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Boot Camp: Equipping Men with Integrity for Spiritual Warfare
Boot Camp. Where a soldier learns the basics. Where he is equipped for the battles ahead. Boot Camp is where he tests his weapons and learns to fight with discipline and honor. Boot Camp is where careful, deliberate time is taken to learn from the veterans of previous what obstacles confronted them; where did they meet the enemy; most importantly, how did they succeed? Boot Equipping Men with Integrity for Spiritual Warfare is the first volume in the new I.M.A.G.E. series of books for men, by Jason Hardin. It serves as a Basic Training manual in the spiritual war for honor, integrity, and a God-glorifying life. Men love the epic tales of warriors who have defied the odds, proven to be larger-than-life at the decisive moment and led other men in efforts that have shaped the course of history. We quite naturally imagine being "that kind" of man. But there is a greater story, a grander adventure, a divine chronicle of eternal magnitude in which you--in one way or another--will play your own unique part. The means of shaping our lives into harmony with the glory of our Creator has been furnished in Jesus the Christ. And he invites you to join his ranks.
244 pages, Paperback
First published January 8, 2009
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October 21, 2013
A book with the title of Boot Camp certainly grabs my attention given the fact that I spent eight years in the United States Navy which of course includes, as it does for every service member, a stint in that several week “adjustment” period that turns civilians into military members with the requisite knowledge needed for their respective branch of service. Additionally, given the warrior motif if you will presented by the Apostle Paul, specifically the admonition for believers to don the full armor of God in order to properly do battle with the enemy, a book for men on spiritual warfare peaked my interest. Jason Hardin’s book Boot Camp: Equipping Men With Integrity for Spiritual Warfare seeks to utilize that boot camp/warrior approach in an effort to provide me the necessary tools to engage in this ongoing and heated spiritual battle against the forces of darkness.
Hardin begins his book with a look back at some of the great men of faith, noting how God used those men despite their faults and quirks to do great things for His glory and for the Kingdom of God. These men demonstrated faith in God, an approach which Scripture points us to examine. They are examples of men who “pressed the battle front as far forward as they could.” In other words, they fought the good fight and according to Hardin, “Those who abandon the excuses, grow beyond their inadequacies and conquer their fears”, will be the next batch of faithful men of the faith who will lead this generation in battle.Against this backdrop, Hardin then outlines a point of great necessity, namely the need for integrity to be part of the equation for the man of God. Hardin provides some very interesting insight into the English word character noting it “has old linguistic roots drawn straight out of the context of Isaiah 49. In ancient times, character or characterize implicitly meant to “write, print, portray, engrave, or inscribe; a distinctive mark; an imprint on the soul”…The question is, when he looks at my hands and my heart, can he see himself? Does he see character? Does he find integrity?” This is a vital point to make. A man of integrity is one who is so committed to the things of God, that his entire being if you will exudes God’s Word. The man of God who desires that level of integrity and closeness with God will also need to realize the path towards that goal is a lifelong journey, one that will involve fighting the good fight and allowing the Holy Spirit to do His needed work of sanctification in their life. A man of integrity then is one who is rooted in the foundation of God’s Word which is what the Holy Spirit writes on the heart of the man of God.
In part two of his book, Hardin yet again builds on the framework of integrity, next examining the issues of life that must be put to death in order to move towards a life fully devoted to the things of God. Looking back at the boot camp motif this book uses as a mental picture for the concepts presented, part of the boot camp experience involves shedding the civilian mentality for an entirely new set of guidelines for behavior. This same approach is part of the Christian walk. Hardin engages the issues of selfishness, sexual immorality, idolatry, jealousy, anger, sins of the tongue, and hypocrisy. All of these sins of the heart, which is after all what all sinful behavior is about, are ones which often trip up men. I can testify that the temptation to fall prey to any number of these vices is truly a daily batter I must fight. There is a constant war that transpires in humanity between the things of God and the allure of the world. Hardin masterfully reminds the reader, “We are called to be citizens of the kingdom of light, transformed by the grace of God, surrendering ourselves to the control of Christ. Our very character is to be reshaped after the image of the Creator. But in order for such to be even a possibility, certain all-too-natural characteristics must be put to death.” In a sense, the aforementioned vices of the flesh must become casualties of war. To continue in the pursuit of the flesh, specifically the issues mentioned by Hardin will inhibit the man of God’s ability to move towards that necessary aspect of integrity so vital to fighting the battle against the enemy. Essentially, this is where the proverbial rubber meets the road for so many men today. The difference between a solider of the cross and a civilian, who merely wears the clothing yet has not been transformed through God’s boot camp, is often exhibited in the willingness to crucify the flesh with its various desires and attractions.
