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The Resolution for Men
The Resolution for Men is the inspiring book born out of Courageous, a new film by the makers of Fireproof coming to theaters nationwide in fall 2011. The movie, which presents a powerful story of strong male leadership, is an emotionally charged wake-up call to fathers whose influence upon their children and society is immeasurable. The Resolution for Men follows to challenge men of all ages to become as bold and intentional about embracing their responsibilities as leaders of their homes, marriages, and children. Written by Stephen and Alex Kendrick, screenwriters of Courageous and authors of New York Times No. 1 best seller The Love Dare (five million copies sold), The Resolution for Men strategically inspires men to reconcile with their past, re-engage in the present by taking full responsibility for their wives and children, and then move forward with a bold and clear resolution for the future. Written in partnership with the movie and Priscilla Shirer’s new book, The Resolution for Women, it is designed to inspire a revolution.
275 pages, Kindle Edition
First published July 31, 2011
383 people are currently reading
1302 people want to read
About the author
Stephen Kendrick
88 books228 followersStephen Kendrick (born June 10, 1974) is an American film writer and producer, co-writer of the book The Love Dare with brother Alex Kendrick, and former senior associate pastor at Sherwood Baptist Church in Albany, Georgia. Stephen, Shannon and Alex Kendrick comprise Kendrick Brothers Productions.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 126 reviews
January 6, 2012
This is an absolute MUST READ for any Christian father, father-to-be, husband or husband-to-be -- and for every mother, mother-to-be, wife and wife-to-be. Very rarely do I get this excited about a book - and I have many on my bookshelf!
As families continue to crumble and fall and ex-life partners struggle to figure out why, it is imperative that the Church reinforce the roles of husband and wife that are very clearly laid out in the Bible and that husbands and wives take up the challenge of those roles instead of trying to define and live out their own as based on what society deems right and popular.
I would very strongly recommend that both husbands and wives read both the Resolution for Men and the Resolution for Women so that each can hold the other partner accountable for actions, inactions and ways of thinking that are not in keeping with God's ways and teachings.
Our families and children need strong fathers more than ever. Fathers/husbands that know the difference between loving and respecting and cherishing and being dominating and abusive and manipulative. Fathers, contrary to popular opinion, are integral to raising healthy, well-rounded kids, and to keeping a marriage together. When fathers negate their God-ordained role or abuse that role for purposes that God never intended, then families suffer. "A man cannot be passive about what Scripture tells him to do for his family and expect to be found faithful to God in the end." (page 3)
This is a lesson that every man, and every young man who has visions of being a husband and father in his life needs to read.
As families continue to crumble and fall and ex-life partners struggle to figure out why, it is imperative that the Church reinforce the roles of husband and wife that are very clearly laid out in the Bible and that husbands and wives take up the challenge of those roles instead of trying to define and live out their own as based on what society deems right and popular.
I would very strongly recommend that both husbands and wives read both the Resolution for Men and the Resolution for Women so that each can hold the other partner accountable for actions, inactions and ways of thinking that are not in keeping with God's ways and teachings.
Our families and children need strong fathers more than ever. Fathers/husbands that know the difference between loving and respecting and cherishing and being dominating and abusive and manipulative. Fathers, contrary to popular opinion, are integral to raising healthy, well-rounded kids, and to keeping a marriage together. When fathers negate their God-ordained role or abuse that role for purposes that God never intended, then families suffer. "A man cannot be passive about what Scripture tells him to do for his family and expect to be found faithful to God in the end." (page 3)
This is a lesson that every man, and every young man who has visions of being a husband and father in his life needs to read.
April 29, 2016
Es un libro cuyo propósito no es entretener o hacerte sentir bien. Es un libro que cuestiona el rol de los hombres en nuestra sociedad y nuestra era. El autor no busca simplemente que tengas información, sino que hace un llamado a la acción. Cualquier hombre que lo lea, aún sin estar de acuerdo con todas las ideas expresadas por su autor, se beneficiará y mirará su rol en su familia y la sociedad de manera diferente.
January 3, 2012
“A man cannot be passive about what Scripture tells him to do for his family and expect to be found faithful to God in the end. He must see with spiritual eyes and realize that future generations are directly impacted by his daily decisions.” –The Resolution for Men
The Resolution for Men is the inspiring book born out of Courageous, a new film by the makers of Fireproof coming to theaters nationwide in fall 2011. The movie, which presents a powerful story of strong male leadership, is an emotionally charged wake-up call to fathers whose influence upon their children and society is immeasurable. The Resolution for Men follows to challenge men of all ages to become as bold and intentional about embracing their responsibilities as leaders of their homes, marriages, and children.
Written by Stephen and Alex Kendrick, screenwriters of Courageous and authors of New York Times No. 1 best seller The Love Dare (five million copies sold), The Resolution for Men strategically inspires men to reconcile with their past, re-engage in the present by taking full responsibility for their wives and children, and then move forward with a bold and clear resolution for the future. Written in partnership with the movie and Priscilla Shirer’s new book, The Resolution for Women, it is designed to inspire a revolution.”
After seeing the widely popular “Courageous” movie, I was determined to follow up by reading the book by Randy Alcorn as well as the “Resolution” books for men and for women.
An important point that is stressed in all of the books is the fact that there is an ongoing attack on the men’s role in the family and in the church. Men are relinquishing their spiritual role in the home and within the church while pursuing career and lifestyle. This is not a new idea. The erosion of the family has been an ongoing attack of the enemy (Satan) since the dawn of man. The result however in a world where divorce is rampant, alternative lifestyles are accepted as normal and children are raised more and more by a single parent, women are fast becoming the spiritual leaders in the home, and while that may not seem bad, (especially in a single parent home) it is not biblical.
The book is meant to inspire, challenge and encourage men pointing them to accept their God-given responsibility to lead by example and be courageous even in the face of great opposition and adversity.
I highly recommend reading this book and the other “Courageous” books. As several of the reviewers have stated, these books are not meant to be read and then shelved. They need to be read, discussed, pondered upon so that the message is ingrained and applied daily.
“Book has been provided courtesy of David C Cook and Graf-Martin Communications, Inc.
Available at your favourite bookseller from B&H Publishing Group”.
The Resolution for Men is the inspiring book born out of Courageous, a new film by the makers of Fireproof coming to theaters nationwide in fall 2011. The movie, which presents a powerful story of strong male leadership, is an emotionally charged wake-up call to fathers whose influence upon their children and society is immeasurable. The Resolution for Men follows to challenge men of all ages to become as bold and intentional about embracing their responsibilities as leaders of their homes, marriages, and children.
Written by Stephen and Alex Kendrick, screenwriters of Courageous and authors of New York Times No. 1 best seller The Love Dare (five million copies sold), The Resolution for Men strategically inspires men to reconcile with their past, re-engage in the present by taking full responsibility for their wives and children, and then move forward with a bold and clear resolution for the future. Written in partnership with the movie and Priscilla Shirer’s new book, The Resolution for Women, it is designed to inspire a revolution.”
