A new book by Dr. Tim Clinton and Max Davis acknowledges that our culture is determined to redefine masculinity as something it was never meant to be.
But in Take It Back: Reclaiming Biblical Masculinity—The Heart and Strength of Being a Man, the authors aim to affirm that men matter, can be difference-makers in their circles of influence and have a positive impact on the culture. This new release comes at a time when “toxic masculinity“ is being addressed and in the media.
“It’s no secret that men today are getting a bad rap,” Clinton writes in Take It Back. “They are being painted as buffoons, absentees, porn addicts and toxic. But the truth is the world desperately depends upon real men rising up in times of need. Right now, more than ever, God is calling men to be men. In a culture that wants to feminize them and keep them down, men need to know who they are, that God created them fully masculine, and where their ultimate source of strength comes from.”
The American Psychological Association asserts that “traditional masculinity is psychologically harmful.” Many agree that “forcing men to behave in accordance with the worst stereotypes of manliness harms them, and it harms others.” But is the answer then to marginalize and feminize men? Despite culture’s determination to redefine masculinity, the great heart cry of our day is for men to rise up and take back their rightful place.
It’s a cry that echoes deep in the soul and from all ends of our society, and particularly from the women who love their fathers, husbands, brothers and sons. Most women want their men to be honored and to stand up and be men. Men have faltered and lost influence and territory. The good news is that for many who struggle, there is often a daily yearning to make it right. The reality is masculinity is not and never was “toxic.”
In Take It Back, Clinton, president of the American Association of Christian Counselors, challenges readers to reject culture’s redefinition and seek biblical examples of true manhood. Fast-paced, filled with relevant biblical and contemporary stories of godly men like David, Nehemiah, George Foreman and Tim Tebow, Take It Back empowers men to be who God created them to be and to impact the culture that is in desperate need of their influence. Study and discussion questions at the end of each chapter make Take It Back a perfect resource for men’s Bible studies and small groups.
Clinton, Ed.D., LPC, LMFT, is president of AACC, the largest and most diverse Christian counseling association in the world. He also serves as the executive director of the James Dobson Family Institute and co-host of Dr. James Dobson’s Family Talk, heard on nearly 1,400 radio outlets daily. Licensed as a professional counselor and as a marriage and family therapist, Clinton is recognized as a world leader in mental health and relationship issues and spends much of his time working with Christian leaders and professional athletes. He has authored or edited nearly 30 books. Clinton and his wife, Julie, have two children and a granddaughter.
Take It Back releases this week by Charisma House, which publishes books that challenge, encourage, teach and equip Christians. {eoa}
Read articles like this one and other Spirit-led content in our new platform, CHARISMA PLUS