Hardin concludes his book with a discussion of just how the solider of the Lord is to fight this battle. God has not left us without weapons to fight the enemy. Additionally, we serve a King who has not and will never lose the battle. Hardin aptly states that in order to avoid the “landmines” of the battle he discussed in part two of his book, the focus of the man of God must be “singularly and powerfully drawn from his fellowship with Jesus.” In our own strength and ability, we will fall prey to the wiles of the devil. Thankfully, we do not have to go that route nor do we have to fight this battle on our own effort. To even attempt such an approach would be highly disastrous. Hardin again rightly comments, “When the power of Christ rests upon us, we are armed with a blessed assurance. In our weaknesses, we are content that he is sufficient. In our insults, we make sure that he is glorified. In our hardships, we rest in the fact that we are not alone. In our persecutions, we rejoice in the hope that his favor is proclaimed. In our calamities, we are made to depend in new ways upon the promise of his strength.” Furthermore, the man of God has been equipped with the full armor of God and those who don this full armor will be able through the power of God operating in their life, to do not just resist the enemy, but to put to him to flight. Hardin does an excellent job of addressing each element of the armor of God why each element is need individually and collectively.
In an age when spiritual battles seem to be increasing, Boot Camp by Jason Hardin is a welcome handbook for how to engage this battle from a biblical perspective. Additionally, the insights provided by Hardin are timely, most notably the elements focused on giving men valuable tools on what it means to be a man of God to include addressing specific areas that are often sources of pitfalls in our daily lives. I highly recommend this book for all men of God to read and I encourage those who read it to take the biblical principles Hardin gives the reader to heart. Those who do will find themselves more eagerly engaged in the battle, all the while discarding the things of the flesh while donning the armor of God and seeking to become the men of God we can be through the Holy Spirit working in our lives.
I received this book for free from DeWard Publishing Company via Cross Focused Reviews for this review. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”
Hardin begins his book with a look back at some of the great men of faith, noting how God used those men despite their faults and quirks to do great things for His glory and for the Kingdom of God. These men demonstrated faith in God, an approach which Scripture points us to examine. They are examples of men who “pressed the battle front as far forward as they could.” In other words, they fought the good fight and according to Hardin, “Those who abandon the excuses, grow beyond their inadequacies and conquer their fears”, will be the next batch of faithful men of the faith who will lead this generation in battle.Against this backdrop, Hardin then outlines a point of great necessity, namely the need for integrity to be part of the equation for the man of God. Hardin provides some very interesting insight into the English word character noting it “has old linguistic roots drawn straight out of the context of Isaiah 49. In ancient times, character or characterize implicitly meant to “write, print, portray, engrave, or inscribe; a distinctive mark; an imprint on the soul”…The question is, when he looks at my hands and my heart, can he see himself? Does he see character? Does he find integrity?” This is a vital point to make. A man of integrity is one who is so committed to the things of God, that his entire being if you will exudes God’s Word. The man of God who desires that level of integrity and closeness with God will also need to realize the path towards that goal is a lifelong journey, one that will involve fighting the good fight and allowing the Holy Spirit to do His needed work of sanctification in their life. A man of integrity then is one who is rooted in the foundation of God’s Word which is what the Holy Spirit writes on the heart of the man of God.
