'If the young are not initiated into the village, they will burn it down just to feel its warmth.”

African Proverb

The church, more often than not, has set out to cultivate what John Eldredge refers to as "Nice Men," or perhaps what we might call a "good boy." But how do we move beyond that to become a Good Man—a man who reflects the masculine model of Christ?

When we turn to Scripture as our guide, we find a model that challenges and refines us. We are called to imitate Christ, the perfect man. In his letter to the Corinthians, Paul gives us a clear charge: “Be watchful, stand firm in the faith, act like men, be strong. Let all that you do be done in love” (1 Corinthians 16:13-14). This call is not merely to strength but to a strength tempered by love, as modeled by Christ Himself.

C.S. Lewis captures the tension between strength and goodness in his description of Aslan, the great lion of Narnia. In The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe, Mr. Beaver says:

“Safe? Don’t you hear what Mrs. Beaver tells you? Who said anything about safe? ’Course he isn’t safe. But he’s good. He’s the King, I tell you.”

Here, we glimpse the tension of what it means to be a Good Man. There’s a desire for a clear, black-and-white checklist to define manhood, but the example of Jesus is complex and nuanced. Jesus was powerful and tender, authoritative yet humble. The King of Kings rode into Jerusalem on not a war horse but a donkey. He didn’t fit the mold of what those around Him expected. In many ways, He was a wild man, challenging the status quo and living with an intensity unmatched by others. He certainly was not domesticated and led around on a leash.

Each of us is uniquely crafted by Christ—a masterpiece made for good works. We are made in the image of God, and in each of us, there is an adventurous spirit that longs to come alive, a spirit that often finds expression in the company of other men gathered around the fire of fellowship. While none of us are Christ, we are called to imitate Him. Together, in community and discussion, we can explore and reflect on the manly examples we see in the life of Christ.

There is a hunger in our hearts for this wildness we see in Jesus and other men in the scriptures, for this deeper understanding of what it means to be a Good Man, not just a good boy. Through the lens of Christ's life, we can rediscover what that truly means.

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For more information about Mars Hill Church, visit www.pomh.org

Music in this episode was purchased from Epidemic Sound, Featuring "Appalachian Trail" by Hunter Quinn.