It’s been over a year since I released The 5 Masculine Instincts. I wrote the book because, as a pastor, I saw the way so many men were wrestling with questions about masculinity and how the broader cultural conversation seemed to be leading to more online debates than actual Christlike growth in the lives of men. That trend continues. There are more books, more articles, and more controversies. Drop the word masculinity on Twitter, and like raw meat thrown into the river, the piranhas swarm. Some do it simply because they enjoy that show (You know, some people keep Piranhas as pets).
That’s never been my goal. From the beginning, I wanted to try and carve a way forward. No one is unaware of the problems. And while it’s easy to draw attention with hand grenades thrown back and forth between the trenches, there come moments in each of our lives when we must determine to become better men. I wanted to help individual men grow in character. Online debates have never proved much help in those real-world moments of temptation and discouragement. I wanted to write a book that could guide those moments.
It’s been over a year since I released The 5 Masculine Instincts. I wrote the book because, as a pastor, I saw the way so many men were wrestling with questions about masculinity and how the broader cultural conversation seemed to be leading to more online debates than actual Christlike growth in the lives of men. That trend continues. There are more books, more articles, and more controversies. Drop the word masculinity on Twitter, and like raw meat thrown into the river, the piranhas swarm. Some do it simply because they enjoy that show (You know, some people keep Piranhas as pets).
That’s never been my goal. From the beginning, I wanted to try and carve a way forward. No one is unaware of the problems. And while it’s easy to draw attention with hand grenades thrown back and forth between the trenches, there come moments in each of our lives when we must determine to become better men. I wanted to help individual men grow in character. Online debates have never proved much help in those real-world moments of temptation and discouragement. I wanted to write a book that could guide those moments.
You're listening to episode 202 of the Pastor Rider podcast conversations on reading, writing and the Christian life. I'm your host, chase Replohbl. Well, it's Memorial Day and I hope you had a chance this weekend to get out and enjoy some new summer weather. It's been great where we are, and this afternoon we're actually headed to the lake, so it should be a good day. But I wanted to take a few moments just to give you an update. It's been over a year since the Five Masculine Instincts came out, and there's been some new releases a new Steady Guide that's out in print that I'm excited to be able to tell you about today too, and it seems like a great time. Father's Day is just around the corner, so perhaps if you're a pastor or a leading a men's group, the new Steady Guide will be a blessing to you, and maybe even the book could be this season to the men in your church. I just posted this content also as an article on the Five Masculine Instincts website, so feel free to check it out there as well, too. This one will be short, but I hope you enjoy the update. Thanks for listening. It's now been over a year since I released the Five Masculine Instincts.
Speaker 1:I originally wrote the book because, as a pastor, i saw the way so many men were wrestling with questions about masculinity and how the broader cultural conversations seem to be leading to more online debates than actual Christ-like growth in men's lives. That trend continues a year later. There are more books, more articles and certainly more controversies as well. Drop the word masculinity on, say, twitter, and like raw meat thrown into the river, the piranha swarm. Some do it simply because they enjoy that show. You know, people actually keep piranhas as pets. But I've always wanted to contribute something more. That's never been my goal From the beginning. I wanted to try and carve a way forward. No one is unaware of the challenges men face and while it's easy to draw attention with hand grenades thrown back and forth between the trenches, there comes moments in each of our lives when we must determine to become better men. I wanted to help individual men grow in character. Online debates have never proved much help in those real-world moments of temptation and discouragement. I wanted to write a book that could guide men through those moments of actual growth towards Christ-likeness. It's easy to get discouraged and hopeless when it comes to the topic, especially if you're paying attention to the constant new articles and controversies online. Perhaps this is just the way men are. Some people seem to wonder, but since publishing the book I've actually grown more and more optimistic about men, particularly the conversations I've been having with Christian men.
Speaker 1:In the past year I've done over 50 podcasts and interviews around the book, everything from Good Morning America to the 700 Club. But as much fun as those opportunities have been, my favorite times have been the Q&As I've been able to do with men's small groups. I've done many of them, some of them early morning in-person coffee, others late night Zoom calls with groups of men, some with church groups and others just men who found themselves online and started their own group. I've met men at churches and retreats and through a countless number of comments and messages some of you have sent me online. What I've encountered is hundreds of men who not only love the Lord but want to be more faithful husbands, fathers and followers of Christ. These men never capture the headlines. You're not going to read about them in articles or in tweets. I mean, who pays attention to a dad working a job, attending church with his family and quietly reading in his own personal time to try to grow his own faith? But those are the kinds of men that I'm finding more and more of, and I contend that they're the ones that actually make a difference and change the world around them.