After seeing the widely popular “Courageous” movie, I was determined to follow up by reading the book by Randy Alcorn as well as the “Resolution” books for men and for women.
An important point that is stressed in all of the books is the fact that there is an ongoing attack on the men’s role in the family and in the church. Men are relinquishing their spiritual role in the home and within the church while pursuing career and lifestyle. This is not a new idea. The erosion of the family has been an ongoing attack of the enemy (Satan) since the dawn of man. The result however in a world where divorce is rampant, alternative lifestyles are accepted as normal and children are raised more and more by a single parent, women are fast becoming the spiritual leaders in the home, and while that may not seem bad, (especially in a single parent home) it is not biblical.
The book is meant to inspire, challenge and encourage men pointing them to accept their God-given responsibility to lead by example and be courageous even in the face of great opposition and adversity.
I highly recommend reading this book and the other “Courageous” books. As several of the reviewers have stated, these books are not meant to be read and then shelved. They need to be read, discussed, pondered upon so that the message is ingrained and applied daily.
“Book has been provided courtesy of David C Cook and Graf-Martin Communications, Inc.
Available at your favourite bookseller from B&H Publishing Group”.
March 13, 2024
Representa todo un Reto! Lo recomiendo al 100!
April 29, 2013
Finally done. This book was terrible. I didn't disagree with anything it said, I just couldn't stand the way it said it. Most often, the authors assumed the worst in their audience and used exaggerated pictures of poor manhood to set up their aruguments. They weren't wrong per se, they just missed their audience. I am glad to be done with this and would not pass it along to anyone.
March 1, 2016
Nothing new, but just what was needed. The introductory chapter is really powerful. This is a good devotional read.
February 20, 2012
The Resolution for Men is not the kind of book that I would normally read. In fact, I think I've only read one book like it before, John Eldredge's Wild at Heart, and that as a single lad in college. Now, with nearly five years of marriage under my belt, and almost a year of being a father, books like Resolution seem more appropriate. Resolution, written by brothers Stephen & Alex Kendrick, is an accompanying resource book for last year's Courageous, a quasi-companion to Fireproof.
Point blank, I've seen neither of these movies, though from what I hear, they're "wonderful." Personally, I just don't see the appeal. I get that Christian movies are clean and wholesome and powerful and filled with a message, but generally the acting and budgets are not comparable to a Hollywood powerhouse. Now I'm not knocking these movies, and I'm glad that they exist. No, what I have problems with is the fact that the movie is labeled as a "Christian" movie, relegating it into a genre that's typically laughed at and ignored. Anyone who's read this blog very long knows that I dislike labels and genres, whether it's for film or books or music or whatever. If you want to reach a larger audience then remove the genre classification. Until then, we'll remain a splintered people, separated by race, religion, and many other things.
With that said, Resolutionis a non-fictional book about what it means to be a Man. To be a good husband. To be a good dad. Or, from the Introduction,
Continuing my confession, I would very likely never have read Resolutionon my own. It's just not my norm. As it so happened, my Wednesday morning D-group (which we affectionately call "Coffee Talk") decided to read this book together. What's more, we decided that after we finished that we would pledge the "Resolution" the book provides, affirming our intentions publicly and in the presence of others. This "Resolution" is the focus of the book, as it precedes and concludes the text. Each of the fifteen chapters point to the twelve points made in the "Resolution", and all build upon one another as expected.
To make things even more difficult, I literally started reading the book a day or two before my dad died. Because of the book's content, my mind had been thinking about him a lot at the time. Thinking about how he was never there for us and how little he was involved in my life. The book speaks of being a chain-breaker in your family, and I had a clear goal in mind for my life of how not to be. Reading the book was cementing the way to that goal. Then he died, and all the difficult parts about fatherhood were suddenly clearer and made more of an impact.
I came into Resolutionwith no real expectations, what I found was a book containing a lot of great information about being a Man of God. I like to read with ink pens and highlighters at my disposal, and this book shows it. Many of the pages are scribbled with notes or underlines, things I found particularly insightful or applicable. Consider (and I apologize for the quote-dump here),
This is just a smattering of things I marked. For you see, Resolutionoffered much more than I was expecting. Not only did the authors give theory behind things they recommended, but they went beyond that by offering practical things to do. I appreciate reading a book with suggestions for how to apply to my life. Too often, it seems, that these books only offer us reasons why we need to do things a certain way but not how to go about it.
I've already mentioned the "Resolution" at the front and back of the book, but it's worth mentioning again. I think the desire of the authors is to get men to recommit themselves to seeking a lifestyle that's reflective of biblical manhood. The Resolution is a solemn compact that should not be entered into half-hearted. I imagine that there are some who have qualms about making that type of commitment and instead just gloss over that part of the book, but as for me, it's something I'm going to do. The "Resolution" is composed of great points that not only will make us better men, but will draw us closer to God.
Stephen & Alex Kendrick's Resolution for Men is not a perfect book. There are plenty of instances that I completely disagreed with, where I felt that they were being too legalistic or too dogmatic, but these were uncommon. At times I also felt like they were repetitive in their message, but this could be that they just wanted to make sure that their message was heard. Even so, these brothers are to be applauded for the book they've produced. It's poignant and much needed in modern day America. If you're wondering what it takes to be a better husband, a better father, and a better Man in general, then let me suggest checking out The Resolution for Men.
[Note: Just in case you're curious, there's also a Resolution for Women out there. I can't attest to its content, but if it's like this one, then I do recommend it, too.]
Point blank, I've seen neither of these movies, though from what I hear, they're "wonderful." Personally, I just don't see the appeal. I get that Christian movies are clean and wholesome and powerful and filled with a message, but generally the acting and budgets are not comparable to a Hollywood powerhouse. Now I'm not knocking these movies, and I'm glad that they exist. No, what I have problems with is the fact that the movie is labeled as a "Christian" movie, relegating it into a genre that's typically laughed at and ignored. Anyone who's read this blog very long knows that I dislike labels and genres, whether it's for film or books or music or whatever. If you want to reach a larger audience then remove the genre classification. Until then, we'll remain a splintered people, separated by race, religion, and many other things.
With that said, Resolutionis a non-fictional book about what it means to be a Man. To be a good husband. To be a good dad. Or, from the Introduction,
This book is an unapologetic call for men to live courageously for their faith and their families. It is designed to strategically challenge you to become the man God created you to be. (page1)
Continuing my confession, I would very likely never have read Resolutionon my own. It's just not my norm. As it so happened, my Wednesday morning D-group (which we affectionately call "Coffee Talk") decided to read this book together. What's more, we decided that after we finished that we would pledge the "Resolution" the book provides, affirming our intentions publicly and in the presence of others. This "Resolution" is the focus of the book, as it precedes and concludes the text. Each of the fifteen chapters point to the twelve points made in the "Resolution", and all build upon one another as expected.
