There is a crying need in the church today for men to be men. But competing visions for what a man is to be, some growing out of popular culture and others arising from flawed teaching in the church, are exacerbating the problem. Here is biblical exposition of the most practical sort teaching that reveals not only what men are to think but what they are to be.

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Customer Reviews for The Masculine Mandate: God's Calling to Men

Review 1 for The Masculine Mandate: God's Calling to Men

Overall Rating:

5 out of 5

Working and Keeping.

Date:February 13, 2013

Sufficient in Jesus

Top 100 Contributor

Age:18-24

Gender:female

Quality:

5 out of 5

Value:

5 out of 5

Meets Expectations:

5 out of 5

I am always amazed by the way God works. In the past month I have received two books on one theme. The theme is Biblical Manhood. The books are Real Valor by Steve Farrar and The Masculine Mandate by Richard Phillips.

"It is remarkable to me how easily precious things can be lost." Rick Phillips writes in the first chapter of the Masculine Mandate. "An individual can quickly lose precious possessions such as innocence, integrity, or a good reputation. The church can lose precious things, too, and this seems to be happening today. One ideal we may be losing is that of strong, biblical, and confident Christian manhood...This book is written for Christian men who not only don’t want to lose that precious biblical understanding, but who want to live out the calling to true manliness God has given us. We need to be godly men, and the Bible presents a Masculine Mandate for us to follow and fulfill. But do we know what it is? My aim in writing this book is to help men to know and fulfill the Lord’s calling as it is presented so clearly to us in God’s Word."

Adam was given two charges in Eden. To Work the Garden and to Keep it. These same charges that governed the man's work in Eden govern his work today, and govern his love for his wife, his care for his children, and his friendships. To Work and to Keep are the charges in every portion of a man's life. Working and Keeping are the Masculine Mandate.
This is not secret knowledge, nor a magical, mystical thing, or a spiritual revelation gleaned from studying the original language. It is Scriptural, practical truth.

"Work. To work is to labor to make things grow. In subsequent chapters I will discuss work in terms of nurturing, cultivating, tending, building up, guiding, and ruling.
Keep. To keep is to protect and to sustain progress already achieved. Later I will speak of it as guarding, keeping safe, watching over, caring for, and maintaining.
The term work signifies God’s broad mandate for a nurturing and cultivating masculinity, which causes people and things to grow and become strong. The second term, keep, refers to man as a watchman and defender, keeping safe those under our care. By diligently observing the work-and-keep mandate, men fulfill their calling by building up and keeping safe."

When all of life is lived out in terms of this mandate, men can be confident and bold as an Ambassadors of Christ. Men can be tender and gentle as Shepherds.
Working and Keeping will be a man's charge at home, in his field of work, and in his Church. And this will be the result: "In our families, our presence is to make our wives and children feel secure and at ease. At church, we are to stand for truth and godliness against the encroachment of worldliness and error. In society, we are to take our places as men who stand up against evil and who defend the nation from threat of danger."

In Masculine Mandate we read that man was created to work; to marry and to multiply and fill the earth.
I enjoyed his chapters on Work. Men are made to work, and anyone who wants to know what makes a man tick must understand: Man will find his identity in his work to a great extent.
A healthy nation will be full of men at work. Digging ditches, building houses, writing music, butchering cows, putting out fires, planting fields, wiring and plumbing houses. And their work will have value, not just because it accomplishes a good purpose, but because God gave work value.
"Why does labor have this inherent value? Because we were made for it. God placed Adam in the garden and put him to work. Therefore, because God is good and has chosen to be glorified through our labor, we are able to enjoy work and find a significant part of our identity in it."

I loved his chapter on singleness and marriage. Going straight for the heart of the issue, Rev. Phillips calls on single Christians who don't intend to stay single all of their life (the gift of singleness) to step up and marry. Our culture glorifies singleness that is selfish and has nothing to do with Kingdom building. We must return to a full picture of God honoring marriage.
Listen to him describe why God called Eve a helper, not just a mate or a companion.
"God said Adam needed a “helper” because it places the primary emphasis on the shared mandate to work and keep God’s creation under the man’s leadership."