Speaker 1:Men still face challenges. The statistics are still not good, i'm fully aware, but I'm more optimistic than I was a year ago. One of the ways I measure a Good Book is its ability to give language to things that we knew, have felt, but have never been quite able to articulate or wrap our arms around. A Good Book always seems to inspire good conversations. That's been my prayer for the five masculine instincts that it would inspire conversations between men, conversations that would help men actually grow towards Christ in their lives, and I'm deeply grateful to have seen that happen and to be able to be a part of many of those conversations. I want to do everything that I possibly can to help facilitate those kinds of conversations when it comes to the topic of masculinity. That's why I'm really excited to be announcing that there is a new print version of the five masculine instincts Steady Guide. For some time I've been giving it away as a PDF, which works great for some men, but the truth is we all love having an actual print Steady Guide along with the book to be able to use in our personal study and also in group study.
Speaker 1:This new print guide includes everything you need to study the book personally, but also to use it as a part of a group, maybe a small group or a reading group, even online. The Steady Guide actually includes some articles and content that aren't in the book, so there'll be more to read there. It has personal reflection questions, group discussion questions, prayer prompts, and then, of course, it has access to the assessment that'll help you find your place in the book the five instincts. It was also designed to work great with the other group resources that I have available through the website. The study is a nine session Steady Guide and there are also nine videos on the website, a conversation I had through each chapter of the book. That works great. With the Steady Guide. There are you version reading plans for all of the instincts, so if you wanted to delve deeper, there's devotionals as well as scripture reading plans through you version, and I've also got a downloadable package of graphics that are editable that you could use if you were promoting the book or the study as a part of a men's group at your church If you're looking for a new book for Father's Day.
Speaker 1:Perhaps you're a pastor. I'd also recommend the Five Masculine Instincts. Last Father's Day there were several churches that gave it away to their men. Reach out to me, moody. The publisher has a great discount that they have for bulk orders. so if it's something you're interested, i think we could make it workable. And then hopefully, the Steady Guide maybe out of Father's Day is an opportunity to gather the men in your church together to read the book and to be able to discuss it. I've done everything I can to make the Five Masculine Instincts a great resource, not just for you but for any of the men that are in your life. And if you go to the fivemasculineinstinctscom slash Steady Guide or go to the homepage and you'll find a link you can get all of the details on the new Steady Guide and where you can get it on Amazon.
Speaker 1:One other thing I wanted to be able to help in the same way I have with some of the past men's groups who have read the book. If you do decide to pick the book up and read it as a part of men's group, i've got a form on the website, the fivemasculineinstinctscom. Go to Steady Guide and you can actually schedule a Q&A Zoom, so I'd love to be able to jump in. Maybe at the end of the study I'll come on any questions the men in your group have about the book or masculinity. We could have a conversation about it. I'd love to be able to just hear their input, answer any questions, meet the men that are studying it.
Speaker 1:Really, the last thing I wanted to say was just looking back over this last year, a little over. I just wanted to say thank you. So many of you have not only read the book, but you've shared it and you've left really helpful reviews online as well as reaching out to me personally, and I really am grateful for all of that support and encouragement. I'm continuing to pray. The book will be a blessing to you, to any of the men in your life, and I'm looking forward to many more of those conversations to come. Thanks, as always.
Speaker 1:I've got show notes for today's episode. You can find a link for information on the study guide. You can either go to the5masculineinstinctscom or feel free to jump on pastorridercom if that's where you're used to going, and you'll find show notes for this episode with the links over to it as well. I would also appreciate it if you would subscribe if you haven't already, maybe subscribe to the podcast, but also the newsletter. You can do that on the website. I have been working on a second book. I'm not quite ready for the full update on that, but I'm hoping in the next couple of months we'll be able to announce that. I hope you'll stay tuned. Much more to come, as always. Thanks for listening.