As I listened to Brett Ullman’s “The Man Talk,” my heart sank as he referred to the statistic, 90% of boys leave church by age 20, and few of them return. They still believe in God, but don’t find it necessary to worship traditionally. This made me stop and think about what is going on that this would be the case. Then I realized that our boys are under attack from a very early age.
In today’s society, raising boys to become a provider and protector is easier than raising them to be honorable husbands who will be faithful and respectful to their wives. Teaching them to be involved in the lives of their children and to be a spiritual leader is more complex. With the influence of media, and now social media, portraying men as immoral and ungodly, Godly training requires intentional planning on our part. It takes good men in our homes and community to counteract such strong media influence.
Boys with absentee fathers or male mentors are more likely to succumb to the hypo-masculinity which floods the media world today where boys equate manhood with power and control. It tells them they are entitled to be disrespectful and abusive towards women.
Think about the values they are bombarded with. Many role models found on Television are single men with no desire to settle down. Often, shows with married couples show the man as a womanizer, a control-freak, or abusive to women. The other way boys see men in the media is effeminate, lazy, and incapable of making a decision. Few of the fathers spend quality time with their children either. Healthy male role models are hard to find in this arena. In the music world, many men are selfish and disrespectful towards women and society. Actors or athletes are constantly getting arrested for drug usage, taking steroids, or beating up a girlfriend. In video games, boys can mimic these behaviors, and do.
It’s not easy for men to become the great leaders we desire, but many do. I know many of them. However, as long as we’re breathing, we can improve ourselves. Today, I’m offering a list of FREE resources for men. These books enlighten men to become better husbands, fathers, boyfriends, and mentors.
The list of resources cover helpful information such as:
– ways to engage with your family and build better relationships with them
– special ways for fathers and sons to bond and dialogue
– guidelines for husbands to prevent wandering eyes from becoming problematic
– learn about the new dangers of deep emotional connections in the church, workplace, or gym
– great suggestions on remaining a faithful husband
– many insights into how your wife thinks, and what her needs might be
– the importance of publicly admonishing male violence to prevent our children from growing up believing it is acceptable behavior.
– lots of ways to set boundaries to prevent great men from falling, including websites for accountability as safeguards
None of these books are affiliate links. My desire is to see strong men become even stronger and for our boys to have a fighting chance. I pray you’re able to read and glean! Each book on the list gives a detailed description.
Tell me in the comments below about some great man in your life and what made them great to you.
© 2016, Jena Fellers. All rights reserved.
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