My favorite chapters of all were the ones on the way a man Works and Keeps his wife's heart. The command to Nourish and Cherish our wives is part of the masculine mandate of Working and Keeping. Isn't Scripture full of beautiful parallels? Nourish-Cherish, Work-Keep.
A great deal of a man's duty to his wife is his ministry of God's Word to her heart. Texting her with Scripture. Speaking Scripture's blessings over her. Defining all of Life's experiences in Scripture's Words. Giving her God's Word from her husband's lips. "So when a husband knows his wife is weighed down under the burdens of child-raising, he might say to her, “[cast] all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you” (1 Peter 5:7). A husband who knows his wife feels unlovely or depressed can minister the balm of God’s Word to the bruised spot in her heart: “The Lord your God is in your midst, a mighty one who will save; he will rejoice over you with gladness; he will quiet you by his love; he will exult over you with loud singing” (Zeph. 3:17). A husband who knows his wife is grieving a loss might encourage her to take her heart to the Lord: “The Lord is near to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit” (Ps. 34:18)."

I also loved the chapters on Working and Keeping our children's souls. This means giving them our hearts, our love, our mercy, our pity, our time, our gentleness, our firmness, our discipling, our discipline; dispensing God's Grace and Truth.
"If I had to pick just one verse on parenting from the book of Proverbs—the main source of our biblical wisdom on this subject—it would be Proverbs 23:26. Here we have the very pulse of the Bible’s teaching on a father’s relationship with his children, including God the Father’s relationship with us, His sons in Christ. This verse provides the perspective behind all the wisdom passed from father to son in the Proverbs. In it, the father simply pleads, 'My son, give me your heart.' This is the prime aspiration of a true father toward his children. All the advice and commands found in Proverbs flow from this great passion: the desire of a loving father for the heart of his child, and for that child’s heart to be given to the Lord."

Masculine Mandate is a book that returns us to Scripture's truth, truth that is both delightful and everlasting.
It is so good to see men living as God made them to: Working and Keeping, under their King.
I am grateful to Reformation Trust for sending me a copy of this book to review. Another blessing to add to my family's library!

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Review 2 for The Masculine Mandate: God's Calling to Men

Overall Rating:

5 out of 5

Date:November 30, 2012

David Shaw

Top 500 Contributor

Location:Tecumseh, OK

Quality:

5 out of 5

Value:

5 out of 5

Meets Expectations:

5 out of 5

Every once in a while I come across a book that not only exceeds expectations but challenges me in areas I thought I was doing well. Richard D. Phillips book The Masculine Mandate is one such book. Seemingly on every page is an aspect of my life as a man that Phillips turns up-side-down. I won’t soon forget this book.

Phillips purpose is to challenge the popular ideas of what a man is supposed to be by taking us to Scripture, specifically Genesis 2:15 where we read God’s instruction to man. It goes as follows, “The LORD God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to work it and keep it.” The two charges God gave each man are to work and keep. The book begins by examining in detail those commands. Phillips then shows us how to live out this mandate first in our marriages, then as fathers, as friends then as servants of God.

The book is written in a humble way. Phillips makes it clear that he doesn’t have this mandate perfected in his own life which makes the book more personal. That doesn’t mean that he holds back his punches. We men need that.

I can’t recommend this book enough. Any person of the male gender needs to read this book. And more than once. Your life will be transformed which will result in a better marriage, being a better father, a better friend, a better servant of God.

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Review 3 for The Masculine Mandate: God's Calling to Men

Overall Rating:

5 out of 5

Awesome, inspiring & Motivational

Date:August 31, 2012

Rickace

Location:Bronx, NY

Age:55-65

Gender:male

Quality:

5 out of 5

Value:

5 out of 5

Meets Expectations:

5 out of 5

An excellent scriptural calling for men.
Giving direction to your life.
From before the fall to now.
Introduced to a mens fellowship book club,
they can't put it down or stop talking about it.
You will love it.
Highly recommend!

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Review 4 for The Masculine Mandate: God's Calling to Men

Overall Rating:

5 out of 5

The best book you could ever give a man!!!