To make things even more difficult, I literally started reading the book a day or two before my dad died. Because of the book's content, my mind had been thinking about him a lot at the time. Thinking about how he was never there for us and how little he was involved in my life. The book speaks of being a chain-breaker in your family, and I had a clear goal in mind for my life of how not to be. Reading the book was cementing the way to that goal. Then he died, and all the difficult parts about fatherhood were suddenly clearer and made more of an impact.
I came into Resolutionwith no real expectations, what I found was a book containing a lot of great information about being a Man of God. I like to read with ink pens and highlighters at my disposal, and this book shows it. Many of the pages are scribbled with notes or underlines, things I found particularly insightful or applicable. Consider (and I apologize for the quote-dump here),
*All sin in us reveals that God is not as holy to us as He should be. (p89)
*[And] the more maturity a man has, the more responsibility God can trust him with. (p62)
*If you want to get to the core of who people really are, get them to start talking about their dad. (p14)
*God's Word commands husbands and fathers to lovingly lead their homes. As men, we are to walk in honor and integrity and fully embrace our responsibilities as shepherds over our families. We are called to model a loving, Christlike example for our wives and children... Therefore--because this is God's calling--it's no mystery that a godless culture would mock and constantly undermine fatherhood, attacking and inverting what God designs and values. (p13)
*Strong relationships and marriages don't happen because people never hurt each other. They happen because the people involved keep on forgiving. (p172)
*Being a Christian once meant faithfully and boldly representing Christ, even when it came at great risk, even when it meant being unpopular. But too many men today have redefined being Christlike to mean "nice and quiet." (p137)
This is just a smattering of things I marked. For you see, Resolutionoffered much more than I was expecting. Not only did the authors give theory behind things they recommended, but they went beyond that by offering practical things to do. I appreciate reading a book with suggestions for how to apply to my life. Too often, it seems, that these books only offer us reasons why we need to do things a certain way but not how to go about it.
I've already mentioned the "Resolution" at the front and back of the book, but it's worth mentioning again. I think the desire of the authors is to get men to recommit themselves to seeking a lifestyle that's reflective of biblical manhood. The Resolution is a solemn compact that should not be entered into half-hearted. I imagine that there are some who have qualms about making that type of commitment and instead just gloss over that part of the book, but as for me, it's something I'm going to do. The "Resolution" is composed of great points that not only will make us better men, but will draw us closer to God.
Stephen & Alex Kendrick's Resolution for Men is not a perfect book. There are plenty of instances that I completely disagreed with, where I felt that they were being too legalistic or too dogmatic, but these were uncommon. At times I also felt like they were repetitive in their message, but this could be that they just wanted to make sure that their message was heard. Even so, these brothers are to be applauded for the book they've produced. It's poignant and much needed in modern day America. If you're wondering what it takes to be a better husband, a better father, and a better Man in general, then let me suggest checking out The Resolution for Men.
[Note: Just in case you're curious, there's also a Resolution for Women out there. I can't attest to its content, but if it's like this one, then I do recommend it, too.]
March 2, 2022
This was an incredible book and film. I first saw the film years ago and discovered the quality, frameable Resolutions which I bought and signed in front of my wife at our wedding.
There is a lot to digest in this book and it's going to be one that stays on my bookshelf for a long time to reference back to. It's powerful and convicting!
There is a lot to digest in this book and it's going to be one that stays on my bookshelf for a long time to reference back to. It's powerful and convicting!
February 20, 2017
Challenging and encouraging!
The book was full of wisdom and forces men to evaluate their own walk concerning being a man of accountability to God and your family. It makes me want to run out and encourage men to share in the experience that I feel so their lives can be enriched.
The book was full of wisdom and forces men to evaluate their own walk concerning being a man of accountability to God and your family. It makes me want to run out and encourage men to share in the experience that I feel so their lives can be enriched.
October 16, 2015
This book is a mile wide and an inch deep. It hits on a topic or idea for 3-4 sentences and then quickly moves on, making you feel like you've covered a ton but very little of the details really stick. It rattles off random verses throughout the book instead of diving into a verse or chapter of a pick. It is basically an entire book of existential preaching which is kind of like candy: fine in small doses but unhealthy in large doses.
It started off poorly to me because it took 100 pages of a 300 page book to actually dive into the thesis of the book. The first 1/3 of the book is filler with cheap analogies and random promotions of the movie that this book is based off of. It was just so much "rah rah" and tying things back to the title of the book that it felt promotional.
Last of my complaints is that it cherry picked translations so much so that within the same paragraph they would have different translations of the Bible being quoted.
That all being said, there were some good nuggets throughout the book. Mostly it is geared towards fathers but I would say the other half of it is still good for adult male Christians.
It started off poorly to me because it took 100 pages of a 300 page book to actually dive into the thesis of the book. The first 1/3 of the book is filler with cheap analogies and random promotions of the movie that this book is based off of. It was just so much "rah rah" and tying things back to the title of the book that it felt promotional.
Last of my complaints is that it cherry picked translations so much so that within the same paragraph they would have different translations of the Bible being quoted.
That all being said, there were some good nuggets throughout the book. Mostly it is geared towards fathers but I would say the other half of it is still good for adult male Christians.
February 19, 2012
It was an excellent book that is challenging me to be more courageous as a father. I wish I would have read the discussion questions on page 251 first before I read each chapter. I read through the entire book wanting to lead my family as the spiritual leader. Thank you Stephen Kendrick for sharing this book and teaching us to be a courageous father.
December 22, 2012
challenging
September 29, 2014
Buku “Resolusi Seorang Pria” merupakan buku ketiga bertema “bagaimana menjadi pria sejati” yang pernah saya baca. Dua buku lainnya, “Adam Harus Bicara” oleh Rm. Deshi Ramadhani SJ dan “Be a Man: Becoming the Man God Created You to Be” oleh Rm. Larry Richard juga membicarakan hal yang serupa. Lalu saya juga membaca buku yang agak mirip dengan tema ini namun sedikit berbeda, yakni buku “Self Driving: Menjadi Driver atau Passenger” oleh Prof. Rhenald Kasali, Ph.D.. Saya akan membahas buku ini dengan membandingkan buku-buku yang saya sebutkan tadi.
Okay, jadi buku ini berbicara tentang bagaimana menjadi pria sesuai dengan tujuan pria itu diciptakan. Penulis menantang para pria untuk menjalankan berbagai resolusi dalam buku tersebut. Tentu, resolusi yang ditetapkan sangat biblis, mengingat buku ini ditulis oleh seorang Protestan yang menjadikan Kitab Suci sebagai satu-satunya sumber kebenaran. Bagi yang ingin membaca buku versi Katoliknya, saya sarankan anda memesan buku “Be a Man: Becoming the Man God Created You to Be” atau buku “Adam Harus Bicara.”
