What do you think?
Rate this book
Dangerous Good: The Coming Revolution of Men Who Care
It’s time to wake the sleeping giant in our world, in our communities, in our churches, and in our homes.
There’s a revolution brewing, a sleeping giant coming out of a long slumber. For years men have been sitting to the side, minding their own business, nursing their own wounds. But that time is reaching its end. Our wounds must surely be tended to, and our business must surely be minded. We are meant for greater things than these, and the world can no longer indulge our slumber. Justice demands a response to these troubling times. Righteousness demands a champion to counter a climate of moral relativism. God made us men; it’s time to act like it.
Good men are in high demand but low supply. That reality is creating suffering and injustice at every level of society in every community worldwide. Dangerous Good calls on the millennial generation of men who follow Jesus worldwide to confront that by deciding, individually and as a group, to be dangerous with goodness like Jesus. Here is the next revolution of masculinity the world is waiting for.
There’s a revolution brewing, a sleeping giant coming out of a long slumber. For years men have been sitting to the side, minding their own business, nursing their own wounds. But that time is reaching its end. Our wounds must surely be tended to, and our business must surely be minded. We are meant for greater things than these, and the world can no longer indulge our slumber. Justice demands a response to these troubling times. Righteousness demands a champion to counter a climate of moral relativism. God made us men; it’s time to act like it.
Good men are in high demand but low supply. That reality is creating suffering and injustice at every level of society in every community worldwide. Dangerous Good calls on the millennial generation of men who follow Jesus worldwide to confront that by deciding, individually and as a group, to be dangerous with goodness like Jesus. Here is the next revolution of masculinity the world is waiting for.
224 pages, Kindle Edition
Published July 3, 2018
13 people are currently reading
159 people want to read
About the author
Kenny Luck
51 books9 followersKenneth L. Luck (b.1964) is the founder of Every Man Ministries, which serves to grow healthy mens' communities. He is also the Men's Pastor at Saddleback Chuch, Lake Forest, California. Kenny is a graduate of UCLA.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews
August 30, 2018
Why I read it: I've been diving into discussions and books about female identity and I wanted to dive into the discussion about Biblical masculinity. This book was given to me by Tyndale House Publishers in exchange for my honest review.
What it's about: Through his own experiences as well as Biblical stories, Kenny Luck calls men of God to unite - living dangerously for the good of themselves, their families, and their communities.
Why I enjoyed it: I appreciated Kenny's emphasis on community - looking to those who have gone on before us, learning and remembering from our heroes and role models, and making an impact alongside others. I value the discussion on empowering men and women while also processing of broken-masculinity (in the context of broken humanity).
What didn't work for me: I wasn't the intended audience of this book. I knew that going in, and it's why I chose it. And while I knew the audience was for men, the style of teaching seemed to connect better with an older generation than mine. I was hoping for more modern day stories of dangerously good men, examples of men actively working to redeem broken masculinity. While the last chapter briefly touched on this, the book landed on Wilberforce (d. 1833) and the signers of the Declaration of Independence (1776). It made it hard to connect practical applications to modern day events.
What it's about: Through his own experiences as well as Biblical stories, Kenny Luck calls men of God to unite - living dangerously for the good of themselves, their families, and their communities.
Why I enjoyed it: I appreciated Kenny's emphasis on community - looking to those who have gone on before us, learning and remembering from our heroes and role models, and making an impact alongside others. I value the discussion on empowering men and women while also processing of broken-masculinity (in the context of broken humanity).
What didn't work for me: I wasn't the intended audience of this book. I knew that going in, and it's why I chose it. And while I knew the audience was for men, the style of teaching seemed to connect better with an older generation than mine. I was hoping for more modern day stories of dangerously good men, examples of men actively working to redeem broken masculinity. While the last chapter briefly touched on this, the book landed on Wilberforce (d. 1833) and the signers of the Declaration of Independence (1776). It made it hard to connect practical applications to modern day events.
September 28, 2023
This is a book that all men should read. God created men to be men as He intended, not as society wants men to be.
(Razor liked the lion on the cover.)
(Razor liked the lion on the cover.)
July 6, 2018
Dangerous Good: The Coming Revolution of Men Who Care, written by Kenny Luck, is a Christian living book with a message to the male population of the world: It’s time to move. Luck talks about large groups of men who are seeking to actually follow Jesus and bring others along with them, and uses their examples as a call to war for the hearts of his readers, hoping they’ll respond with a battle cry.