Date:July 11, 2012

Joshua Sumner

Location:Kansas City, MO

Age:25-34

Gender:male

This book absolutely blew my mind!! It is saterated with thorough exposition of Scripture and extremely practical. It is by far the best book on God's calling for men that I have ever read!!!

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Review 5 for The Masculine Mandate: God's Calling to Men

Overall Rating:

5 out of 5

Exceptional book for Men

Date:March 10, 2012

Paul Simpson

Age:35-44

Gender:male

Quality:

5 out of 5

Value:

5 out of 5

Meets Expectations:

5 out of 5

Richard D. Philips has done the world a great service by writing this book. While many "men's" books cover all kind of masculine topics, Mr. Philips begins where any discussion should begin - the Bible. This is a gospel primer on men. Opening up Genesis and showing his readers how God formed man in the garden to "work" it and "keep" it, we see a true picture of the kind of men God has made. Written in two major sections, the first section of the book helps us "Understand the Mandate" given to men by God. In this section he explores the topics of "working" and "keeping" based on Genesis 2:15, these two words define for us how a man fulfills his mandate. Ultimately, by fulfilling these two tasks we fulfill our complete God-given purpose - to glorify God. "That is the Masculine Mandate: to be spiritual men placed in real-world, God-defined relationships, as lords and servants under God, to
bear God’s fruit by serving and leading."

The third chapter on work was very enlightening. Being one who quite often hates his job, this chapter made me reflect hard on what I do and my attitude about it. This chapter really caused me to re-evaluate my perspective on work and I was shown from a biblical point of view that I was wrong. The scriptures Mr. Phillips uses reproved, corrected, and trained me towards biblical exegesis of work. This was very rewarding.

The second section of the book deals more in the praxis of manhood. Topics that are covered are marriage, fatherhood, friendships, and servant-hood in the church. The section on marriage seems to blow a fresh wind up on this age old doctrine. We may have heard all there is on this subject, but Mr. Phillips does men a great service by reminding us in fresh language this mandate and its importance.

The section on fatherhood reminded me some of Ted Tripps book Shepherding a Child's Heart. If fact Mr. Tripp's book is referenced a few times. Mr. Phillips has a very godly way of looking at fathering, much like Ted Tripp. A view that is not shared by most modern parenting books, even the ones in Christian bookstores. I say this as a compliment to Mr. Phillips and Mr. Tripp. These men are godly-men who know the Bible and come at it this topic in a bibilcally strong fashion.

The book contains group questions which I found to be very encouraging. This caused me to begin to think about how I could use this book as a manual in my church. I appreciate this addition to the book. It makes the book relevant and applicable, and not just all theory.

I would encourage anyone to grab this book and take a read.

This book was given to me by Reformation Trust in exchange for my fair review.

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Review 6 for The Masculine Mandate: God's Calling to Men

Overall Rating:

5 out of 5

Good for Moms, too

Date:September 15, 2011

Anna Wood

Top 250 Contributor

Location:Mobile, AL

Age:45-54

Gender:female

Quality:

5 out of 5

Value:

5 out of 5

Meets Expectations:

5 out of 5

Why am I, a woman, reviewing a book entitled “The Masculine Mandate”, written for men by a man? Because I am also a mother of six sons and I care very much about raising them to be godly men. Mr Phillips stated that “My aim in writing this book is to help men to know and fulfill the Lord’s calling as it is presented so clearly to us in God’s Word.” To “fulfill the Lord’s calling…,” this is what I want for my sons.

This book made me cry. They were good tears, tears of longing and hope that men might listen, learn and apply the clear biblical teaching found in this book; intermingled with them were tears of sadness for men I have known who have failed to live up to the Lord’s calling in their lives, leaving scars that have devastated many. Over the last several generations, far too many men have had no one able or willing to guide them in godliness; thanks to this book, that can no longer be said.

As a mother of many sons, I have searched through a lot of books on godly manhood looking for something to help me to guide my sons and that was worthy of being shared with my sons as they grew older. I would have to say that “The Masculine Mandate” is by far the best, and most Scriptural, modern book that I’ve come across on the subject of biblical manhood. Mr. Phillips has done all of us a great service in writing this book. Beginning with Scripture, staying with Scripture and ending with Scripture, he has given us a picture of real manhood, not from a cultural perspective, but straight from the heart of God.