Menurut saya, terdapat beberapa keunggulan dalam buku ini:
Pertama, buku ini menggunakan pendekatan biblis. Jadi ada banyak ayat Kitab Suci yang digunakan. Saya berpendapat bahwa berlimpahnya ayat Kitab Suci yang ada ini dapat dimanfaatkan bagi para pembaca Katolik untuk melakukan lectio divina, sehingga mereka dapat semakin menghayati Kitab Suci sesuai dengan kebutuhan masing-masing. Sekalipun ini buku pria, ayat-ayat KS yang ada juga cukup relevan untuk direnungkan oleh para wanita.
Kedua, ada banyak insights yang sangat bagus dan perlu diperhatikan. Sebagai contoh, buku ini mengajak para pria untuk memutus belenggu masa lalu yang mengikatnya (baca: menyembuhkan luka batin), mendorong para pria untuk memenuhi kebutuhan fisik, psikis, dan terutama rohani istrinya dan anak-anaknya. Tidak hanya itu, para pria juga diundang untuk menyatakan kehadirannya bagi anak-anaknya secara emosional, terlibat langsung dalam mendidik mereka. Ini poin yang sangat menarik karena berdasarkan pengalaman pribadi saya, anak laki-laki memang membutuhkan kehadiran ayah tidak hanya secara fisik, tapi juga emosional. Mereka membutuhkan pengakuan dan penghargaan dari ayah mereka. Yang tidak kalah menariknya juga, buku ini menekankan pentingnya meninggalkan legacy (warisan). Bagaimana seorang pria sejati, di mana pun mereka berada, berjuang untuk membuat orang-orang atau lingkungan yang akan mereka tinggalkan nanti menjadi lebih baik dan bermakna.
Oh, hampir lupa, insights lainnya ialah perlunya ritual bagi mereka yang akan melakukan transisi dari masa remaja menuju dewasa. Ritual semacam ini menandakan sebuah peralihan yang jelas, kapan seseorang berhenti sebagai anak-anak dan mulai bertingkah laku sebagai pria dewasa.
Ketiga, secara implisit, buku ini mengajarkan tentang beberapa virtue alias kebajikan atau keutamaan, yang perlu dimiliki kaum Adam, seperti keberanian, keadilan, kesetiaan, dan kerendahan hati. Ini hal yang bagus, karena kepribadian seseorang memang perlu dikembangkan dengan menerapkan virtue setiap harinya.
Keempat, penulis buku ini menghimbau para pembacanya untuk menjalani resolusi ini bersama dengan pria-pria lain yang memiliki motivasi dan komitmen yang sama. Hal ini menunjukkan pentingnya keberadaan significant other dalam proses transformasi diri. Toh murid Yesus pun diutus berdua-dua, sehingga memang diperlukan rekan seperjalanan yang dapat saling menghibur dan menguatkan satu sama lain.
Sekarang mari kita melihat beberapa kelemahan buku ini.
Pertama, cara penulisan resolusi yang kurang tepat. Pada buku ini, resolusi ditulis menggunakan pola “saya akan…”. Kelemahan penulisan dengan pola tersebut ialah: kapan anda mau mulai menjalaninya? Besok? Lusa? Bulan depan? Tidak ada kejelasan waktu dan sense of urgency dalam kalimat resolusinya. Akan lebih baik bila resolusi diawali dengan kalimat “Sejak detik ini, saya mau…” Kata “sejak detik ini” menandakan bahwa perubahan dimulai dari sekarang, bukan besok atau kapanpun.
Penggunaan kata “mau” menunjukkan bahwa kita lah yang menjadi kapten dan pemimpin diri kita. Kita yang memegang kemudi kehidupan kita. Kata “mau” menggambarkan kedewasaan, keinginan, dan independensi. Sangat berkebalikan dengan kata “harus” seolah-olah kita harus menjalani apa yang tidak sesuai dengan keinginan kita, dan bila kita tidak melakukannya, kita akan merasa bersalah. Mengingat buku ini menggunakan pendekatan biblis, maka saya rasa saya bisa mentolerir sudut pandang “seharusnya” yang terasa dalam buku ini.
Kedua, ada kalimat yang berbunyi “menurut statistik…” tanpa merujuk kepada referensi. Jadi pembaca tidak bisa mengetahui secara pasti “statistik” yang seperti apa yang dimaksud.
Ketiga, memang ada banyak insights yang saya sebutkan. Meskipun demikian, insights tersebut kurang dielaborasi dan dijelaskan mengapa hal ini penting, dari sudut pandang ilmiah. Sejauh yang saya ingat, buku “Adam Harus Bicara” jauh lebih unggul penjabarannya terhadap insights yang ada (penulis akan membaca ulang buku tersebut dan menuliskan review nya sebagai pembanding). Buku “Self Driving: Menjadi Driver atau Passenger” juga memiliki kelebihan dalam muatan ilmiahnya.
Keempat, ada banyak virtues yang dibahas, namun hanya sebatas teori atau penjelasan dan kurang contoh nyata. Ada ungkapan “virtue preached isn’t always attractive, but virtue lived is always attractive”, seandainya penjelasan dilengkapi dengan pelbagai contoh individu yang berhasil menjalani virtue tersebut, maka buku ini akan semakin menarik untuk dibaca. Oleh karena itu, buku “Self Driving” memiliki nilai tambah tersendiri karena adanya keseimbangan penjelasan dalam teori dan praktek.
Kelima, bagi saya pribadi, entah kenapa membaca buku ini tidak menimbulkan emosi atau hasrat yang tinggi untuk mau mengubah diri saya, berbeda dengan beragam artikel di website “The Art of Manliness” (AoM) yang sering membuat saya merasa lebih bersemangat. Bisa jadi karena saya sudah terlebih dahulu menghidupi resolusi yang sama, sehingga saya tidak merasakan sesuatu yang baru. Bila pembaca tertarik, silakan membaca artikel-artikel di AoM (klik link di atas) lalu membaca buku ini, kemudian bandingkan perasaan-perasaan yang muncul setelah membaca keduanya.
Review ini pertama kali diterbitkan di blog Perpus Katolik: http://perpuskatolik.wordpress.com/20...
Okay, jadi buku ini berbicara tentang bagaimana menjadi pria sesuai dengan tujuan pria itu diciptakan. Penulis menantang para pria untuk menjalankan berbagai resolusi dalam buku tersebut. Tentu, resolusi yang ditetapkan sangat biblis, mengingat buku ini ditulis oleh seorang Protestan yang menjadikan Kitab Suci sebagai satu-satunya sumber kebenaran. Bagi yang ingin membaca buku versi Katoliknya, saya sarankan anda memesan buku “Be a Man: Becoming the Man God Created You to Be” atau buku “Adam Harus Bicara.”
Menurut saya, terdapat beberapa keunggulan dalam buku ini:
Pertama, buku ini menggunakan pendekatan biblis. Jadi ada banyak ayat Kitab Suci yang digunakan. Saya berpendapat bahwa berlimpahnya ayat Kitab Suci yang ada ini dapat dimanfaatkan bagi para pembaca Katolik untuk melakukan lectio divina, sehingga mereka dapat semakin menghayati Kitab Suci sesuai dengan kebutuhan masing-masing. Sekalipun ini buku pria, ayat-ayat KS yang ada juga cukup relevan untuk direnungkan oleh para wanita.