Before I proceed with critiquing this book, I want to share a dilemma and disclaimer: I am a woman reading a book intended for men; my understanding of issues and struggles brought up in the book will not be totally accurate and will lack some degree of empathy due to natural ignorance and lack of shared experience, but nevertheless, I shall do my best to review it accurately.
ALL THE GOOD THINGS
One thing that made this enjoyable for me as a reader was the excitement over another book written to communicate an encouraging and powerful message for the broken men of the world. I say “another” not with an eye-roll, but with the thought that we can never have too many books that encourage men to be the men God has designed them to be, especially as they walk through a world that is determined to bring them to their knees with blows of emasculation.
Another thing that made this enjoyable was that Luck included chapters designated to women and children and how men ought to see them through this godly lens of masculinity. He touched on the gender war, but tastefully, and in a way that reminds us that the shots fired on either side are merely symptoms of the underlying problem: people are overcome with sin, and the only cure is Christ.
Lastly, and more specifically, I enjoyed Luck’s take on the role of Barnabas in the church of Acts. He uses Barnabas in his chapter titled, “Powerfully Remembered Men,” as an example of what it means to encourage others, particularly those who everyone else has labeled as a lost cause or has rejected due to past failures. Luck personalized Paul’s experience of being rejected by the disciples at Jerusalem due to his B.C. business of murdering Christians, and yet he returned to those same disciples one more time, this time with Barnabas, who vouched for Paul and allowed him to come into God’s ministry for him. This illustrated the importance of the encourager in the community of Dangerous Good men. I’m not a man, but I was challenged to figure out from Barnabas’s example how to better encourage others to fulfill the calling God has given them.
ALL THE NOT-SO-GOOD THINGS
Something that made this book difficult for me as a reader is that while the message to men was inspiring and will certainly drive some to action, the message felt flat. There’s a point where Luck writes:
“Fellowships are forming because the King is coming. God is calling together sincere hearts, strong energy, and a transcendent brand of masculinity…this culture has not seen on this scale since Pentecost.” (pg 38)
And yet we’re not given any statistics or real-life examples (like specific names of men, etc.) to back up this claim that things are moving, and are expected to take Luck at his word instead of allowing our eyes to be opened by evidence. I finished the book about men who care, and wondered, “Where are they?”
Another thing that presented an obstacle in my full enjoyment of this book was the lack of practical application. What I mean by this is Luck creates an archetype of what a Dangerous Good man looks like (what he does, how he speaks, what his family looks like, etc.) but doesn’t thoroughly explain how men who feel less-than-dangerous can start to join the movement. There’s a message of “There’s this movement of guys who are serious about Jesus; what are you going to do about it?” and my thought is “If I were a guy, I’d respond, ‘I’m going to join! Except, I have no idea where to start.'” Luck did attempt to include some practical points, but they felt lost amidst the inspirational jargon. Also (in minor defense of Luck’s method here), Luck does offer resources on his website for men to access and purchase, but the book in their hands doesn’t seem to be meant as that kind of practical resource.
The last main thing that made this book difficult for me as a reader (though much more as a writer) was the flow of the book. I had a hard time taking Luck seriously due to a writerly tick, which I also have, of isolating sentences in an effort to make them poignant and serious. The effect this tick had on my reading of the content was uncomfortable; I felt like the content would start moving smoothly only to be stopped by an isolated sentence, providing a rocky transition into the next idea. Luck could’ve removed these sentences, which he did several times, and provided smoother transitions between points, which would’ve led to a culminating crescendo of inspiration, which I think was his original aim.
In conclusion, this is a good message for men to hear, and it does offer encouragement to men who are being told they are wrong for their masculinity. I would recommend this to all men as a reminder, as a starting point, and as a challenge to move forward in their walks with Christ in confidence in how God’s designed their masculinity.
About the Author:
“Kenny Luck is currently the Leadership Pastor at Crossline Church in Laguna Hills, California. He was previously the Men’s Pastor at Saddleback Church in Lake Forest, California from 1997-2014 and is an expert in the field of men’s issues.
He is also the Founder and President of Every Man Ministries which helps churches worldwide to develop and grow healthy men’s communities with the goal to end child abuse, fatherlessness and protect women and children.
He has authored and coauthored 21 books, including Every Man, God’s Man, Every Young Man, God’s Man and the Every Man Bible Studies from the best-selling Every Man Series published by WaterBrook/Random House. Kenny’s last 9 works have been published with B & H Publishing Group and are used by churches for in depth studies.
He is a featured contributor to Christian Post, Charisma Magazine, Christian Mingle, Rick Warren’s Ministry Toolbox, New Man Magazine, Men of Integrity, The Journal, and Young Believer Magazine.”