Calling men to work, to serve, to protect, shepherd, walking them through their roles as husbands and fathers as the Bible lays them out, Mr. Phillips guides men back to the original intent of our Lord: that men might lead. For far too long, our churches have muddied the waters of manhood and womanhood by adopting the world’s viewpoints. If Christian men will apply the clear Scriptural mandates that Mr. Phillips lays out and share it among the men in their churches, if Christian mothers will read this book and apply its teachings in raising their sons, if young women will read this book and look for a man whose life exemplifies the teachings found within, our families and our churches will be on our way to becoming beacons whose light shines in the darkness.

I very much enjoyed “The Masculine Mandate”. As a mother of many, I’m very glad that I read it. I will be passing it to each of my sons (well…maybe not to the five-year old) so that they, too, might read and be blessed.

My rating: Most excellent teaching that is worthy of being lived out. A++

(I received via e-mail a PDF version of this Reformation Trust Publishing title. I was not asked by Reformation Trust that my review of this book be positive, only that it be serious, substantive and fair. Once my review is received, I will receive a free copy of the book.)

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Review 7 for The Masculine Mandate: God's Calling to Men

Overall Rating:

5 out of 5

God's Pathway for Men

Date:February 24, 2011

Brian Doyle

Location:New England

Age:45-54

Gender:male

Quality:

5 out of 5

Value:

5 out of 5

Meets Expectations:

5 out of 5

I am so grateful that God has equipped men like Richard to clearly lay out a pathway for men - and not any pathway, but God's Pathway as laid out in the Scriptures.

Men like myself have the Scriptures but desperately need models, illustrations, examples and pathways to live out the biblical mandate God has placed on our lives.

This book is a terrific resource for a small group of four to five guys to read together, one chapter at a time.

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Review 8 for The Masculine Mandate: God's Calling to Men

Overall Rating:

5 out of 5

Want to be a Godly man? This is the book!

Date:February 11, 2011

Ben Umnus

Top 50 Contributor

Location:Wisconsin

Age:18-24

Gender:male

Quality:

5 out of 5

Value:

5 out of 5

Meets Expectations:

5 out of 5

"What makes a man a man?", this is a question we ought to imagine more often. If this question were surveyed, it wouldn't surprise me if answers varied from money, sex, appearance, skills/talents, being a provider, etc. Although all of those qualities can be important, they are only pieces within the puzzle of who a man is supposed to be biblically. Before reading this book, I noticed when it came to many of today's guys and even when looking at myself, I saw there was something wrong with how we are operating as men and this book confirms my suspicions as truth.

The Masculine Mandate is a great book in addressing the question "what makes a man?" by sourcing various examples of scripture including Ephesians 5:22-33, the early days of Adam and Eve, and Colossians 3:18-25. I love how Mr. Phillips addresses manliness without purposely "out to get people" through outright condemnation; though I did feel convicted throughout many sections. As men we are supposed to work, be providers for our homes, defend our wives or girlfriends, be Christ-like towards our children, to be spiritual leaders, etc rather than be selfish lovers of ourselves, absent or unjustly strict fathers, apathetic or abusive husbands, cowardly scapegoats of responsibility, etc.

I absolutely loved this book and I encourage everyone whether man or woman to get this book! Of course I doubt some women will enjoy hearing certain analyzes like how they are 'cursed by a desire to possess and control her man...' as quoted in chapter 7. To be serious though,The Masculine Mandate helped me discover many biblical truths about being the man God wants me to be and that being a man is not based on something simplistic like being an Arnold Schwarzenegger or pro wrestler like muscle man.

Disclaimer: Ben Umnus was given a free copy of this book by Reformation Trust Publishing, but he was neither paid for his review nor was he commanded by Reformation Trust Publishing to write a positive review. This review is the personal, written opinion of Ben Umnus. This disclaimer is in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 http://www.access.gpo.gov/nara/cfr/waisidx_03/16cfr255_03.html> : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

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Review 9 for The Masculine Mandate: God's Calling to Men

Overall Rating:

5 out of 5

What every man needs to read and be!