Kedua, ada banyak insights yang sangat bagus dan perlu diperhatikan. Sebagai contoh, buku ini mengajak para pria untuk memutus belenggu masa lalu yang mengikatnya (baca: menyembuhkan luka batin), mendorong para pria untuk memenuhi kebutuhan fisik, psikis, dan terutama rohani istrinya dan anak-anaknya. Tidak hanya itu, para pria juga diundang untuk menyatakan kehadirannya bagi anak-anaknya secara emosional, terlibat langsung dalam mendidik mereka. Ini poin yang sangat menarik karena berdasarkan pengalaman pribadi saya, anak laki-laki memang membutuhkan kehadiran ayah tidak hanya secara fisik, tapi juga emosional. Mereka membutuhkan pengakuan dan penghargaan dari ayah mereka. Yang tidak kalah menariknya juga, buku ini menekankan pentingnya meninggalkan legacy (warisan). Bagaimana seorang pria sejati, di mana pun mereka berada, berjuang untuk membuat orang-orang atau lingkungan yang akan mereka tinggalkan nanti menjadi lebih baik dan bermakna.
Oh, hampir lupa, insights lainnya ialah perlunya ritual bagi mereka yang akan melakukan transisi dari masa remaja menuju dewasa. Ritual semacam ini menandakan sebuah peralihan yang jelas, kapan seseorang berhenti sebagai anak-anak dan mulai bertingkah laku sebagai pria dewasa.
Ketiga, secara implisit, buku ini mengajarkan tentang beberapa virtue alias kebajikan atau keutamaan, yang perlu dimiliki kaum Adam, seperti keberanian, keadilan, kesetiaan, dan kerendahan hati. Ini hal yang bagus, karena kepribadian seseorang memang perlu dikembangkan dengan menerapkan virtue setiap harinya.
Keempat, penulis buku ini menghimbau para pembacanya untuk menjalani resolusi ini bersama dengan pria-pria lain yang memiliki motivasi dan komitmen yang sama. Hal ini menunjukkan pentingnya keberadaan significant other dalam proses transformasi diri. Toh murid Yesus pun diutus berdua-dua, sehingga memang diperlukan rekan seperjalanan yang dapat saling menghibur dan menguatkan satu sama lain.
Sekarang mari kita melihat beberapa kelemahan buku ini.
Pertama, cara penulisan resolusi yang kurang tepat. Pada buku ini, resolusi ditulis menggunakan pola “saya akan…”. Kelemahan penulisan dengan pola tersebut ialah: kapan anda mau mulai menjalaninya? Besok? Lusa? Bulan depan? Tidak ada kejelasan waktu dan sense of urgency dalam kalimat resolusinya. Akan lebih baik bila resolusi diawali dengan kalimat “Sejak detik ini, saya mau…” Kata “sejak detik ini” menandakan bahwa perubahan dimulai dari sekarang, bukan besok atau kapanpun.
Penggunaan kata “mau” menunjukkan bahwa kita lah yang menjadi kapten dan pemimpin diri kita. Kita yang memegang kemudi kehidupan kita. Kata “mau” menggambarkan kedewasaan, keinginan, dan independensi. Sangat berkebalikan dengan kata “harus” seolah-olah kita harus menjalani apa yang tidak sesuai dengan keinginan kita, dan bila kita tidak melakukannya, kita akan merasa bersalah. Mengingat buku ini menggunakan pendekatan biblis, maka saya rasa saya bisa mentolerir sudut pandang “seharusnya” yang terasa dalam buku ini.
Kedua, ada kalimat yang berbunyi “menurut statistik…” tanpa merujuk kepada referensi. Jadi pembaca tidak bisa mengetahui secara pasti “statistik” yang seperti apa yang dimaksud.
Ketiga, memang ada banyak insights yang saya sebutkan. Meskipun demikian, insights tersebut kurang dielaborasi dan dijelaskan mengapa hal ini penting, dari sudut pandang ilmiah. Sejauh yang saya ingat, buku “Adam Harus Bicara” jauh lebih unggul penjabarannya terhadap insights yang ada (penulis akan membaca ulang buku tersebut dan menuliskan review nya sebagai pembanding). Buku “Self Driving: Menjadi Driver atau Passenger” juga memiliki kelebihan dalam muatan ilmiahnya.
Keempat, ada banyak virtues yang dibahas, namun hanya sebatas teori atau penjelasan dan kurang contoh nyata. Ada ungkapan “virtue preached isn’t always attractive, but virtue lived is always attractive”, seandainya penjelasan dilengkapi dengan pelbagai contoh individu yang berhasil menjalani virtue tersebut, maka buku ini akan semakin menarik untuk dibaca. Oleh karena itu, buku “Self Driving” memiliki nilai tambah tersendiri karena adanya keseimbangan penjelasan dalam teori dan praktek.
Kelima, bagi saya pribadi, entah kenapa membaca buku ini tidak menimbulkan emosi atau hasrat yang tinggi untuk mau mengubah diri saya, berbeda dengan beragam artikel di website “The Art of Manliness” (AoM) yang sering membuat saya merasa lebih bersemangat. Bisa jadi karena saya sudah terlebih dahulu menghidupi resolusi yang sama, sehingga saya tidak merasakan sesuatu yang baru. Bila pembaca tertarik, silakan membaca artikel-artikel di AoM (klik link di atas) lalu membaca buku ini, kemudian bandingkan perasaan-perasaan yang muncul setelah membaca keduanya.
Review ini pertama kali diterbitkan di blog Perpus Katolik: http://perpuskatolik.wordpress.com/20...
August 29, 2022
“Men resolved to be courageous don’t shy away from the struggle.”
While this exact quote is found in the dead center of the book, the Kendricks do a great job laying out from the very start that this is the foundation of the book. The authors revisit this concept effectively throughout the entire project, weaving it into their intro 10-commandments-style thesis they call “The Resolution,” and consistently referring to it and reframing it through to the closing appendix. Every statement, argument and statistic is built upon this premise. And it’s a good one.
Books like this one draw out the strongest of my opinions. About Christianity. About religion. About marriage. About fatherhood. But often those opinions don’t make it past my own mind’s ear. Due to my fears. Of being too judgmental. Of being proven a hypocrite. Of being interpreted as an arrogant asshole.
So the book had a profound effect on me. Because I resolve to be that courageous man who doesn’t shy person away from the struggle.
There were aspects of the book that were not a struggle. They were pleasant to read. They provided a little relief and inspiration. They were almost therapeutic in a way. I am one of those men with that lifelong struggle of being bitter about the context of his childhood. The parents who raised him to be scared and insecure. The school system that left him friendless. The arrogant and closed-minded church that heaped shame upon you for every sin and mistake.