*A complimentary copy of this book was given to me by Tyndale Book Publishers
Before I proceed with critiquing this book, I want to share a dilemma and disclaimer: I am a woman reading a book intended for men; my understanding of issues and struggles brought up in the book will not be totally accurate and will lack some degree of empathy due to natural ignorance and lack of shared experience, but nevertheless, I shall do my best to review it accurately.
ALL THE GOOD THINGS
One thing that made this enjoyable for me as a reader was the excitement over another book written to communicate an encouraging and powerful message for the broken men of the world. I say “another” not with an eye-roll, but with the thought that we can never have too many books that encourage men to be the men God has designed them to be, especially as they walk through a world that is determined to bring them to their knees with blows of emasculation.
Another thing that made this enjoyable was that Luck included chapters designated to women and children and how men ought to see them through this godly lens of masculinity. He touched on the gender war, but tastefully, and in a way that reminds us that the shots fired on either side are merely symptoms of the underlying problem: people are overcome with sin, and the only cure is Christ.
Lastly, and more specifically, I enjoyed Luck’s take on the role of Barnabas in the church of Acts. He uses Barnabas in his chapter titled, “Powerfully Remembered Men,” as an example of what it means to encourage others, particularly those who everyone else has labeled as a lost cause or has rejected due to past failures. Luck personalized Paul’s experience of being rejected by the disciples at Jerusalem due to his B.C. business of murdering Christians, and yet he returned to those same disciples one more time, this time with Barnabas, who vouched for Paul and allowed him to come into God’s ministry for him. This illustrated the importance of the encourager in the community of Dangerous Good men. I’m not a man, but I was challenged to figure out from Barnabas’s example how to better encourage others to fulfill the calling God has given them.
ALL THE NOT-SO-GOOD THINGS
Something that made this book difficult for me as a reader is that while the message to men was inspiring and will certainly drive some to action, the message felt flat. There’s a point where Luck writes:
“Fellowships are forming because the King is coming. God is calling together sincere hearts, strong energy, and a transcendent brand of masculinity…this culture has not seen on this scale since Pentecost.” (pg 38)
And yet we’re not given any statistics or real-life examples (like specific names of men, etc.) to back up this claim that things are moving, and are expected to take Luck at his word instead of allowing our eyes to be opened by evidence. I finished the book about men who care, and wondered, “Where are they?”
Another thing that presented an obstacle in my full enjoyment of this book was the lack of practical application. What I mean by this is Luck creates an archetype of what a Dangerous Good man looks like (what he does, how he speaks, what his family looks like, etc.) but doesn’t thoroughly explain how men who feel less-than-dangerous can start to join the movement. There’s a message of “There’s this movement of guys who are serious about Jesus; what are you going to do about it?” and my thought is “If I were a guy, I’d respond, ‘I’m going to join! Except, I have no idea where to start.'” Luck did attempt to include some practical points, but they felt lost amidst the inspirational jargon. Also (in minor defense of Luck’s method here), Luck does offer resources on his website for men to access and purchase, but the book in their hands doesn’t seem to be meant as that kind of practical resource.
The last main thing that made this book difficult for me as a reader (though much more as a writer) was the flow of the book. I had a hard time taking Luck seriously due to a writerly tick, which I also have, of isolating sentences in an effort to make them poignant and serious. The effect this tick had on my reading of the content was uncomfortable; I felt like the content would start moving smoothly only to be stopped by an isolated sentence, providing a rocky transition into the next idea. Luck could’ve removed these sentences, which he did several times, and provided smoother transitions between points, which would’ve led to a culminating crescendo of inspiration, which I think was his original aim.
In conclusion, this is a good message for men to hear, and it does offer encouragement to men who are being told they are wrong for their masculinity. I would recommend this to all men as a reminder, as a starting point, and as a challenge to move forward in their walks with Christ in confidence in how God’s designed their masculinity.
About the Author:
“Kenny Luck is currently the Leadership Pastor at Crossline Church in Laguna Hills, California. He was previously the Men’s Pastor at Saddleback Church in Lake Forest, California from 1997-2014 and is an expert in the field of men’s issues.
He is also the Founder and President of Every Man Ministries which helps churches worldwide to develop and grow healthy men’s communities with the goal to end child abuse, fatherlessness and protect women and children.
He has authored and coauthored 21 books, including Every Man, God’s Man, Every Young Man, God’s Man and the Every Man Bible Studies from the best-selling Every Man Series published by WaterBrook/Random House. Kenny’s last 9 works have been published with B & H Publishing Group and are used by churches for in depth studies.