Date:November 12, 2010

Life Long Reader

Top 1000 Contributor

Location:Howard City, MI

Age:25-34

Gender:male

Quality:

5 out of 5

Value:

5 out of 5

Meets Expectations:

5 out of 5

When was the last time you saw a sign that said "Men Needed?" Probably never but we certainly should. In his new book "The Masculine Mandate: God's Calling to Men", Richard Phillips says this is exactly what we need - Men. Phillips contends that we don't merely need the kind of men that like to hike, camp or hunt but the kind of men that God has called men to be - godly, manly men. Phillips believes that both the secular and Christian cultures have watered down and miss-communicated God's idea of a man. Through both exegesis and application Phillips explains both the Masculine Mandate and how it applies to the life of a man.

In the first section Phillips starts in Genesis 2 and identifies four essential aspects of a man. First, who man is - he is created by God from the dust of the ground and in His image. Second, where man is - God placed man in the garden. Third, what man is - as mandated by God, man is a lord over creation and God's servant. Fourth, how man obeys God - man obeys God by working and keeping the garden. It is the fourth aspect of man, obedience through work, which Phillips concentrates on during the first section of the book. With Genesis 2:15 as the foundation Phillips says, "We are to devote ourselves to working/building and keeping/protecting everything placed into our charge (pg., 12)." The two concepts of working and keeping are the basis around which God gives man his calling and purpose. Similarly foundational to these concepts is the fact that man was created in the image of God (Gen. 1:26-17). From this Phillips states the purpose of man,

"Revealing the glory of God to a sin-darkened world so that He will be praised and that lost sinners will be saved by coming to know the Lord. The great purpose of our lives is to reveal the glory and grace of God both by what we do and who we are (pg., 34)."

In the second part Phillips explores how the Masculine Mandate is applied to a man's life. First, there is his marriage as an institution created by God. While discussing the purpose for God's creation of and Eve for Adam, Phillips rightly points out that God did not create her as a "companion" or "mate" but rather a "helper":

"God said Adam needed a "helper" because it places the primary emphasis on the shared mandate to work and keep God's creation under the man's leadership (pg., 58)."

As a helper women are equal as persons and yet God created them with complimentary differences to help in the fulfillment of God's mandate. Phillips emphasizes that men need to pursue women and not just a career. Second, there is his marriage as cured by sin. Phillips aptly notes that when Eve presented the fruit to Adam to eat "he thought he must choose between the woman and God, between the gift (the woman) and the Giver (pg., 68)." The curse has put a strain on marriage but has not diminished its inherent created goodness. Phillips explains that the curse has affected the marriage relationship by God drawing the man "unwholesomely away from the woman, even as God's curse on the woman draws her unwholesomely toward the man (pg., 73)." Third, there is his ministry in his marriage. Drawn from Ephesians 5:26, Phillips challenges men to have a "nurturing ministry of love toward his wife (pg., 83)."

Moving from a man's marriage to his children, Phillips applies the Masculine Mandate to men as nurturers of their hearts towards Christ and keepers of their hearts from sin (pg., 94). A father is to both discipline and disciple his children. Phillips expands these two principles and gives many insightful points of application.

Phillips moves from the family to a man's friendships. He draws from the Biblical friendship of David and Jonathan from I Samuel. To be a manly friend one must be willing to initiate friendship, ask how he can help the other and seek to encourage other men in the faith. Not only is a man to be a friend but he is to be a church-men. Once again applying the creational mandate to "work" Phillips contends that men are to be about the work of the ministry of the church (pg., 131). He is to be a proclaimer and protector of the truth.

Finally, the Masculine Mandate is summed up in his service to the Lord in all areas of his life. While he may retire from his job, he is never to retire in his service to the Lord (pg., 144). He is to be a disciple and disciple-maker as long as he can until the day he dies. He is to see his calling as a gift from God and is to serve the Lord with joy and humility. A man "works" for the Lord so that he can hear Jesus say to him, "Well done, good and faithful servant. Enter into the joy of your Master (Matt. 25:21)."

I strongly recommend this book to all married and to-be married men! It should be read both personally and would give its greatest benefit if it were used as a small group study for men. Read it! Apply it! Share it!

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