In part two of his book, Hardin yet again builds on the framework of integrity, next examining the issues of life that must be put to death in order to move towards a life fully devoted to the things of God. Looking back at the boot camp motif this book uses as a mental picture for the concepts presented, part of the boot camp experience involves shedding the civilian mentality for an entirely new set of guidelines for behavior. This same approach is part of the Christian walk. Hardin engages the issues of selfishness, sexual immorality, idolatry, jealousy, anger, sins of the tongue, and hypocrisy. All of these sins of the heart, which is after all what all sinful behavior is about, are ones which often trip up men. I can testify that the temptation to fall prey to any number of these vices is truly a daily batter I must fight. There is a constant war that transpires in humanity between the things of God and the allure of the world. Hardin masterfully reminds the reader, “We are called to be citizens of the kingdom of light, transformed by the grace of God, surrendering ourselves to the control of Christ. Our very character is to be reshaped after the image of the Creator. But in order for such to be even a possibility, certain all-too-natural characteristics must be put to death.” In a sense, the aforementioned vices of the flesh must become casualties of war. To continue in the pursuit of the flesh, specifically the issues mentioned by Hardin will inhibit the man of God’s ability to move towards that necessary aspect of integrity so vital to fighting the battle against the enemy. Essentially, this is where the proverbial rubber meets the road for so many men today. The difference between a solider of the cross and a civilian, who merely wears the clothing yet has not been transformed through God’s boot camp, is often exhibited in the willingness to crucify the flesh with its various desires and attractions.
Hardin concludes his book with a discussion of just how the solider of the Lord is to fight this battle. God has not left us without weapons to fight the enemy. Additionally, we serve a King who has not and will never lose the battle. Hardin aptly states that in order to avoid the “landmines” of the battle he discussed in part two of his book, the focus of the man of God must be “singularly and powerfully drawn from his fellowship with Jesus.” In our own strength and ability, we will fall prey to the wiles of the devil. Thankfully, we do not have to go that route nor do we have to fight this battle on our own effort. To even attempt such an approach would be highly disastrous. Hardin again rightly comments, “When the power of Christ rests upon us, we are armed with a blessed assurance. In our weaknesses, we are content that he is sufficient. In our insults, we make sure that he is glorified. In our hardships, we rest in the fact that we are not alone. In our persecutions, we rejoice in the hope that his favor is proclaimed. In our calamities, we are made to depend in new ways upon the promise of his strength.” Furthermore, the man of God has been equipped with the full armor of God and those who don this full armor will be able through the power of God operating in their life, to do not just resist the enemy, but to put to him to flight. Hardin does an excellent job of addressing each element of the armor of God why each element is need individually and collectively.
In an age when spiritual battles seem to be increasing, Boot Camp by Jason Hardin is a welcome handbook for how to engage this battle from a biblical perspective. Additionally, the insights provided by Hardin are timely, most notably the elements focused on giving men valuable tools on what it means to be a man of God to include addressing specific areas that are often sources of pitfalls in our daily lives. I highly recommend this book for all men of God to read and I encourage those who read it to take the biblical principles Hardin gives the reader to heart. Those who do will find themselves more eagerly engaged in the battle, all the while discarding the things of the flesh while donning the armor of God and seeking to become the men of God we can be through the Holy Spirit working in our lives.
I received this book for free from DeWard Publishing Company via Cross Focused Reviews for this review. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”
October 27, 2013
"Onward, Christian Soldiers" is one of the few hymns that I sang as an unbeliever that I vividly remember. The battlefield imagery employed by the hymn was something that I could relate to because my father served in the military for over 20 years and I have other family members either retired from, or currently serving in, the Armed Forces. The book, Boot Camp: Equipping Men with Integrity for Spiritual Warfare, possessed a title that generated similar thoughts in my mind as the hymn did. I had high hopes that the author, Jason Hardin, would guide us through the Lord's Boot Camp and show the reader things that are integral to pleasing our "Commander in Chief" who desires for us to be involved faithfully in his army. Jason's stated reason for writing the book is found in the Preface and states, "Just as the soldier who lives to fight another day learns the basics in Boot Camp, so the soldier of the cross must begin with he cornerstone of integrity."
