Men’s Advance Checklist

Running with the Witnesses by John Piper

Men’s Advance Plan

Men’s Advance Packet

Flickr Slideshow

D.A. Carson – Making Sense of Suffering (2008 OBC)

Theology of Suffering:

Download the Notes

Ecclesiastes (Heb. Qohelet) means “The Preacher” or “The Teacher.” Most scholars believe it was written by Solomon in his old age, after he had fallen away from his faith, when both his recent turmoil and repentance (1 Kings 11) were still fresh in his mind. In it Solomon is repenting of his apostasy, and he teaches that everything in the flesh-the cravings of sinful man, the lust of his eyes and the boasting of what he has and does-comes not from the Father but from the world. The world and its desires pass away (Ecc 1:16-17). Life in the world has, our work especially, significance only when man remembers his Creator (Ecc 12:1). This Scripture has a lot to say to us today, in a world of endless charms and work-related idols, the promises of joy and rest in the saving and empowering grace of Jesus Christ must be central in our hearts, and ever on our minds, for us to truly live as disciples, worshippers and missionaries for the glory of God.

1) Tim Keller: Made for Stewardship

Download

2) Tim Keller: Work and Rest

Download

3) Tim Keller: Work

Download

4) Mark Driscoll: Work and Worship

Download

5) Mark Driscoll: Work and Wealth

Download

6) Jamie Munson: Work and Finances

Download

7) Steve Crain: Temple Stewardship

Download

Husbandry and Fatherhood PowerPoint

Jonathan Alexander-A Father’s Vision

Piper-Perspectives on Family

Driscoll-Pastor Dad: Fatherly Instruction and Correction

Bjerkaas-And Adam Called His Wife’s Name Eve

Best Resources:

We concluded study on Biblical Masculinity by examining the responsibility of men to be cultivators, fighters, and teachers and to resist the sinful pitfalls of abuse, avoidance and abandonment that characterize worldly masculinity. We analogized this responsibility to Proverbs 14:4 and the idea that a harvest, a fruitful life, requires the courage, fortitude and endurance to continue shoveling out your own barn. This responsibility is revealed throughout scripture in specific as we looked at Adam/Eve/Creation, God’s establishing Covenants and Headship. In our study of Headship, we concluded with the exhortation that true headship is living out Eph 5:25-33, the covenant love (hesed) that Christ modeled for us in his humble life of sacrifice and service for his bride the church.

This study on Husbandry and Fatherhood looks to take the step from establishing our general responsibility as men and heads to specific and practical ways we are to live this out in the context of a family.

There are really two questions that we set out to answer in this session:

1. What specific responsibilities do we, as husbands and fathers, need to keep?
   

2. How does this work out practically?
   

Prior to starting let us re-examine this idea of headship.

What Headship Is Not

• A license to be harsh
  

• A ruling of one individual over another
  

• A conflict between enemies
  

• A ruling of men in general over women in general
  

Men being the Head does not mean ALL women are to submit to ALL men.  Headship is only inherent in fatherhood and marriage.  Single men w/o kids are not a head over anyone other than themselves.  Children fall under their father’s headship.  This can be a common misunderstanding which distorts relationships between men and women.

Not all men and women are created equal.  There are women who have a far greater gifting and influence over the affairs of a church and/or society than most men.  Again women are not lesser than men, but in relationship to one man either a father or husband they are equal and prayerfully they have picked a husband they respect who is someone who will love them sacrificially as well as help cultivate them as a woman.  In addition, the woman helps strengthen and shape the husband.

One of the central problems with ‘Christian men’ is that many want to be ‘nice guys’ but ultimately wimp-out of their responsibility.  Many men do not want to take on their shoulders the responsibilities.  They do not take the initiative, lead or fulfill their obligation.  It is these men who sit idly by and pass their burden onto women, making them work to support the family as well as keep the house in order.    When we understand how to use this headship and strength to serve our wives and others, we can work to be more than ‘nice guys’ but godly men.

For those who are married these ideas shape how we live in marriage.  If a husband sins it is his fault.  If his wife sins, she is at fault and the husband is also responsible for this sin.  We are never allowed to complain or talk bad about our wives.  In marriage rejecting these truths means allows us to view marriage as a contract, where divorce isn’t breaking a covenant.

