MASCULINITY STRENGTH AND THE TOXICITY OF THE WEAK- Five Essentials of Masculine Strength
Strong Men Dangerous Times: An Amazon #1 Bestseller
Arena Men,
Last month I received this victory message from a law enforcement officer in California: “In June 2021 I had a stroke. While I was recovering, I had the time to read Strong Men Dangerous Times. God used your book to help me put things back ‘into alignment’. The Men in the Arena forum and the podcast have been very good for my growth as well. I am now 279 days away from retirement. I am now more focused on who I will be in retirement and not just what I will do in retirement.”
Last week, our newest book, Strong Men Dangerous Times became an Amazon #1 Bestseller under Men’s Christian Living. A special thanks to Caitlin Gipson, Dale Collver, our publishers Scott and Leah Silverii at Five Stones Press, and the myriad of those who purchased the book. For the next two months you can pick up the eBook (for only $0.99), as well as the paperback, or hard cover versions.
Free Paperbacks to say, “Thank you for your service!”
Our Board recently decided to give free copies to all first responders and active military. In order to save shipping expenses, we need ambassadors who are willing to pass out no less than 10-25 books. Message us at info@meninthearena.org, with your address if you are interested in becoming a Strong Men Dangerous Times ambassador.
Climb the Mountain of Manhood
Masculinity is not toxic. Being a strong man is still a quality to be celebrated, even within the chaos of a shifting society. Strong Men Dangerous Times is a blue-collar, bare-knuckle guide that boldly defines what a strong man is and dispels all misconceptions about what a man is not. Let's stop trying to squeeze our men into boxes God never intended. There is still honor in manhood, by living a life of integrity, caring, passion, courage and strength. These are the five essentials every man must possess to change his world.
Our churches, our wives, our kids, our communities and our world desperately need strong men. Start your quest today to become the man who will carry the heavy weight of masculinity to a world that is desperate for them to step up. Now is the time to take your place as a man among men. Now is the time to prepare strong men for dangerous times.
Manhood is a journey not a destination. A man is as a man does. It is function (doing manly things) more than form (looking manly). What is gained today can be lost tomorrow, which is why we use progressive verbs to describe each of the five.
It is a climb—the grind of your life—but when you die you will be remembered as a man who brought the blessing of manly strength instead of the toxicity of male weakness.
Here are the five keys to masculine strength—to the world experiencing the full weight of who you are.
Strong Men Essential #1: Protecting Integrity (The Trailhead)
Integrity is foundational to becoming a strong man. Manhood starts here. Real men, strong men, do not respect a man without integrity and neither should you. Note singularity of integrity according to Webster’s Dictionary definition: “The quality of being honest and fair. The state of being complete or whole.” Integrity is the foundation on which strong men stand. How many women get that in the man they married? How many children get that in their sperm-donor-excuse for a dad? The man of integrity lives by Philippians 1:6, “I am confident of this very thing; that He who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus.”
Strong Men Essential #2: Fighting Apathy (The Climb)
Apathy is a state of indifference, or the suppression of emotions such as concern, excitement, motivation and passion. An apathetic male has an absence of interest in or concern about emotional, social, spiritual, philosophical and/or physical life. He becomes hardened and calloused to things he should care about. An apathetic man is simply pathetic.
Jesus, quoting Isaiah the prophet, spoke to this person when He said, “For this people’s heart has become calloused; they hardly hear with their ears, and they have closed their eyes. Otherwise, they might see with their eyes, hear with their ears, understand with their hearts and turn, and I would heal them. (Matthew 13:15)”
Apathy is the greatest battle a man will ever fight. It is a grind. It is a climb. It is what caused sin to enter the world through Adam. Life’s many problems and culture’s secular philosophies create friction between who a biblical man is and who society tells him he needs to be. That resistance rubs him the wrong way. It has a way of wearing a man down. He must fight it and prevent callouses that attempt to harden his heart towards the things he should care for deeply.
Strong Men Essential #3: Pursuing God Passionately (The Summit)
My theology is simple, so listen up. A man will never function at his full capacity without radical surrender to the God who created him, knows him best, and has a God-specific mission and purpose for his life.
You will never be your best version—never reach the apex of masculinity—without total obedience to the one who made you. Model your life after the ultimate Alpha Man Jesus who said, “I am the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end. (Revelation 22:13)”
Strong Men Essential #4: Leading Courageously (The Descent)
Men may delegate everything except final responsibility. Men delegate but do not defer. I am saddened by the anonymity of men in churches around the world who refuse to enter the arena of ministry opting instead for the safety of the unknown church bleachers (if they ever even make it to church).
Making a decision for Christ is ONLY A FIRST STEP. Jesus did not come to make decisions but disciples—men ruthlessly devoted to Him. Refuse to fall into the decision lie, it is a trap to hold you at less than your best version.
Get off your anonymous rear end and join the fray. Lead your people. Do something. Anything. Just lead.
Strong Men Essential #5: Finishing Strong (The Trail’s End)
I believe there is a diabolical force at large among contemporary Bible translators who purposely neuter certain distinct masculine translations of words. If you were Satan, what better way to influence the church than to influence those translating the most important work in human history—The Bible.
We recently stopped purchasing a Bible we sold as masculine when they changed their translation to a neutered version that misinterpreted key masculine passages such as 1 Corinthians 16:13, Proverbs 27:17, and "Jesus' last war cry" in John 19:30, “IT IS FINISHED!”
Note the exclamation mark. Men finish strong where others finish wrong. They leave each day with an exclamation mark not a comma, question mark or ellipses. Their work begins after they get home from their day job as they engage with their wife, children, community and church.
Each day finished strong equals a strong life finish. You got this!
Boots on the Ground
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Becoming His Best Version,
Jim