Be THE Man, Part One

Several years ago, when I was in Australia, it would have been easy to stay on in that beautiful land. The scenery and the laid-back lifestyle were very appealing. A job would have been no worry, mate. There are so few men in the churches (or at least that was the case at that time), that they were crying out for male leadership.

Such is still the case in our country. Most congregations have more women than men, including many single mothers. Why is this? It is because the church needs to do a better job of teaching men to be Godly men. It's because we have fallen victim to the feminization of the church as well as the society.

Most of us who have children – and those of you who will yet have them – try to make sure that they have the essentials of life (or at least what we perceive to be the essentials). We see to their medical care; we get them into school (or homeschooling); we buy them clothing, food, bikes and gloves. But the greatest gift we can give them is a Christian dad; an example; a reason to believe us when we present them with the claims of the Gospel.

This is what I call the “Model Model.” What our children see, what they experience, is what they learn. No matter what kind of educational setting they are in, we must still be their primary teachers/disciplers.

We must also remember that our goal in being their teacher is not just knowledge, not just intellectual stuff. For knowledge must always promote wisdom, that is: seeing things God’s way.

God is looking for leaders; not only for the current generation, but for the one after us, too. In speaking of the qualities He wants in men, God DOES NOT use the corporate model. He does NOT set quotas of any kind. He’s seeking leaders of competence and character.

If a man is not accepted as a leader in his own household; if he is not viewed as a man of character within his own household; then he cannot be a leader – of any kind – in the church; or on any mission field, foreign or domestic. Leadership, according to God’s plan, begins in the home.

Next time: A look at the Model-Model.