What Headship Is

• A greater burden for husbands and fathers
  

• A command of humble service
  

• A command for men to take responsibility when they are not at fault
  

• A command for individualism to be replaced by covenant
  

• A command that men are dominant in marriage
  

• A command that men need to be respected and women need to be loved
  

• A command that men use their strength to build into their wives and children rather than tearing them down
  

• A command that men not be chauvinists or passive/cowards
  

• A practical showing of the gospel
  

1) Proverbs: Men as Fathers

11/11/01

Mark Driscoll

Psalm 127:3-5; 128; Proverbs 3:11-12; 17:6; 31:27-28; Titus 2:1-5; Proverbs 19:13; Eph 6:1-4, Proverbs 13:22; 12:26; 2:20; 27:10; 22:6, 4:1-4; 1:4; 13:1; 19:27; 23:19; 29:17, 24:13-14

and “The Paideia of God” by Douglas Wilson

2) Proverbs: True Wisdom for Living: Family

6/12/05

Dr. Timothy J. Keller

Proverbs 2:16-17; 3:11-12; 5:18-20; 12:14; 13:4, 21-22; 17:2; 18:22; 20:20; 22:15; 23:22-25

3) Proverbs: Avoiding Short, Little Demons

02/04/07

Darrin Patrick

Proverbs 22:6; 22:15; 23:22; Psalm 127:3-5, Matthew 16:14; Mark 9:37; Deut 6:4-7; Eph 6:4

and “Shepherding a Child’s Heart” by Tedd Tripp

4) Men’s Basic Training: Fatherhood

03/10/07

Paul Petry

Purity (for Singles) .  Men’s Basic Training 2007.  Bill Clem  .  MHC

Listen to the sermon

Overcoming Sexual Sin  . February 3, 2008  .  Mark Driscoll  .  MHC

Watch the sermon

Listen to the sermon

Notes

Q&A Session

The Battle

This clip from Saving Private Ryan shows Captain John Miller (Tom Hanks) commanding a unit of Army Rangers storming Omaha Beach on D-Day. It’s a brutal reality, a look into what real warfare is like: pure chaos. I believe this is a fitting picture of the spiritual war that we are in every day as Christians, especially in regard to our sexuality. You look at the soldiers, see the fear in their eyes as the boat hits the beach, theer efforts to cope: one guy grabbing for his flask, another taking a dip of his tobacco. There was no safe place for them. Then you see one guy kissing his Cross and saying a prayer because he trusts Jesus to bring him through the chaos.

The gate comes down, and the first line of guys, even through they have their guns ready, get blown away. Almost the whole boat gets taken out. They look up, and the enemy is up in their strongholds with their big guns mowing everyone down, hurling shells down that are blowing people to bits. You see your men, with multiple wounds, missing limbs, walking around aimlessly in the midst of the chaos. I believe this is a sobering window into the spiritual battle that we find ourselves in right now in regard to Sexual Purity. The Enemy has his servants, their works and effects positioned, aimed straight at the men in the boats like sitting ducks, and they’re taking everybody out, just hammering away with the big guns of sexual sin and temptation. We can’t stay at the back of the boat, we can’t hide behind anything, there’s nowhere to go but forward. You see guys climbing over dead bodies, some trying to stay on the beach. Some are so debilitated that they don’t even know they’re in the fight.

We have to face the reality of the battle we’re in against the Enemy and our flesh, and we have to engage it on the battlefield with other people. As a band of brothers storming a beach and capturing strongholds, with guns raised and crosses on our hearts, we will be tested. The heat on the battlefield exposes our sin, and our flesh rages a constant war within. Are we going to get killed, or stay on the beach as our friends are dying all around us? Or are we going to strengthen our armor, keep moving forward, and let Jesus heal our wounds? This is the reality we find ourselves in.