One of the strongest parts of the book is the Introduction. Jason does an outstanding job of calling all Christians to gird themselves up for battle, and to realize that we are not the first people participate in this war. Truth be told, there have been countless others who have faithfully "blazed the trail" through this war and they have left us godly examples which we can follow. Let's be honest, you can't escape this war by not fighting, nor can you survive by acting like there is no war going on around you. The war is over the souls of men, but thankfully, we have a "Commander in Chief" who is the Sovereign Lord of the universe and One whose will cannot be denied or thwarted. The author does a great job of stressing the seriousness of not only being a soldier in this battle, but of being a good soldier who brings not only honor on himself but, more importantly, gets honor for his "Commander in Chief".
Also, I really enjoyed the first chapter which talked about all of the other "soldiers" who have come before us like Moses, David, Gideon, and Elijah to name a few. It is great to be reminded daily of Hebrews 12 and the fact that we are "surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses" who were soldiers in the same war before us and were faithful to their "Commander in Chief". It is easy for us to get so self-focused that we almost think we are in this battle alone, but our other faithful brothers and sisters in Christ were also employed in this same battle and that is encouraging news.
However, there were a number of flaws in this book that were hard to overlook. The author does a lot of switching between Boot Camp (which is what this book was supposed to concentrate on) and War itself. Now, that is not all that bad if you can connect the reason why you are doing this, and make that connection easy for the reader to understand. However, there were times when the author would transport the reader to a wartime setting to start the chapter, flip to Boot Camp, and then back to a war time setting with relatively no explanation on why this was occurring and how this fits into the authors goal of integrity in the Christian's life (see Chapter 4).
To be honest, this was not a huge deal and something that I could have easily overlooked if not for the other flaws in the book. One of my biggest pet peeves in reading Christian literature is an author who texts of Scripture out of their context in order to prove their points. For instance, in Chapter 4, the author uses Hebrews 3:12-13 to prove that Christians can get a hardened after we have been born again, but the text is dealing with true salvation versus those who are lost. Also, another example is in Chapter 7, the author talks about the struggles with materialism in the life of a believer and uses Matthew 19:16-22 as a proof-text. The problem with using that specific text is it is dealing with materialism in the life of an unbeliever, and not a believer in Christ who is struggling with his former sins. Lastly, in Chapter 8, Hardin is talking about the struggle with jealousy and being envious of others, and uses the example of Joseph's brothers as a way to discourage these attitudes in the life of believers. Again, the problem with this is that Joseph's brothers were all lost at the time and there was no change in their lives until later as evidenced by their interactions with Joseph when he was second in command to Pharaoh. There are countless other examples of this throughout Hardin's book, but I will spare you for now.
I truly believe that this book contained some great truths that all believers need to read. I truly believe that this book contained some great truths that all believers need to read. My main concern is that the book detracts from its main point; namely integrity in the life of the believer. If he had stayed focus on the Boot Camp imagery instead of bouncing around to hypothetical war scenarios that both outlandish and really unnecessary, then this could have been a much better book. Also, I wish the author had spent more time focusing on the indicative instead of mostly the imperative of the Christian life. The reason why we want to remain faithful to the cause of the war is because of the precious blood of the "Commander in Chief" who redeemed us and set us free from waging a selfish war. Instead, because our "Commander in Chief" was so selfless, we are inspired to be selfless and to lay it all out for our Savior. A greater emphasis on the "Commander in Chief" and not just on the soldier would have really helped this book.
Title: Boot Camp: Equipping Men with Integrity for Spiritual Warfare
Author: Jason Hardin
Publisher: DeWard Publishing Company, Ltd (2013)
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the DeWard Publishing Company review bloggers program on Cross Focused Reviews. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255 : "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."
