This is the second book I’ve read about how fathers can raise boys into godly men. After watching Courageous, I had a new resolve to be a father who loves, guides, and leads my son into manhood. This book helped me think about how this looks.
Too often, fathers are the buffoons of the family. At best, indifferent; at worst, abusive. Our culture seems to broadcast the message that men are not important, and that manliness is synonymous with arrogance, homophobia, and chauvinism. We are afraid to say these five little, reveling words: Men and women are different. Children need both parents to develop fully to their potential. More specifically for this book review, boys need a father to have a healthy concept of manhood.
A real man is one who: • rejects passivity • accepts responsibility • leads courageously • expects the greater reward … God’s reward.
Sadly, many of our youth know little or nothing about any cause other than themselves. Parents have failed—and are failing—to impart a vision that is truly heroic, timeless, and supremely meaningful. The consequences of this omission cannot be understated.
Dad, if you are going to raise a Modern-Day Knight, there is no substitute for your personal character and integrity! By it your son becomes advantaged, empowered, and inspired.
I want to raise our son to be a strong, godly man, and I know that how I model that will influence him in his growth. This does not mean he can only play with trucks and play rugged sports. It does mean that he is a man who rejects passivity, accepts responsibility, and leads courageously. I want my boy to grow into a man who embraces this for the glory of God.
I’m not sure what this looks like in all situations, but books like Raising a Modern-Day Knight help me to think more about the issues. The book is not perfect; in fact, I found much of the story annoying. I do not want to have coats of arms or swords or manhood ceremonies (they seems to have one for each minor event). However, I do like that we must train our boys to be men, and that does not merely occur with puberty or high school graduation. I see many young men in the halls of high school who display their fathers indifference in raising them. They are not young men; they are boys in men’s bodies.
May God grant me the conviction and confidence to raise my son differently than the world tells me to. May I be a better model for manhood than our culture is.
For the past year or so, I have been reading through this book with the Men's leadership team at The Harbor. Each time we meet, we read one of the thirty chapters written by the preeminent pastor of our time, John Piper. These chapters comprise Piper's passionate plea to pastors and church leaders addressing a wide variety of pastoral issues and concerns. The readings have led to great discussions amongst the leadership team and helpful reminders to keep us focused in the right direction as we shepherd the flock God has entrusted us with. In chapter is typical of pastor Piper's theology; God-centered and Christ exalting.
Personally, the most impactful of these chapters were;