Scriptures on Purity:

Proverbs 5

Proverbs 6:20-32

Proverbs 7:1-27

Ecclesiastes 2:10-11

Ecclesiastes 7:25-29

SOS 2:7

Matthew 5:27-30

Rom 12:1-2

1 Corinthians 6:12-7:9

Eph. 5:3-5

1 Thes 4:3-8

1 Tim 5:1-2

James 4:4-8

1 Pet 1:13-16

1 John 1:8-10

Read “The Ragman“

Read Ephesians 4:17-25

How to Overcome Sin

Sin is what separates us from God and each other and Jesus Christ has come to die for our sin, and rise in victory over sin and death to take away our sin. Consequently we can now by grace be forgiven and reconciled to God as Christians and reconciled to each other as the church. The church is God’s people, who are saved by God’s grace to live lives of good works, connected together in love. Now, we must examine our lives so that we can uncover our areas of thinking and conduct that are conformed to the sinful patterns of our culture and need to be transformed by renewed minds and redeemed lives.

Putting Off Your Old Self

On a sheet of paper please answer the following questions from Eph. 4:18-19:

 

Question #1 – What sexual sins rest upon your life like clothing on your body?

(please order the sins from the most to least urgent)

 

Question #2 – Regarding each of these sins, please answer the following:

 

• a. How is my thinking about this sin silly, dumb, or just plain wrong?
• b. In what ways is my understanding about this sin growing darker?
• c. How have I tried to separate this sin from God?
• d. In what ways have I made myself increasingly more ignorant about the consequences of this sin?
• e. How hard is my heart about this sin and is it growing harder?
• f. How have I become insensitive toward God and others because of this sin?
• g. How am I giving myself over to this sexual sin as if powerless to it?
• h. In what ways do I indulge myself in this sin?
• i. How has this sin made me dirty and made other parts of my life impure?
• j. How is my appetite for this sin insatiable and will eventually lead to my death?

Putting On Your New Self

On the same sheet of paper please answer the following questions from Eph. 4:20-25:

Note: the goal of the Christian life is not simply to get away from sin, but rather draw near to our God Jesus Christ. Since Jesus and sin do not dwell together, getting away from sin is a secondary result in the life of those who draw near to Jesus.  Therefore, only a life lived for Jesus has any lasting power over sin. It is Jesus who died to forgive our sin and we can no longer excuse our sin as simply “who we are” because we are now made new people by Him with new lives to live in Him.

Question #1 – Do you know Jesus Christ personally, not just know about Him?

Question #2 – Are you continually learning about Him (i.e. going to church, reading your Bible, talking with Christian friends, attending a Bible study, reading books about Jesus, etc.)?

Question #3 – What things in your life must be taken off like worn out clothes and what changes must be made in your life if you are to live a consistent Christian life of true repentance (i.e. changes to your daily routine, changes to your living situation, changes to your social network, etc.)?

• a. In what ways do you need to train your mind to think differently about each sin you listed?
• b. What information must you obtain to renew your mind and where will you go to get it?

Question #4 – What honest Christians do you need to have in your life to hold you accountable to putting off your sexual sins and putting on Jesus Christ by speaking the truth to you?

Question #5 – Do you promise to be honest with yourself and the Christians surrounding you, and not waste their time and energy by withholding the truth about your sins?

Some Sins related to Sexuality that Need to be Put Off

1.  
   1. Every hint of sexual immorality – including adultery, fornication, prostitution, strip clubs, lust, incest, rape, pornography, homosexuality, etc.
   2. Impurity – anything evil that defiles/makes you dirty
   3. Greed – an insatiable appetite to have more and never be satisfied with what God has provided for your life
   4. Obscenity – a mouth that lacks discipline and speaks crassly and vulgarly about women and sexuality
   5. Foolish Talk – dumb talk about gross, vile, or inappropriate things that has no meaningful purpose and does include things on television, internet and radio
   6. Coarse Joking – includes everything from dirty jokes to sexual innuendos
   7. Idolatry – the proud worship of self rather than God, which motivates all sins

Some Motives to Put Off Sins

1.  
   1. They are improper for God’s holy people – God has sent His people into the culture to show and speak of the power of His grace, to transform a person; when we are converted to sin, rather than converting others to Christ, we grieve God and confuse lost people.
   2. There is no inheritance in the kingdom of God for the unrepentant – to be a Christian is to be a new creation in Christ, marked by ongoing transformation; if we live in unrepentant sin, we show that we have never met God and are not citizens of His kingdom.
   3. God’s wrath comes on those who are disobedient – the quality of this life, and the suffering in the eternal life to come, are the consequences awaiting those who sin against God without repentance.