He is a featured contributor to Christian Post, Charisma Magazine, Christian Mingle, Rick Warren’s Ministry Toolbox, New Man Magazine, Men of Integrity, The Journal, and Young Believer Magazine.”
*A complimentary copy of this book was given to me by Tyndale Book Publishers
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 11, 2018
"What do you call a wave of men who meet the demand for life-givers versus destroyers, blessings to humanity versus curses, redeemers versus villains? They are called the dangerous good" (p 185).
There is something deep within a man that Kenny Luck calls to. There is this deep desire to do something that matters, to live a life worth living, and to be a part of something bigger and greater than oneself. The problem is, life, work, and busyness get in the way.
Kenny calls us to something greater—something dangerous. There’s a longing in the heart of a man for adventure and danger; taking risks and living out a costly sacrificial life. That happens most effectively and satisfyingly through a relationship with Jesus Christ. The story He draws us into is one filled with adventure, danger, risk, cost, sacrifice, and something greater beyond oneself.
This Dangerous Good is a revolution, a movement, calling men to their God-given potential and calling to “recognize the opportunity within the challenge” and become men who honor women, live up to the leadership they are called to provide, and partner alongside women in the battle we face daily as followers of Christ in a fallen world. Luck says it this way: “This movement will be a glimpse of God and a breath of fresh air for all the world to take in” (p. 62). Truly, we could all use a little more of a glimpse of God and little more fresh air in the polluted cultural climate we are experiencing today.
Luck records something he said at a women's conference, regarding many injustices around the world: The 800-pound gorilla in the room when it comes to injustice worldwide is that you can directly trace its origins to the hearts, character, and conduct of men (p 94).
Men have failed in many places and in most societies around the world. It has led to the #MeToo movement, the sexual exploitation and slavery of the youngest and most vulnerable among us, broken homes, companies and countries with no concerns beyond self-preservation and self-promotion.
Let us say, "Not on my watch!" Men, we are called in this book to the true ideal of what it is to be masculine--to be a protector and a provider who lives a purposeful life of service, humility, and wisdom. We have to pick up the ball, take up our mantle of responsibility and move forward to break through the warped cultural view of masculinity and what it truly means to be a man.
Take the first step and study the life of the most masculine man ever: Jesus Christ. Take notes. Then, take action. Read this book. Become a dangerous good man. Influence others to become dangerous good men and see a revolution come that honors, protects, and provides for women and children, stays faithful and committed, whose word is good and reliable, who is trustworthy, humble, kind, strong, and fights for what is right and good.
There is something deep within a man that Kenny Luck calls to. There is this deep desire to do something that matters, to live a life worth living, and to be a part of something bigger and greater than oneself. The problem is, life, work, and busyness get in the way.
Kenny calls us to something greater—something dangerous. There’s a longing in the heart of a man for adventure and danger; taking risks and living out a costly sacrificial life. That happens most effectively and satisfyingly through a relationship with Jesus Christ. The story He draws us into is one filled with adventure, danger, risk, cost, sacrifice, and something greater beyond oneself.
This Dangerous Good is a revolution, a movement, calling men to their God-given potential and calling to “recognize the opportunity within the challenge” and become men who honor women, live up to the leadership they are called to provide, and partner alongside women in the battle we face daily as followers of Christ in a fallen world. Luck says it this way: “This movement will be a glimpse of God and a breath of fresh air for all the world to take in” (p. 62). Truly, we could all use a little more of a glimpse of God and little more fresh air in the polluted cultural climate we are experiencing today.
Luck records something he said at a women's conference, regarding many injustices around the world: The 800-pound gorilla in the room when it comes to injustice worldwide is that you can directly trace its origins to the hearts, character, and conduct of men (p 94).
Men have failed in many places and in most societies around the world. It has led to the #MeToo movement, the sexual exploitation and slavery of the youngest and most vulnerable among us, broken homes, companies and countries with no concerns beyond self-preservation and self-promotion.
Let us say, "Not on my watch!" Men, we are called in this book to the true ideal of what it is to be masculine--to be a protector and a provider who lives a purposeful life of service, humility, and wisdom. We have to pick up the ball, take up our mantle of responsibility and move forward to break through the warped cultural view of masculinity and what it truly means to be a man.
Take the first step and study the life of the most masculine man ever: Jesus Christ. Take notes. Then, take action. Read this book. Become a dangerous good man. Influence others to become dangerous good men and see a revolution come that honors, protects, and provides for women and children, stays faithful and committed, whose word is good and reliable, who is trustworthy, humble, kind, strong, and fights for what is right and good.