One of the strongest parts of the book is the Introduction. Jason does an outstanding job of calling all Christians to gird themselves up for battle, and to realize that we are not the first people participate in this war. Truth be told, there have been countless others who have faithfully "blazed the trail" through this war and they have left us godly examples which we can follow. Let's be honest, you can't escape this war by not fighting, nor can you survive by acting like there is no war going on around you. The war is over the souls of men, but thankfully, we have a "Commander in Chief" who is the Sovereign Lord of the universe and One whose will cannot be denied or thwarted. The author does a great job of stressing the seriousness of not only being a soldier in this battle, but of being a good soldier who brings not only honor on himself but, more importantly, gets honor for his "Commander in Chief".
Also, I really enjoyed the first chapter which talked about all of the other "soldiers" who have come before us like Moses, David, Gideon, and Elijah to name a few. It is great to be reminded daily of Hebrews 12 and the fact that we are "surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses" who were soldiers in the same war before us and were faithful to their "Commander in Chief". It is easy for us to get so self-focused that we almost think we are in this battle alone, but our other faithful brothers and sisters in Christ were also employed in this same battle and that is encouraging news.
However, there were a number of flaws in this book that were hard to overlook. The author does a lot of switching between Boot Camp (which is what this book was supposed to concentrate on) and War itself. Now, that is not all that bad if you can connect the reason why you are doing this, and make that connection easy for the reader to understand. However, there were times when the author would transport the reader to a wartime setting to start the chapter, flip to Boot Camp, and then back to a war time setting with relatively no explanation on why this was occurring and how this fits into the authors goal of integrity in the Christian's life (see Chapter 4).
To be honest, this was not a huge deal and something that I could have easily overlooked if not for the other flaws in the book. One of my biggest pet peeves in reading Christian literature is an author who texts of Scripture out of their context in order to prove their points. For instance, in Chapter 4, the author uses Hebrews 3:12-13 to prove that Christians can get a hardened after we have been born again, but the text is dealing with true salvation versus those who are lost. Also, another example is in Chapter 7, the author talks about the struggles with materialism in the life of a believer and uses Matthew 19:16-22 as a proof-text. The problem with using that specific text is it is dealing with materialism in the life of an unbeliever, and not a believer in Christ who is struggling with his former sins. Lastly, in Chapter 8, Hardin is talking about the struggle with jealousy and being envious of others, and uses the example of Joseph's brothers as a way to discourage these attitudes in the life of believers. Again, the problem with this is that Joseph's brothers were all lost at the time and there was no change in their lives until later as evidenced by their interactions with Joseph when he was second in command to Pharaoh. There are countless other examples of this throughout Hardin's book, but I will spare you for now.
I truly believe that this book contained some great truths that all believers need to read. I truly believe that this book contained some great truths that all believers need to read. My main concern is that the book detracts from its main point; namely integrity in the life of the believer. If he had stayed focus on the Boot Camp imagery instead of bouncing around to hypothetical war scenarios that both outlandish and really unnecessary, then this could have been a much better book. Also, I wish the author had spent more time focusing on the indicative instead of mostly the imperative of the Christian life. The reason why we want to remain faithful to the cause of the war is because of the precious blood of the "Commander in Chief" who redeemed us and set us free from waging a selfish war. Instead, because our "Commander in Chief" was so selfless, we are inspired to be selfless and to lay it all out for our Savior. A greater emphasis on the "Commander in Chief" and not just on the soldier would have really helped this book.
Title: Boot Camp: Equipping Men with Integrity for Spiritual Warfare
Author: Jason Hardin
Publisher: DeWard Publishing Company, Ltd (2013)
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the DeWard Publishing Company review bloggers program on Cross Focused Reviews. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255 : "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."
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August 9, 2020Awesome book for Christian men!
This book taught me a lot about being a man of God and better understanding what integrity is. I learned a lot and took notes as well.
This book taught me a lot about being a man of God and better understanding what integrity is. I learned a lot and took notes as well.
