that I cannot reasonably even consider marriage until I have some means of providing for a wife and, hopefully, any children we may have. As well, I am not a remarkably social person; I have very few acquaintances I would call friends, and very few of those are women. Most women do not seem interested in talking to me, and those that do either do not do so on a consistent basis, or have a boyfriend. So while I am already struggling to talk to girls, and simultaneously work on developing marketable skills, whilst in the beginning throes of finding out who I am and where I fit into the Kingdom of God, all of a sudden someone calmly informs me that I am not doing enough. Allow me to stop here and reiterate that I agree with much of what the author states regarding men in the church, and men in a marriage, and men as fathers. I am quite sure that many married men will find his advice valuable in their lives. But as for me, I felt put down.

Excellent book.

I enjoyed the simplicity of this book, exhorting men to work and to keep in all of the various domains of this life.

Very good book. thought provoking, challenging and comforting with Biblical Truths. Good for group study or individual study.

Timely, gracious, Biblical, authoritative, humorous, helpful and inspiring. Wish I'd read this as a 20 year old Christian. I really hope many Christian men will read this - they'll be glad they did!

Does 'The Masculine Mandate' deserve a place on your bookshelf? It attempts to answer the question 'What does it mean to be a Christian man?'. It's a question that needs answering according to some in the church in the West (c.f. John Eldredge, Tim Booker, Carl Beech et al). Phillips knows his Bible (lots of christian authors don't), and he has a good shot at explaining what it means to be a Godly man. Starting in Genesis, which is a good place to start, he looks at the original design for chaps. He also gives a brief but quite critical assessment of Eldredge's 'Wild at Heart' thesis that I thought was very solid. Besides the basic stuff (work's important for blokes - but you knew that, right?), he makes some more subtle points about what it means to be made in God's image. A section on being a husband is also very good. He also tackles being a father, some good principles, but also including how to spank your kids. Really. On leadership: it's Male, with a capital Em. I struggle with both of those. Maybe he's a man backed into a corner by liberals. Maybe space forbids a more nuanced take I could live with. Or maybe it's a cultural thing, for whilst some of his examples might work in Greenville South Carolina, in Scunthorpe, North Lincolnshire, they'll go down like a lead brick. But if you're interested in what it means to be a Christian man, from someone grounded in scripture, I think you'll find it useful - I certainly did.