And I’ve made decisions to escape the resulting pain and confusion. I’ve been looking for something that I knew I needed, but just didn’t understand. Freedom. Adventure. Fulfillment. Peace. A way to numb the shame. To escape the self-hatred. To prove everyone wrong. To prove my father wrong.
So therapy comes in reading chapter 3: “Becoming a chain breaker.”
From page 40: “The God who made the world and everything in it ... gives all men life and breath and everything else ... and he determined the times set for them and the exact places where they should live. God did this so that men would seek him and perhaps reach out for him and find him, though he is not far from each one of us. (Acts 17:24-27 NIV) ... Did you see that? God “determined the times” set for you and the “exact places” where you would live - for a reason - so that you would seek Him and ultimately find Him. No matter the circumstances of your birth, you were not an accident. God knew and allowed your parents to bring you into the world just the way they did and exactly when they did. ... It’s not a mistake that you are who you are and that your parents are (or were) your parents. And the truth is, if you were to know everything God knows, you wouldn’t have had it any other way.”
So I can continue to take the easy way of comparing myself to my neighbors and peers, seeing my failures bumped up against their successes, having pity on myself, and soaking in the warm pool of bitterness. Or I can take this truth to heart. And see the man I’ve become as a result of the struggle. Strong. Refined. Emotional. Aware. Relational. Loving. Adventurous. Courageous.
If it’s true that if I had God’s lenses that I wouldn’t have it any other way, then I can let go. I can move forward. Into freedom. Into fulfillment. Into peace.
The foundation this concept builds provides a strong foundation for the other substantial snippet of this book, found in chapter 7: “Resolve to bless your children”
From page 104, the authors effectively communicate what many fathers struggle to understand. The greatest commandment of fatherhood: Win the hearts of your children.
Quoting Josh McDowell: “You can be the greatest explainer of truth. But if the very heart of your son or daughter does not believe ‘my daddy loves me,’ they will walk away from your truth.”
“Whoever has thei heart has their ears ... children who trust their dad’s counsel and leadership are those whose fathers have been proactive in winning their hearts.”
“Intimacy is tied to feeling emotionally safe around someone.”
While the chapter goes on to make a shallow attempt at exactly how to capture your children’s hearts, the concept alone is a big one that at least plants a seed in a father’s awareness. And what I love most about the approach is that most dads simply aren’t aware of how profoundly damaging it can be to miss this concept. The most difficult part is understanding whether or not you have your kids hearts. Once you’ve figured that out, the how-tos are easy to figure out with time and effort.
In the end this felt like yet another book about the religion of Christianity, but this time with a slight uptick in emotional intellegence.
There are moments of brilliance that made the book worth reading. The way God’s sovereignty is described in chapter 3 was therapeutic and filled with grace, causing me to take a deep breath and release some anxiety about some of my past choices. The way chapter 4 empathized with my feeling of inadequacy energized me to keep reading and push through the moments that made me roll my eyes. The way repentance is described in chapter 13 is fresh and inspirational, causing me to actually want to pursue repentance in that very moment.
Unfortunately those moments of brilliance are short-lived, being quickly enveloped and swallowed whole by sudden shifts towards language that tastes like a combination of shame, religion and dust. Similar to most religious books, the authors seem to fight against the concept that there is beauty in the grey. That Christianity is about more than just sin-management and being a good person. That sometimes chaos and dirt are an instrumental part of a spiritually successful story. That there are gifts in our imperfections. That the ugliness that results from sin, mistakes and broken relationships is no less important to the display of beauty in our story than salvation, repentance and obedience.
This paradigm culminated in chapter 14, where we’re told “Don’t settle for the approval of men when you could gain the approval of God.” The brief statement that suggests we need to earn God’s approval summarizes the primary shortcoming of the book, one that tainted its value for me. Earn Gods approval because you don’t want to end up like the poor bastard in chapter 2.
In the end, I can’t say this book was a total waste of my time due to the few valuable nuggets, but I can’t recommend it to anyone due to the frustrating dry religious approach to being a man. Take a pass.
While this exact quote is found in the dead center of the book, the Kendricks do a great job laying out from the very start that this is the foundation of the book. The authors revisit this concept effectively throughout the entire project, weaving it into their intro 10-commandments-style thesis they call “The Resolution,” and consistently referring to it and reframing it through to the closing appendix. Every statement, argument and statistic is built upon this premise. And it’s a good one.
Books like this one draw out the strongest of my opinions. About Christianity. About religion. About marriage. About fatherhood. But often those opinions don’t make it past my own mind’s ear. Due to my fears. Of being too judgmental. Of being proven a hypocrite. Of being interpreted as an arrogant asshole.
So the book had a profound effect on me. Because I resolve to be that courageous man who doesn’t shy person away from the struggle.
There were aspects of the book that were not a struggle. They were pleasant to read. They provided a little relief and inspiration. They were almost therapeutic in a way. I am one of those men with that lifelong struggle of being bitter about the context of his childhood. The parents who raised him to be scared and insecure. The school system that left him friendless. The arrogant and closed-minded church that heaped shame upon you for every sin and mistake.
And I’ve made decisions to escape the resulting pain and confusion. I’ve been looking for something that I knew I needed, but just didn’t understand. Freedom. Adventure. Fulfillment. Peace. A way to numb the shame. To escape the self-hatred. To prove everyone wrong. To prove my father wrong.
So therapy comes in reading chapter 3: “Becoming a chain breaker.”
From page 40: “The God who made the world and everything in it ... gives all men life and breath and everything else ... and he determined the times set for them and the exact places where they should live. God did this so that men would seek him and perhaps reach out for him and find him, though he is not far from each one of us. (Acts 17:24-27 NIV) ... Did you see that? God “determined the times” set for you and the “exact places” where you would live - for a reason - so that you would seek Him and ultimately find Him. No matter the circumstances of your birth, you were not an accident. God knew and allowed your parents to bring you into the world just the way they did and exactly when they did. ... It’s not a mistake that you are who you are and that your parents are (or were) your parents. And the truth is, if you were to know everything God knows, you wouldn’t have had it any other way.”
So I can continue to take the easy way of comparing myself to my neighbors and peers, seeing my failures bumped up against their successes, having pity on myself, and soaking in the warm pool of bitterness. Or I can take this truth to heart. And see the man I’ve become as a result of the struggle. Strong. Refined. Emotional. Aware. Relational. Loving. Adventurous. Courageous.
If it’s true that if I had God’s lenses that I wouldn’t have it any other way, then I can let go. I can move forward. Into freedom. Into fulfillment. Into peace.
The foundation this concept builds provides a strong foundation for the other substantial snippet of this book, found in chapter 7: “Resolve to bless your children”
From page 104, the authors effectively communicate what many fathers struggle to understand. The greatest commandment of fatherhood: Win the hearts of your children.
Quoting Josh McDowell: “You can be the greatest explainer of truth. But if the very heart of your son or daughter does not believe ‘my daddy loves me,’ they will walk away from your truth.”
“Whoever has thei heart has their ears ... children who trust their dad’s counsel and leadership are those whose fathers have been proactive in winning their hearts.”