Some Means of Putting on Righteousness

1.  
   1. Living in thanksgiving to God – people satisfied with God are simply not hungry for sin.
   2. Let no one deceive you with empty words – do not allow persuasive arguments, or extremely convincing people, to cause you to waver from the simple truth of God and His Word.
   3. Do not be partners (join) with people in their sin – if others are sinning, we are simply not to join them in their sin; rather, we should encourage them to join us in Christ.
   4. Live as light – sin is darkness, and living in light is to live in honesty, accountability, and repentance to others with nothing to hide.
   5. Find out what pleases the Lord – this happens as we study God’s Word, pray, draw near to God, and learn from the lives of our brothers and sisters in Christ, whose life reflects God’s wisdom and serves as an example to us.
   6. Expose sin and darkness in your life and the lives of others – be honest about your own sin and the sin of those you know, not for the purpose of condemnation, but rather repentance, forgiveness, reconciliation, and a life free of sin and guilt filled with freedom and joy in Jesus Christ.

Proverbs: Lovemaking . Preached March 10, 2002 . Mark Driscoll . Mars Hill Church  

Listen to the sermon: Part 1  Part 2

Keller Q&A: Is there a biblical commandment against pre-marital sex? What does it mean that sex is a “Covenant Renewal Ceremony”? | Stream

Lovemaking Powerpoint (click to download)

Sermon Series: Sacred Romance in The Song of Songs:

     The Virgin & the Vineyard – Waiting for Love

     The Virgin and the Vineyard part II – Falling in Love

     The Damsel and the Dream – Growing in Love

     The Queen and the Quest – Reflections on Consumating Love

     Recollection & Romance – Reflections on growing in love

     Romance and Reality – Reflections on mature love

     Homestead and Honeymoon – Reflection on rekindling love

     Tenderness and Tragedy – A final reflection

Notes:

“May your fountain be blessed, and may you rejoice in the wife of your youth. A loving doe, a graceful deer may her breasts satisfy you always, may you ever be captivated by her love.” – Proverbs 5:18-19

God made us male and female which was very good (Genesis 1:27, 1:31; Psalm 139:14).

God created a process by which we become married and enjoy marital intimacy (Genesis 2:24-25, cf. Matt. 19:5, Mk. 10:7-8, Eph. 5:31). Genesis 2:24 For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and they will become one flesh.  The man and his wife were both naked, and they felt no shame.

Because of rampant sexual sin and Greek dualism (separating the physical from the spiritual) the early church set a course of dishonoring the body and sexual pleasure.

Tertullian (155 AD – 220 AD) and Ambrose (340 AD – 397 AD) were said to prefer extinction of the human race to continued sexual intercourse. Origen (185 AD – 254 AD) was so convinced of the evils of sexual pleasure that he not only allegorized the Song of Songs but also took a knife and castrated himself. Gregory of Nyssa (335 AD – 394 AD) taught that Adam and Eve were created without sexual desire and if the fall had not occurred the race would have reproduced itself by some harmless mode of vegetation. Chrysostom (347 AD – 407 AD) said that Adam and Eve could not have had sexual relations prior to the fall. Jerome (347 AD – 420 AD) often threw himself into thorny brambles to overwhelm himself with pain when he began to desire a woman sexually. Augustine (354 AD – 430 AD) was sexually active prior to his conversion and later decided that sex within marriage was not sinful, though the lust and passion associated with it was sinful. The view of the Catholic Church through the Middle Ages was that sexual love, both in and out of marriage, was evil. By the fifth century priests were forbidden to marry. The church eventually began to limit the days on which sex was permissible and continued adding days until half of the year or more was prohibited. Thomas Aquinas (1225 AD – 1274 AD) taught that sex was only permissible for purposes of procreation. Martin Luther (1438 AD – 1546 AD) said that, “Intercourse is never without sin; but God excuses it by his grace because the estate of marriage is his work, and he preserves in and through the sin all that good which he has implanted and blessed in marriage.”