October 28, 2013
In Boot Camp, Jason Hardin has written this book to prepare men in resisting the adversity and the schemes that the devil uses against believers. He began the book by providing readers with an overview of wonderful Biblical stories including Moses, Gideon, David, Elijah, and many others. In every chapter, he introduced a Biblical story to help readers obtain victory in the battlefield. He encouraged believers to follow the advice found in Matthew 7:14 and we’re called to enter through the narrow gate that leads to life. God has commanded us to live a live filled with integrity and to do just that, we have to put to death certain destructive things like selfishness, sexual immorality, idolatry, jealousy, and a few other harmful compounds. Near the end of the book, Jason Hardin revealed the strategies in engaging in spiritual warfare and putting on the full armor of God.
One of my favorite chapters was, “Sexual Immorality: Learning When to Fight and When to Run”. Jason Hardin shared about a discussion he had with six other married guys. They all admitted that they have been hit on by other women while they were married. He strongly suggested that men must be proactive, and decide ahead of time, and have their mind set firmly in setting boundaries, and saying no when temptations present themselves. Jason Hardin illustrated the story of Joseph and his enticement with Potiphar’s wife and Joseph displayed great veracity. He turned down her sexual advances every single time, she made a move and asked him to lie with her. Jason made a superb point that numerous people uses excuses as to why it’s okay and they compromise their integrity. They buy into the lie, this small act won’t lead to intercourse. I also liked how he was very real in stating that older men may be shocked and uncomfortable in reading parts of this chapter. He exposed oral sex is not considered that big of a deal amongst the younger generation. But a compromise is still a compromise.
I would recommend this incredible book every single men where they can be strengthen in the battlefield against the devil fiery attacks and schemes. I immensely loved how the book was written to assist readers in preparing for boot camp and it warned readers of the vicious tactics satan uses to entice believers. I have experienced firsthand an engaged woman hitting on me and trying to tempt me by making advances towards me. And I walked away and kept my distance from this person. I personally benefited with the reminder of the dangers of sexual immortality and the crucial importance of fleeing from sexual temptations. I liked the inclusive assessment of putting on the full armor of God and fighting against the attacks of the enemy. If you’re looking for a book that will equip you in preparing for the final battle against the devil, then read this book!
“I received this book for free from Cross Focused Reviews / DeWard Publishing Company for this review”.
October 22, 2013
Boot Camp a good place to start
Boot Camp by Jason Hardin, subtitled “Equipping men with integrity for spiritual warfare” is a Scripture saturated book pointing to the importance of integrity and God’s design for our life. This is the first of five books from the IMAGE series. For more information see www.ingodsimage.com. This book is broken down into three parts leading men through a spiritual boot camp to get them ready for life in our fallen world. The first part is defining the journey through a discussion of what it is to follow God, how we need to be men and how God provides for our journey. The second part addresses with how integrity is born and why our sins must be put to death. The discussion of sin included selfishness, sexual immorality, idolatry, jealousy, anger, the tongue and hypocrisy is very convicted and well worth a look. The final section deals with the armor of God. These sections are saturated with God’s Word, with dozens of Scriptural references. This was such a refreshing look at these verses which were buffeted by many stories that both challenged and encouraged me in line with God’s Word. This is really the strength of this book.
However, as I read this book I had a problem with how he laid out his charge for integrity. I was about to give this book a scathing review until I read part three. Because throughout the book Hardin tells us what we (as men) should be doing and that we ought to do it. He shows us in the Bible where we are told to do it but he continually does not go far enough. He says things like: We need to be disciplined. True. We need to be men of integrity. True. We need to be courageous. True. We need to be men of character, treat women with respect, flee from lust, be trustworthy, be true, and love the Lord. All true. But why don’t we do it? Because we are fallen sinful beings. And when we fail at doing all these things, that is when we are strongest because we are then forced to rely on His strength. Hardin does mention this in the first two parts, but I just felt it was not nearly enough. Without part three of this book I would not be able to recommend this book, but Hardin brings it around and finally hits the point in part three where he talks about how it is impossible for us to do anything in us unless we first put on Christ. His book is theologically sound but it is this lack of clear and consistent emphasis that keeps this book from being a five star book. Now I may have missed it as I read, but I was looking for it throughout and did not see it. Even with this problem with this book I give this book a high recommendation, you could do a lot worse than this book if you want a book about how to be a man of integrity. Four out of five stars.