July 9, 2018
Though it is not always popular, masculinity still has a role to play in the world. Not the macho, "look what I can do," or the, "I'm better because I'm a man" masculinity, but men who step up and show love to others. It's time to remove the stigma that bad actions have placed on men. It's time for the Dangerous Good.
Kenny Luck has issued a call for men to step up and be men again. Over the years, some people have tried to make masculinity a dirty word. Though there have been men that have done wrong, that doesn't automatically mean that being a man is bad. What we should be doing is redeeming masculinity so that sin is not the driving factor in their lives.
Luck says that God has called men to be what Luck calls the Dangerous Good, men who are not afraid to stand up for what is right. Men have a role to play in the world and are meant to help the people around them. Each chapter focuses on a particular aspect that men should have, like morality, dignity, and fervency.
The book is easy to read, though I found it best to read it slowly so that you have time to digest what is said. Using passages and people from the Bible, and examples from his own life, Luck shows what could happen if men live up to their God-given potential.
I received a free copy of this book from Tyndale House Publishers in exchange for this review, but that did not influence my opinion in any way.
Kenny Luck has issued a call for men to step up and be men again. Over the years, some people have tried to make masculinity a dirty word. Though there have been men that have done wrong, that doesn't automatically mean that being a man is bad. What we should be doing is redeeming masculinity so that sin is not the driving factor in their lives.
Luck says that God has called men to be what Luck calls the Dangerous Good, men who are not afraid to stand up for what is right. Men have a role to play in the world and are meant to help the people around them. Each chapter focuses on a particular aspect that men should have, like morality, dignity, and fervency.
The book is easy to read, though I found it best to read it slowly so that you have time to digest what is said. Using passages and people from the Bible, and examples from his own life, Luck shows what could happen if men live up to their God-given potential.
I received a free copy of this book from Tyndale House Publishers in exchange for this review, but that did not influence my opinion in any way.
June 29, 2018
Opening the first pages of Dangerous Good by Kenny Luck exposes you to the passion and vision of the author to change the culture of men during this time and especially to change Christian men into what he calls “dangerous good.” This book explains through its ten chapters what that looks like and why it is so desperately needed today.
The book looks at the challenge facing men today through the lens of understanding how male culture has changed over time and across all cultures, but with one constant: “It has always been broken.”
You may see some themes written in other books written for the male reader, but Kenny Luck uses his own passion, experience, and skill that left me busy with a highlighter because of power-packed sentences I didn’t want to forget.
The book looks at the challenge facing men today through the lens of understanding how male culture has changed over time and across all cultures, but with one constant: “It has always been broken.”
You may see some themes written in other books written for the male reader, but Kenny Luck uses his own passion, experience, and skill that left me busy with a highlighter because of power-packed sentences I didn’t want to forget.
March 7, 2024
Potentially one of the best books I have read. From start to finish, I was blown away by his story. I heard him speak the beginning of the month in Wisconsin as he was the keynote speaker and I think there is so much men can learn from Kenny on how to treat all humans better and how to serve the world. I look forward to reading the next two and putting these practices to the test.
June 24, 2018
I will recommend this book to my brother and my nephews.
August 16, 2018
Interesting read
February 4, 2019
Very good book - both convicting and inspiring.
August 21, 2019
Inspiring and powerful!
February 19, 2020
This book was amazing, especially for men it teaches men how to be strong leaders of the Church and how to put God first when you are leading. Highly recommend
March 21, 2023
great read
A much needed movement I truly hope to be a part of through my everyday actions! God help the men you designed to band together and rise up in accordance with your will.
A much needed movement I truly hope to be a part of through my everyday actions! God help the men you designed to band together and rise up in accordance with your will.
August 2, 2018
Dangerous Good: The Coming Revolution of Men Who Care by Kenny Luck is directed at Christian men who want to make a difference. It is a short book that contains ten powerful lessons which are designed to push men in the right direction. These lessons are prompted and informed by Scripture, which runs against the cultural grain in every instance. For instance, Luck makes this lament early on: “Don’t take your masculine identity too seriously, or people will label you as narrow-minded, intolerant, or just stupid.” This lie is confronted and challenged throughout the book.
The author is concerned about shaping men whose hearts are completely sold out to God. To accomplish this end, Kenny Luck sends readers to the Word of God and invites them to participate in a revolution. This revolution is nothing less than the kingdom of God that is already/not yet.
Dangerous Good is an encouraging and informative book. Christian men who take Kenny Luck’s counsel to heart will not only be better off – they will find themselves are the center of a revolution of men who care.
I received this book free from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review.
Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews