Complacency Does not Make Men -- Leadership Does

How God Makes Men by Patrick Morley is a quick and easy read for those wishing to learn more about developing men.  The beauty of Morley’s book on the opportunities facing men is that he turns to the Bible – not the world’s wisdom -- for the inadequate display of manhood in our culture.  Knowing that he has written other books (primarily The Man in the Mirror) and founded an organization in 1991 that bears the name of that first book, I expected shameless plugs for the company throughout.  I was pleasantly surprised that he did not do so.  In fact, the only mention that I could find of his company is in the “About the Author” section.

While I will discuss some shortcomings of this work, the idea of how God makes men is vital to changing our culture.  The secondary lines of the title tell the full story:  “Ten Epic Stories.  Ten Proven Principles.  One Huge Promise for Your Life.”  Wait!  What’s the huge promise for our lives?  The author states it this way in his preface:  “If you will absorb and embrace the timeless principles offered by these ten men, you can get past the shallow cultural Christianity that wants to gut your manhood and get to – or back to – a more biblical Christianity” (xiii).  Shallowness is synonymous with complacency, and neither of those strategies develops men.  It takes leadership to develop into a man as described in the Bible.

This book is important because we live in a society where the idea of manhood is being assaulted.  Stop for just a moment to pause and think about how men are portrayed in modern society, particularly on television.  Men are type-cast as weak, immoral, and partying goofballs that are more interested in abdicating responsibility.  The unfortunate aspect is that men are “living down” to these expectations.  Rather than rising to the challenge, men are choosing the easy path.  Instead of doing what is right, the choice is made to do what they want in the here and now – rather than thinking about the future.  

The focus on all forms of entertainment (such as watching sports or video games) devalues the importance of responsibility and preparation for manhood as complacency is enjoyed.  Do you need proof?  Look at the results posted by the Entertainment Software Rating Board:  (1) the average “gamer” is 34 years old, (2) the average age of the “most frequent game purchaser” is 39 years old, and (3) adult gamers have been playing video games for an average of 12 years.  Commercials for the newest games or game systems are filled with adult, male players; and that demographic clearly matches the averages above.  While I am not arguing against video games, I am arguing that time spent playing video games has a significant familial and societal opportunity cost.  

In turning back to the tenets of Morley’s book, the author provides a series of ten Biblical men and extrapolates principals from each of their lives.  At the end of every chapter, he provides 3 discussion or reflection questions that drive the reader to a deeper application of the principle.  Morley studies Abraham, Joseph, Moses, Gideon, Job, David, Solomon, Nehemiah, Peter, and Paul. 

As far as a critique of Morley’s book, I have two issues.  The first, which is more significant than the other, rests in this question:   if the author wants men to exemplify Biblical Christianity, then why did he not mention Jesus as the foundation of Christianity?  I believe he missed a tremendous opportunity explain Christianity and showcase Jesus as both a teacher and leader.  Real men love others in such a way that they are willing to sacrifice self for the benefit of the loved one.  Christ did that for us when He bore our sins on the cross.  Further, since modern men need to know how God makes men, why not highlight how Jesus worked with His disciples.  He chose typical men in that society, challenged the norms of culture, shaped them into strong leaders that repudiated complacency, and then commissioned them to (in the power of God) turn the world upside down.

The second critique focuses solely upon his chapter on Gideon, and I must admit an immediate bias – my dissertation considered Gideon through the lens of leadership.  Morley missed another opportunity to challenge complacency of men, and he did so by stopping too soon in the story of Gideon.  The author focused on the rosy, amazing, and unexpected things Gideon did by obeying God; yet, Gideon became complacent and left a horrible legacy.  If men every stop applying the principles of God by going their own path, then disaster is on the horizon.  Again, Morley’s intent was to challenge shallow and cultural Christianity but that is the very trap into which Gideon fell.

I do believe this book is worth a read and consideration; however, I would urge any reader to spend time studying the Scripture surrounding these men.  Anytime that a human filter is utilized in writing about the Bible, some important truths end up missing.  In challenging complacent manhood through Biblical leadership, seek to understand God’s redemptive plan that incorporated these characters.  

To lead as a man, we must go to the only One who existed before time and created the world.  God, alone, has the right to rule the world; and He will do so as the Righteous Judge.  That, my friends, is real leadership that men need to study and apply.

Disclosure of Material Connection:  I received this book for free from WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group for this review.  I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 25:  “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.