“Intimacy is tied to feeling emotionally safe around someone.”
While the chapter goes on to make a shallow attempt at exactly how to capture your children’s hearts, the concept alone is a big one that at least plants a seed in a father’s awareness. And what I love most about the approach is that most dads simply aren’t aware of how profoundly damaging it can be to miss this concept. The most difficult part is understanding whether or not you have your kids hearts. Once you’ve figured that out, the how-tos are easy to figure out with time and effort.
In the end this felt like yet another book about the religion of Christianity, but this time with a slight uptick in emotional intellegence.
There are moments of brilliance that made the book worth reading. The way God’s sovereignty is described in chapter 3 was therapeutic and filled with grace, causing me to take a deep breath and release some anxiety about some of my past choices. The way chapter 4 empathized with my feeling of inadequacy energized me to keep reading and push through the moments that made me roll my eyes. The way repentance is described in chapter 13 is fresh and inspirational, causing me to actually want to pursue repentance in that very moment.
Unfortunately those moments of brilliance are short-lived, being quickly enveloped and swallowed whole by sudden shifts towards language that tastes like a combination of shame, religion and dust. Similar to most religious books, the authors seem to fight against the concept that there is beauty in the grey. That Christianity is about more than just sin-management and being a good person. That sometimes chaos and dirt are an instrumental part of a spiritually successful story. That there are gifts in our imperfections. That the ugliness that results from sin, mistakes and broken relationships is no less important to the display of beauty in our story than salvation, repentance and obedience.
This paradigm culminated in chapter 14, where we’re told “Don’t settle for the approval of men when you could gain the approval of God.” The brief statement that suggests we need to earn God’s approval summarizes the primary shortcoming of the book, one that tainted its value for me. Earn Gods approval because you don’t want to end up like the poor bastard in chapter 2.
In the end, I can’t say this book was a total waste of my time due to the few valuable nuggets, but I can’t recommend it to anyone due to the frustrating dry religious approach to being a man. Take a pass.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 21, 2024
The Resolution for Men written by Stephen Kendrick, is a book written to help young men better understand their role in society and become better men themselves. The Resolution for Men is a book (or some may call a manual) for young men to better their lives, and live with no regrets. This book helps young men find their own reason to live for what they find to be, what matters the most. Taking a religious standpoint, Stephen Kendrick uses gospel teachings and principles from prophets in the Bible, to educate young men on how to live more fulfilling and meaningful lives.
I ended up reading The Resolution for Men twice cover to cover. During my first read, I focused more on the lessons that were taught in the stories that were told; while the second time around, I ended up focusing more on the biblical views and teachings in the book. I think that focusing more on the biblical teachings in the book really helped me to get to a deeper level with the message behind the words. Furthermore, I found a lot of really insightful scripture verses that completely changed my perspective on a variety of different topics. All in all, I believe that The Resolution for Men is certainly a book that all young men should read before they turn the age of 18. This book really widens your perspective on a lot of different topics in life and will certainly change your viewpoint on the challenges that you might be facing in your life and how to deal with them with class and dignity.
I ended up reading The Resolution for Men twice cover to cover. During my first read, I focused more on the lessons that were taught in the stories that were told; while the second time around, I ended up focusing more on the biblical views and teachings in the book. I think that focusing more on the biblical teachings in the book really helped me to get to a deeper level with the message behind the words. Furthermore, I found a lot of really insightful scripture verses that completely changed my perspective on a variety of different topics. All in all, I believe that The Resolution for Men is certainly a book that all young men should read before they turn the age of 18. This book really widens your perspective on a lot of different topics in life and will certainly change your viewpoint on the challenges that you might be facing in your life and how to deal with them with class and dignity.
October 29, 2022
I read this before giving it to my husband (and later I read the woman's version), and oh how I wish every newlywed young man or young father had a copy of this book! If every man would read this book and take the resolutions to heart, our entire society would be forever transformed!
It paints a vivid picture of what happens when a man commits his life to God, instead of turning inward to pursue carnal, selfish desires, comparing a legacy of peace and personal growth, versus a legacy of misery, loneliness, and loss. "He should be a fountain, not a drain," urges the author; "be more like a thermostat" that affects its environment, rather than a thermometer, which merely reacts.
For married life, the author explains, "It's not about being willing to die for her in a blaze of glory, but rather to sacrifice our lives every day for her. As husbands, we are called to put to death our own selfish desires to meet our wife's deepest needs."
For family life, he talks of letting go of old childhood wounds and allowing them to heal through Christ, so a man can be fully present for his own children - to break the chains of abuse and neglect.
There are many more topics discussed as well, including justice, integrity, honor, and love. This is definitely a good book and worth your time to read, married or not!
It paints a vivid picture of what happens when a man commits his life to God, instead of turning inward to pursue carnal, selfish desires, comparing a legacy of peace and personal growth, versus a legacy of misery, loneliness, and loss. "He should be a fountain, not a drain," urges the author; "be more like a thermostat" that affects its environment, rather than a thermometer, which merely reacts.
For married life, the author explains, "It's not about being willing to die for her in a blaze of glory, but rather to sacrifice our lives every day for her. As husbands, we are called to put to death our own selfish desires to meet our wife's deepest needs."
For family life, he talks of letting go of old childhood wounds and allowing them to heal through Christ, so a man can be fully present for his own children - to break the chains of abuse and neglect.
There are many more topics discussed as well, including justice, integrity, honor, and love. This is definitely a good book and worth your time to read, married or not!
May 23, 2021
I love most of this book. The lessons are good and simple to understand. The life examples hit home and make it easier to relate to. The short story is heart wrenching and beautifully illustrates how our choices can drastically change our path. That being said this book makes some very large assumptions that many do not agree with and will make it hard to stomach. It makes me sad that a book with such wonderful messages has such unloving messages mixed in. I like to believe that you can find value in words even when some of the neighboring words are not as helpfull. Therefore I will take the good messages and just skip the unkind ones.
For those of you that are curious the topics that are unloving and should have been omitted are anti-abortion (ch 1, 4, 9, 13), striking children (ch 8), and anti-gay (ch 9, 10, 13). Without those 3 topics this book would have had 5 stars.
Chapter 5 & 7 are my favorite chapters and had the most helpful suggestions I found.
For those of you that are curious the topics that are unloving and should have been omitted are anti-abortion (ch 1, 4, 9, 13), striking children (ch 8), and anti-gay (ch 9, 10, 13). Without those 3 topics this book would have had 5 stars.
Chapter 5 & 7 are my favorite chapters and had the most helpful suggestions I found.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 26, 2020
This book is a good starting point for Christian men who are new to the faith, or a young in need of a Biblical outlook of what being a Christian man looks like. The book offers some flyover insights into that.
My dislike with this book is its just a bit of evangelical easy cheese. Emotional and formulaic which I think sometimes makes evangelical men shallow. The book just seemed really cookie cutter as if designed for men who work in cubicles only. Just what I imagined no offense to those who work in cubicles.
