What is a man? Thoughts on Christian masculinity

In an ever-changing world, definitions and roles of many types continue to shift. Technology and economic progress (and regression/economic hardship!) impact how we all live and interact with one another.  Changing patterns of human interaction, new questions about relationships and status, and increasing communication and mobility can make it very difficult to predict what the future holds- and how to successfully navigate a rapidly changing society.  This challenge is true for people of all economic classes, professional roles, and family relationships.

As a professional, evangelical male (and minister) I have been reading various books on the subject of Christian masculinity since my sister gave me a copy of "Wild at Heart: Discovering the Secret of a Man's Soul," and I have subsequently read 2 additional books by this author (Waking the Dead: The Glory of a Heart Fully Alive, and Love & War: Finding the Marriage You've Dreamed of).  I have also participated in Men's Fraternity groups at my local church, and read some books by Robert Lewis in that setting.  Part of what drives me to explore this subject is my personal journey to understanding Christian masculinity in the 21st century, and my previous role in parish ministry and current chaplaincy career also inform my belief that many current churches fail to speak effectively to men. Some churches and ministries do an excellent job of reaching out to all people, but too many (in my opinion) present the Christian faith as a "soft" exercise of being nice, gentle and kind in this life, or emphasize eternity and making sure we "get to heaven" and avoid hell.  It is relatively rare (in my opinion) to find a faith community which offers resources and teachings that invite contemporary men to explore the adventure of discipleship, following God in becoming witnesses of a bold love and challenging faith.

In short, too few churches and ministers today offer a compelling answer to the question Robert Lewis asks via a poem in one of his books- "What is a Man?"

What is a man?

Is he someone who is strong and tall?

Or is he taut and talented as he plays ball?

Is he someone who is hardened and rough,

Who smoke and drinks and swears enough?

Is he someone who chases women hard,

With a quest to conquer, but never dropping his guard?

Is he someone with a good business mind,

Who gets ahead of the others with his nose to the grind?

Or is he someone who tries his best,

Not really caring about any of the rest?

What is a man? Does anyone really know?

TELL ME!

Who is the prototype? To whom shall I go?

In short, what does it mean to be a man of faith today?  With changing circumstances of recent decades in areas of family relationships, typical careers etc. the questions can be as simple as whether holding the door for a female colleague is polite or offensive, or as complicated as how to solve discipline problems with a child who lives with an ex-spouse.  Where can we turn for answers and principled guidance?

I remain convinced that basic principles can be timeless, and can be discerned carefully from examples in Scripture.  For this discussion, I intend to highlight four principles from the life of Joseph (Mt. 1-2).  I believe that Joseph was (and we can be today) men of integrity who demonstrate compassion, faith, courage and wisdom.

I will develop each of these principles more fully in additional blog posts in coming weeks.