The Crisis of Manhood

The point of the hero’s journey is to understand that there is a biblical path to become a hero and that God is calling us to be hero’s which is in essence discovering our true self in Him. If you don’t know who you are, or your point in life, then it is impossible to overcome any of the challenges laid out before you. Pastor Doug explores three ways that culture undermines manhood.

If you are an unhappy, disappointed, discouraged man and you have no idea the trajectory of you life then now is the time to unleash yourself among the path and the journey you were meant to take to discover the man you were meant to be. Your soul was not designed to be stressed out or worried. You were called for something greater, alive, and living to your fullest understanding the point of your life finding the truth in Jesus who is calling men to be men. You are called to discover the way of the Lord and the way of the hero.

1 John 2:15-17 – Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. 16 For all that is in the world—the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride of life—is not from the Father but is from the world. 17 And the world is passing away along with its desires, but whoever does the will of God abides forever.

Proverbs 1:8-10
8 Hear, my son, your father’s instruction,
and forsake not your mother’s teaching,
9 for they are a graceful garland for your head
and pendants for your neck.
10 My son, if sinners entice you,
do not consent.

Men, Selfishness and Isolation

Until you understand who you truly are as a man then you will never be at peace with yourself. When a man is at peace then he is peaceful with those around him. Men today are becoming less peaceful with themselves and isolating themselves. This isolation affects men causing them to die younger, more depressed, have higher anxiety, higher alcohol additions, aimless, and more prone to suicide. Our culture is forcing boys to be selfish without realizing it:

Know God, know Yourself, know the path, live the good life. You can not be a man of peace when all you think about is what you’re not supposed to do. You won’t feed your soul until you know what you are supposed to live for, when you know the battle you are supposed to fight, when you know the adventure you are supposed to live. Men move from boyhood to manhood because they know God, they know themselves, and they see their lives of adventure in front of them.

Proverbs 2:1-15
My son, if you receive my words
and treasure up my commandments with you,
2 making your ear attentive to wisdom
and inclining your heart to understanding;
3 yes, if you call out for insight
and raise your voice for understanding,
4 if you seek it like silver
and search for it as for hidden treasures,
5 then you will understand the fear of the Lord
and find the knowledge of God.
6 For the Lord gives wisdom;
from his mouth come knowledge and understanding;
7 he stores up sound wisdom for the upright;
he is a shield to those who walk in integrity,
8 guarding the paths of justice
and watching over the way of his saints.
9 Then you will understand righteousness and justice
and equity, every good path;
10 for wisdom will come into your heart,
and knowledge will be pleasant to your soul;
11 discretion will watch over you,
understanding will guard you,
12 delivering you from the way of evil,
from men of perverted speech,
13 who forsake the paths of uprightness
to walk in the ways of darkness,
14 who rejoice in doing evil
and delight in the perverseness of evil,
15 men whose paths are crooked,
and who are devious in their ways.

Rejecting the Temptation of Passivity

Many men fall to the temptation of passivity which robs you from gaining wisdom. Pastor Doug walks us through the wisdom instructed to men found in Proverbs 3. He also introduces the origin and juxtaposition of the name “Peter Pan” and how it is reflected in today’s manhood culture:

You will never discover your path as a man unless you reject passivity and say “I will engage, I will give, I will take responsibility, and I will test my metal against the calling and mission of Christ”. The way of the hero is to reject passivity and to embrace the calling of God in your life.

Proverbs 3:1-12
My son, do not forget my teaching,
but keep my commands in your heart,
2 for they will prolong your life many years
and bring you peace and prosperity.

3 Let love and faithfulness never leave you;
bind them around your neck,
write them on the tablet of your heart.
4 Then you will win favor and a good name
in the sight of God and man.

5 Trust in the Lord with all your heart
and lean not on your own understanding;
6 in all your ways submit to him,
and he will make your paths straight.[a]

7 Do not be wise in your own eyes;
fear the Lord and shun evil.
8 This will bring health to your body
and nourishment to your bones.

9 Honor the Lord with your wealth,
with the firstfruits of all your crops;
10 then your barns will be filled to overflowing,
and your vats will brim over with new wine.

11 My son, do not despise the Lord’s discipline,
and do not resent his rebuke,
12 because the Lord disciplines those he loves,
as a father the son he delights in.