Sexual desire is not to be killed but rather directed toward marriage. Proverbs 5:81-19 May your fountain be blessed, and may you rejoice in the wife of your youth. A loving doe, a graceful deer may her breasts satisfy you always, may you ever be captivated by her love.

Scripture gives many reasons for lovemaking

1. pleasure (Song of Songs)

2. children (Genesis 1:28 )

3. oneness (Genesis 2:24)

4. knowledge (Genesis 4:1)

5. protection (I Corinthians 7:2-5)

6. comfort (2 Samuel 12:24)

The Song of Songs gives great liberty to sexual freedom and the full use of all five senses.

1. kissing (SOS 1:2)

2. oral/fellatio – her initiative (SOS 2:3)

3. manual stimulation – her invitation (SOS 2:6)

4. petting – his initiative (SOS 4:5)

5. oral/cunnilingus – his initiative (SOS 4:12-5:1)

6. striptease – (SOS 6:13b-7:9)

7. new places, positions, etc. including outdoors – her initiative (SOS 7:11-13)

Christian lovemaking should be both free and frequent.

I Corinthians 7:3-5 The husband should fulfill his marital duty to his wife, and likewise the wife to her husband. The wife’s body does not belong to her alone but also to her husband. In the same way, the husband’s body does not belong to him alone but also to his wife. Do not deprive each other except by mutual consent and for a time, so that you may devote yourselves to prayer. Then come together again so that Satan will not tempt you because of your lack of self-control.

It is also vital that we take heed of the Song of Songs frequent admonition to catch the small foxes (sins and annoyances) that continually seek to destroy the growth of marital intimacy.

1. female discomfort (i.e. dryness or tenseness)

2. nonoxynol 9

3. adultery actual or mental (i.e. pornography)

4. an overall bad marriage

5. grooming (i.e. male nails, beard, breath)

6. premature ejaculation

7. sexual abuse

8. promiscuity

9. silent wives

10. impatient husbands

11. predictability

For Further Reading on Sexuality:

Fidelity, by Douglas Wilson (theological for him); Intended for Pleasure, by Ed Wheat; (practical for both) How to Give Her Absolute Pleasure, by Lou Pagett (very frank for him); A Celebration of Sex, by Douglas Rosenau (great for both) Intimate Issues, by Linda Dillow (theological for her); How To Be a Great Lover, by Lou Pagett (very frank for her); The Wounded Heart, by Dan Allendar (on sexual abuse).

Singleness PowerPoint

Singleness MHC sermon 04.28.02

The Biblical Guidelines for Singlesness Redeemer sermon 09.08.93

The Biblical Guidelines for Singleness Pt. 2  Redeemer sermon 09.08.93

Watch the whole sermon: Dating – Religion Saves and 9 Other Misconceptions – MHC

Christian Dating Principles for Both Men and Women

• 1. Maximize your singleness for God.
• 2. Do not pursue a relationship until you are ready to marry.
• 3. Be reasonable – do not set your expectations too high or too low.
• 4. A date is not dating: date = time together; dating = couple (1 Tim. 5:1-2).
• 5. Never go on a date or date a non-Christian (2 Cor. 6:14).
• 6. Only date one person at a time.
• 7. He initiates; she responds.
• 8. Look at who God puts in front of you (e.g. Boaz & Ruth).
• 9. Feel free to use technology (e.g. internet dating) wisely.
• 10. Only invest in a relationship with someone who you are attracted to entirely (e.g. physically, mentally, spiritually, emotionally, ministry gifts).
• 11. Only date someone who agrees with you on gender and family.
• 12. Guard your heart (Prov. 4:23).

Christian Dating Questions for Men

• 1. Are you overlooking good women (e.g. single moms, shy, divorcees)?
• 2. Are you honoring, God, her, her family, her friends, etc.?
• 3. Is she modest (1 Tim. 2:9)?
• 4. Will she follow your leadership?
• 5. Does she have noble character (Prov. 31)?
• 6. Can you provide for the lifestyle she expects (1 Tim. 5:8)?
• 7. Is she like the worst women in Proverbs (e.g. nag, loud, quarreling, unfaithful)?
• 8. Do you want your daughters to be like her and your sons to marry someone like her?

