“God’s Calling to Men”
My brother recommended this book to me as a must read for Christian men in order to understand our Biblical mandate.
Richard Phillips’ book The Masculine Mandate is a Christian book that takes a look at Scripture (in particular Genesis) for what God requires of men. He writes it for particularly men of faith who want to honor God Biblically.
The Lord God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and take care of it. (Genesis 2:15)
Based on this Passage from Genesis 2:15, Phillips claims that men are called to work and keep what He has commanded us to govern, in all areas and aspects of our lives.
He lays his book out into two sections: Understanding Our Mandate and Living Our Mandate.
In the Living Our Mandate section, I found it very helpful that he delved into specific applications of the work and keep mandate for marriage, work, children, male friendships, and our role in the church. This section was extremely applicable and helpful. These will be words that I come back to time and time again.
My one fault that I found with the book was found in Chapter 1. I’m a Restoration Movement pastor who is a huge advocate for John 17 unity within our body and Church. In Chapter 1, Phillips criticizes and challenges John Eldredge’s Wild At Heart. While I’m not an advocate for Eldredge’s book, I’m not a fan of criticizing a book right out of the gate like Phillips did in the first chapter. It wasn’t divisive in itself, but it was disheartening to see his critical side before I even discovered Phillips point. If he wanted to challenge this, he should have done it later in the book when Phillips had already drawn me in as a reader. After reading this in Chapter 1, I was on my toes and put up my guard throughout the rest of the book.
Overall, Phillips mandate to men is challenging, Biblically grounded, helpful, and will cause your blood to boil as you recognize men around you not living up to what God commands men to be.
4 out of 5.