Boot Camp by Jason Hardin, subtitled “Equipping men with integrity for spiritual warfare” is a Scripture saturated book pointing to the importance of integrity and God’s design for our life. This is the first of five books from the IMAGE series. For more information see www.ingodsimage.com. This book is broken down into three parts leading men through a spiritual boot camp to get them ready for life in our fallen world. The first part is defining the journey through a discussion of what it is to follow God, how we need to be men and how God provides for our journey. The second part addresses with how integrity is born and why our sins must be put to death. The discussion of sin included selfishness, sexual immorality, idolatry, jealousy, anger, the tongue and hypocrisy is very convicted and well worth a look. The final section deals with the armor of God. These sections are saturated with God’s Word, with dozens of Scriptural references. This was such a refreshing look at these verses which were buffeted by many stories that both challenged and encouraged me in line with God’s Word. This is really the strength of this book.
However, as I read this book I had a problem with how he laid out his charge for integrity. I was about to give this book a scathing review until I read part three. Because throughout the book Hardin tells us what we (as men) should be doing and that we ought to do it. He shows us in the Bible where we are told to do it but he continually does not go far enough. He says things like: We need to be disciplined. True. We need to be men of integrity. True. We need to be courageous. True. We need to be men of character, treat women with respect, flee from lust, be trustworthy, be true, and love the Lord. All true. But why don’t we do it? Because we are fallen sinful beings. And when we fail at doing all these things, that is when we are strongest because we are then forced to rely on His strength. Hardin does mention this in the first two parts, but I just felt it was not nearly enough. Without part three of this book I would not be able to recommend this book, but Hardin brings it around and finally hits the point in part three where he talks about how it is impossible for us to do anything in us unless we first put on Christ. His book is theologically sound but it is this lack of clear and consistent emphasis that keeps this book from being a five star book. Now I may have missed it as I read, but I was looking for it throughout and did not see it. Even with this problem with this book I give this book a high recommendation, you could do a lot worse than this book if you want a book about how to be a man of integrity. Four out of five stars.
October 23, 2013
There’s no doubt that the world has given men the wrong idea of what they should be. To help combat that on a really practical and biblical level, Mr. Jason Hardin has given us this fine volume “equipping men with integrity for spiritual warfare.” While on some level this book would appeal to any serious believer, it is geared to men. It works hand in hand with some recent literature by men like John Eldredge and Stephen Arterburn that has challenged and helped Christian men. It views the great challenges of life in the context of being a man.
Part One addresses the big picture and what a man with integrity looks like. Part Two, my favorite, discusses what must be dealt with to be such a man. The issues are in an order that especially makes sense for men–selfishness, sexual immorality, idolatry, jealousy, anger, sins of the tongue, and hypocrisy. I felt convicted in every chapter, and as he hoped, challenged. I thought the chapter on selfishness was exceptionally well done.
Part Three offers the strong enticement to put on the Lord’s armory. It was the perfect climax for such a book.
The book looks sharp and can help newer Christians while still being profitable for seasoned ones. I applaud any effort to reach men, which is such a need in our day. I pray this volume can help many! I recommend it!
I received this book free from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 .
Part One addresses the big picture and what a man with integrity looks like. Part Two, my favorite, discusses what must be dealt with to be such a man. The issues are in an order that especially makes sense for men–selfishness, sexual immorality, idolatry, jealousy, anger, sins of the tongue, and hypocrisy. I felt convicted in every chapter, and as he hoped, challenged. I thought the chapter on selfishness was exceptionally well done.
Part Three offers the strong enticement to put on the Lord’s armory. It was the perfect climax for such a book.
The book looks sharp and can help newer Christians while still being profitable for seasoned ones. I applaud any effort to reach men, which is such a need in our day. I pray this volume can help many! I recommend it!
I received this book free from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 .
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