Covenant and Headship – PowerPoint

Covenant and Headship – Mars Hill Church – Proverbs – 2001 (click to download)

What To Do When a Wife Won’t Follow – CJ Mahaney – Building Strong Families Conference – 2000 (click to download)

Some Verses on Marriage and Family:

1. “The wise woman builds her house, But the foolish tears it down with her own hands.” Proverbs 14:1
2. “An excellent wife is the crown of her husband, But she who shames him is like rottenness in his bones.” Proverbs 12:4
3. “As a ring of gold in a swine’s snout So is a beautiful woman who lacks discretion.” Proverbs 11:22
4. “Listen to your father who begot you, And do not despise your mother when she is old.” Proverbs 23:22
5. “Let your father and your mother be glad, And let her rejoice who gave birth to you.” Proverbs 23:25
6. “The LORD God said, “It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper suitable for him.” Genesis 2:18
7. “For man did not come from woman, but woman from man; neither was man created for woman, but woman for man.” 1 Corinthians 11:8-9
8. “She brings him good, not harm, all the days of her life.” Proverbs 31:12
9. “A kindhearted woman gains respect, but ruthless men gain only wealth.” Proverbs 11:16
10. “Houses and wealth are inherited from parents, but a prudent wife is from the LORD.” Proverbs 19:14
11. “Likewise, teach the older women to be reverent in the way they live, not to be slanderers or addicted to much wine, but to teach what is good. Then they can train the younger women to love their husbands and children, to be self-controlled and pure, to be busy at home, to be kind, and to be subject to their husbands, so that no one will malign the word of God.” Titus 2:3-5
12. “Wives, submit to your own husbands, as to the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife even as Christ is the head of the church, his body, and is himself its Savior. Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit in everything to their husbands. Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her, that he might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, so that he might present the church to himself in splendor, without spot or wrinkle or any such thing, that she might be holy and without blemish. In the same way husbands should love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. For no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, just as Christ does the church, because we are members of his body. “Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and hold fast to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh.” This mystery is profound, and I am saying that it refers to Christ and the church. However, let each one of you love his wife as himself, and let the wife see that she respects her husband.” Ephesians 5:22- 33
13. “May your fountain be blessed, and may you rejoice in the wife of your youth. A loving doe, a graceful deer– may her breasts satisfy you always, may you ever be captivated by her love.” Proverbs 5:18-19
14. “The husband should fulfill his marital duty to his wife, and likewise the wife to her husband. The wife’s body does not belong to her alone but also to her husband. In the same way, the husband’s body does not belong to him alone but also to his wife. Do not deprive each other except by mutual consent and for a time, so that you may devote yourselves to prayer. Then come together again so that Satan will not tempt you because of your lack of self-control.” 1 Corinthians 7:3-5
15. “Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting; but a woman who fears the LORD is to be praised.” Proverbs 31:30
16. “A woman should learn in quietness and full submission.” 1 Timothy 2:11
17. “He who keeps the law is a discerning son, But he who is a companion of gluttons humiliates his father.” Proverbs 28:7
18. “Hear, my son, your father’s instruction And do not forsake your mother’s teaching; Indeed, they are a graceful wreath to your head And ornaments about your neck.” Proverbs 1:8-9
19. “A wise son accepts his father’s discipline, But a scoffer does not listen to rebuke.” Proverbs 13:1
20. “A fool rejects his father’s discipline, But he who regards reproof is sensible.” Proverbs 15:5
21. “There is a kind of man who curses his father And does not bless his mother.” Proverbs 30:11
22. “Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. Honor your father and mother (which is the first commandment with a promise), so that it may be well with you, and that you may live long on the earth. Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord.” Ephesians 6:1-4
23. “The eye that mocks a father And scorns a mother, The ravens of the valley will pick it out, And the young eagles will eat it.” Proverbs 30:17
24. “‘If anyone curses his father or mother, he must be put to death. He has cursed his father or his mother, and his blood will be on his own head.” Leviticus 20:9
25. “”He who strikes his father or his mother shall surely be put to death.” Exodus 21:15

Proverbs is a book written by older men (particularly a father) to younger men (particularly a son) for the purpose of raising up masculine men.