I'd encourage the reader to take the good in this book and apply it accordingly. Just please dive deeper elsewhere. The book is a nice starting point, just don't let this be the ending point.
Certainly worth your time especially if you're a young man needing a bit of guidance. I'd just encourage you to desire deeper discipleship over being just a nice Christian fella.
My dislike with this book is its just a bit of evangelical easy cheese. Emotional and formulaic which I think sometimes makes evangelical men shallow. The book just seemed really cookie cutter as if designed for men who work in cubicles only. Just what I imagined no offense to those who work in cubicles.
I'd encourage the reader to take the good in this book and apply it accordingly. Just please dive deeper elsewhere. The book is a nice starting point, just don't let this be the ending point.
Certainly worth your time especially if you're a young man needing a bit of guidance. I'd just encourage you to desire deeper discipleship over being just a nice Christian fella.
August 2, 2024
Este es un libro brutal y retador, no te habla para sentir bonito, es mas una exhortación a cumplir con el diseño de Dios para un buen padre, te demuestra por medio de su palabra lo que se debe hacer para ser la representación de Dios padre en la tierra, es un libro que entiende bien la actualidad y te pone retos para ayudarte a vencer los obstáculos que te estorban para ser un hombre íntegro, te ayuda por medio de citas y lecturas bíblicas, preguntas desafiantes y muchas mas cosas, si empiezas este libro no será nada fácil ni cómodo, te darás cuenta que necesitas dar mas de ti pero al final podrá ayudarte con relaciones rotas y será muy liberador, espiritual, emocional y económicamente y si lo consultas frecuentemente será una buena ayuda en los tiempos de prueba! Definitivamente soltero o casada, padre hijo o abuelo, ¡atrévete a leerlo!
February 1, 2024
This was simply phenomenal.
As a Christian man, there are so many ways we are pulled each and every day. It can be hard to maintain focus on what is important. I think even moreso for later generations as the quality of parenting has been progressively worsening over the past 50+ years.
Briefly, this is a great book to put a Christian man's focus where it needs to be to break the chains that seem to be destroying individual men, their families, and even our society. Each chapter covers a particular focus, but all of the chapters point back to Christ, who we need to rely upon to accomplish the goal of being the men God calls us to be in order to accomplish His purpose. There can be no higher purpose or calling than that.
As a Christian man, there are so many ways we are pulled each and every day. It can be hard to maintain focus on what is important. I think even moreso for later generations as the quality of parenting has been progressively worsening over the past 50+ years.
Briefly, this is a great book to put a Christian man's focus where it needs to be to break the chains that seem to be destroying individual men, their families, and even our society. Each chapter covers a particular focus, but all of the chapters point back to Christ, who we need to rely upon to accomplish the goal of being the men God calls us to be in order to accomplish His purpose. There can be no higher purpose or calling than that.
May 18, 2018
Clear, direct, challenging, and encouraging. It's not “high literature”, so it won't fascinate you, tickle your imagination, or surprise you with its fantasy — nor does it aim to. Instead, it will ask, beg, plead with you to walk purposefully and responsibly as a son, husband, father, servant, master, before the loving eyes of the God who created you.
In fact, you probably already know what you're supposed to do. This book will remind you, and supply with powerful warnings and promises from the Word of God to start on the path of fulfilling life — and stay on it.
Highly recommended.
In fact, you probably already know what you're supposed to do. This book will remind you, and supply with powerful warnings and promises from the Word of God to start on the path of fulfilling life — and stay on it.
Highly recommended.
December 10, 2019
I read this before I watched the movie so there wasn’t a “backdrop” to my read. To be honest, I walk cautiously around mainstreamed highly-marketed movie book combinations. But this book was a refreshing read. It actually sparked the name of our Men’s Camp (“He Decedido” “Resolved”), so it came at an opportune time for me.
I really enjoyed the encouragement, the challenges, and the straight-up, no-nonsense call to men. I think it should be on any man’s bookshelf and revisited regularly.
I really enjoyed the encouragement, the challenges, and the straight-up, no-nonsense call to men. I think it should be on any man’s bookshelf and revisited regularly.
June 4, 2021
It took me 3 months to finish this book, not because it is lengthy..in fact it is short and simple to read, but I wasn’t just reading it I was using it in conjunction with bible. There are a lot of scriptures referenced in the book and I found them useful to help me to be equipped with scripture knowledge as well.
I have completed the book, but I will be revisiting it again as and when I implement most of the things recommended by the book.
God Bless You.
I have completed the book, but I will be revisiting it again as and when I implement most of the things recommended by the book.
God Bless You.
April 11, 2022
This book truly showed me what it means to be a faith we someday, to be a man of God, and to lead a family of that’s in the Lord’s will for me! It is based off of the movie, Courageous, which is one of my favorite movies of all time. This book will empower you to pursue godliness in your own life and be the spiritual leader of your home. Kendrick puts challenges throughout the book and they are very helpful.
May 23, 2024
I wholeheartedly agree with the book's message, which pushes men to take responsibility for themselves, their wives, and their families. However, my only complaint is that it passes over several very important topics, such as prayer, forgiveness, and opposing tyranny, with only a short cursory introduction. I would not suggest this book to dive deep on any particular topic related to manhood. Rather, this book provides a surface-level overview of the type of man that God calls us to be.
November 26, 2018
I read this book when I was going through a tough time in my life. fortunately..., but unfortunately I was able to pinpoint the exact cause of my problem. All signs pointed back to me and the Resolution reminded me that there was no one to be held accountable for my previous state but me. I read the book...., applied the lessons and changed my life.
March 17, 2019
Life resolution
This is a serious resolution for men, married, single, parents, old, young, every single one. It is full of wisdom and example to follow. This is like having a father, a father sharing his wisdom and experience with us to teach us to be successful, blessed and happy in life, and primarily to have peace and be men of God.
This is a serious resolution for men, married, single, parents, old, young, every single one. It is full of wisdom and example to follow. This is like having a father, a father sharing his wisdom and experience with us to teach us to be successful, blessed and happy in life, and primarily to have peace and be men of God.
April 26, 2020
I read this as a study with my discipleship group. It was a good way to kick off our group and prompt solid discussion. However, it got to be somewhat repetitive and not as deep as we wanted to go, so we stopped in the middle and I finished reading it on my own. Overall, pretty solid content, just a little general and perhaps shallow in parts.
July 4, 2021
This book has an amazing message and transforming insights. Like many other books that follow the heart and direction of God's Word, it's power is not in reading it but in doing what it says. I feel that I am now ready to go through it again with other brothers in Christ, to discuss and apply step by step.
December 21, 2017
Well written. Scripture provided throughout
Helpful thoughts on tangibly living a godly life. Works to realign perceptions of masculinity away from the misconceptions of masculinity that are contrary to Christ's example
Helpful thoughts on tangibly living a godly life. Works to realign perceptions of masculinity away from the misconceptions of masculinity that are contrary to Christ's example
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