"Disciplines of a Godly Man" by R. Kent Hughes

Discipline is a word that is experiencing a revival among men today. While it has become par for the course for men to abdicate all responsibility and discipline (as is allowed them by our modern culture) many men (both Christian and non) are rejecting the cultural attempts to destroy historical and traditional manhood by taking up the weight that many are saying they ought to be laying down in an attempt to destroy the patriarchy.

Enter Disciplines of a Godly Man by R. Kent Hughes. This book addresses the inadequacies of modern discipline in men as it relates to their relationships, souls, characters, and ministries. Each of these facets of male life are divided into subsections in order to produce "do's and don'ts" of a Godly man. Every chapter (in the updated edition) is concluded with a study guide for self- or group-reflection and application.

Purity demands that we live out Paul's dictum: "Train yourself for Godliness" - holy sweat!

Hughes starts out by examining the various parts of Godly relationships from the perspective of men, and rightly begins by discussing purity. He compares our modern culture to that of the Corinthians, even labelling ours a "pornotopian" culture. This is a valuable address, as it is indisputable that pornography has taken hold on the vast majority (if not all) of the young men in American culture, and a large majority of American Christians. To call this sin what it is, and not leave it there, but actually propose ways of escaping from its clutches, is appreciated beyond measure. Not one to shy away from being considered a radical, Hughes recommends things that are so Biblical that they seem extreme to the modern reader. Some of them led to the thought, "Oh, but if a man did that, even his Christian friends would say he was being ridiculous." Hughes might respond, for the sake of Christ, the Gospel, and the purity of your soul - be ridiculous.

While this section also includes chapters on marriage and fatherhood (both integral to Godly manhood), I was most taken aback by the chapter on friendship. Focusing on the friendship of David and Jonathan, this chapter asserts the need of men to have other men of like minds to stand by them as well as keep them accountable. These two aspects - support and accountability - are oftentimes missing altogether from men's lives and it shows. Weaknesses in either confidence or humility show themselves in typically very public ways that regularly end in disaster.

I give no quarter to myself or anyone else who rationalizes his present choices by the past. Brothers, as Christians we are free to have a Christian mind. It is within our reach, and developing it is our duty.

The section on the soul of a Godly man focuses first on the lack of distinction between the modern Christian and non-Christian, as well as the notable disparity between men and women. Hughes notes our lack of difference from non-Christians specifically in terms of morality, and our deficiency of commitment, integrity, and upstanding character in contrast to women in terms of church attendance as well as workplace reliability. These chapters may have proven to be the most challenging were they not immediately followed by a section on character that obliterates the common man.

Hughes' chapter on the Discipline of Tongue is stifling to say the least. Reading the chapter is like having all of the air vacuumed out of a room and then being told to jog a few laps. That chapter alone crushes any remaining pride or hubris that the reader has left to stand on saying, "I am a Godly man!" Rather, we become like Isaiah and bow with no other words to say but, "I am a man of unclean lips."

The chapters on Ministry are very largely based on examining Biblical characters. The chapter on leadership examines Joshua throughout his life, while the chapter on witnessing examines Andrew. These chapters, however, are dwarfed by a seemingly unsuspected challenger - the chapter on giving. Diving deep into the Old Testament roots of the tithe(s), as well as the New Testament precedent of "grace giving" as Hughes calls it, this chapter teaches more in its 10 pages than I had previously understood in a lifetime of church attendance. It is phenomenal!