(Click on the links below to download)

1) Masculinity Powerpoint

2) Proverbs: What it Takes to be a Man (Darrin Patrick – The Journey Church – St. Louis)

3) Proverbs: Men and Masculinity (Mark Driscoll – Mars Hill Church – Seattle)

4) Here is an interview with CJ Mahaney on biblical masculinity. (PDF here)

5) Defining Masculinity (Matt Chandler – The Village Church – Highland Village, TX)

6) For Guys Only - A Collection of Articles on Biblical Masculinity

DOMINGO (download file)

GOLDSMITH (download file)

REILLY (download file)

 As a “men-gineer,” you strive to live life as a Christ-filled man of God, but any man seeking to love, follow, and glorify Jesus is in a constant battle with Satan (the Enemy), whose best weapon is to tempt Christians with Biblical and relational apathy, laziness, comfort, selfishness, and isolation while on earth. Frequently we fall into the aforementioned traps of the enemy by wrongly believing that we may never have to fight, march, or ride in a spiritual war. Moreover, when it comes to sharing the gospel and our personal sin, we often value our pride and comfort over humility and sacrifice. These attitudes are sinful, selfish, and dangerous. They can lull a person to sleep and render them useless for the sake of Christ, hence giving Satan a foothold. Our work as men of God will continue until the day we leave this earth. It seems simple enough, but many men including Christians live their life in denial of this truth, seeking something akin to eternal retirement.

The need for “life engineering” or “life planning” is paramount in life of a godly man. Life engineering involves outlining a clearly defined set of guiding principles and priorities, picking a date in the future, writing a thorough list of goals to be accomplished by that date, and then working backwards to strategically plan how you’ll achieve those goals. In the sermons from our previous post, Driscoll supports this life engineering paradigm with a list of Biblical references to further cement the fact that strategic planning is synonymous with Biblical manhood.

If you’re saying to yourself, “I’m not a planner. I don’t need that kind of pressure. I’m led by the Spirit, and I don’t need to write anything down.” You need to take a look at the Bible in your hand, and realize that the Holy Spirit has written a lot of stuff down, and maybe you should rethink that whole position. Without a set of Biblical principles, priorities, and goals to live your life by, you will inevitably get pushed around by the circumstances of life, and you’ll struggle to fulfill the calling that God has placed before you. And in your daily life, without proper planning, you will conform to the urgent. Without forward momentum in our lives, God can’t work or guide us. But part of being a man of God is actually stepping out in faith, acting on a plan, and trusting God to direct us in the path that brings glory to Him and blessing to His people.

It all starts with the 7 Principles concept. If you’re not really sure where to begin, a good starting point would be to look at the qualifications for a pastor (or “elder” ) according to the biblical criteria for the office, as described in 1 Timothy 3:1-7 and elsewhere (namely, Acts 20 and Titus 1):

• Above reproach
• Able to teach
• A mature Christian
• A husband to one wife
• A father to obedient children
• A good manager of his family
• Temperate
• Self-controlled
• Not given to drunkenness
• Not a lover of money
• Respectable
• Hospitable
• Not violent
• Gentle
• Not contentious
• Good reputation with outsiders

THE BIBLICAL MAN: PART 2

starts Saturday, April 19th.

7:30am.

Very early in the morning,

while it was still dark,

Jesus got up, left the house,

and went off to a solitary place,

where he prayed.

Mark 1:35

Defining Life Backwards – Ken Boa

Mengineering Intro Powerpoint

The Biblical Man. Men’s Basic Training. Mars Hill Church. March 2007.

Reverse Engineering Your Life. Men’s Advance. Mars Hill Church. July 2006.

Mengineering Handout pdf

Part 1: Theology (Belief)

• 01.15.08 From Bios to Zoë
• 01.30.08 Intro
• 02.7.08 A Biblical Worldview
• 02.25.08 The Heart
• 03.5.08 Plowing a Counter-Culture
• 03.28.08 The Fear of the Lord

Part 2: Doxology (Worship)

Part 3: Biography (Legacy)

Theology + Doxology = Biography

Knowing God, Worshipping God, and Glorifying God.