5 Reasons Today’s Christian Men Desperately Need a Prophetic Voice

The prophet Malachi warned us about this day.

“See, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreaded day of the Lord. He will turn the hearts of the fathers to their children, and the hearts of the children to their fathers, lest I come and strike the earth with a curse” (Mal. 4:5-6).

There is a kinetic relationship between man and the earth. When Adam embezzled God’s property, the earth was plunged into poverty, producing thorns and thistles. The garden became fortified against Adam’s stealing hand.

When Noah’s generation inclined their heart toward wickedness, God cleansed the earth with a baptism. When the Israelites disobeyed the principle of giving the land rest, called the “Sabbath of the land,” God allowed the King of Babylon to extract them from the land.

The wise compiler of Proverbs 30 tells us that there are four intolerable actions that cause earthquakes: a servant who becomes the leader (by usurpation); an arrogant glutton; an unloved woman who is married; a mistress who replaces a faithful wife.

The last words of the Old Testament gives a dire warning that if we do not have a prophetic voice that speaks to the heart of man, the land will suffer utter destruction.

We need more than a sophomoric strategy. Let’s not waste our time using the efforts of women’s ministry, youth ministry or boy’s clubs and rebranding them for men. We need something more. We need a movement.

We need a strong voice for authentic manhood—a prophetic voice to speak to this generation of men.

5 Reasons We Must Speak Prophetically to the Heart of Man

1. Within the heart of man is a spirit of adventure.

This purpose gives him the willingness, even the desire to take risks. The purpose of adventure drives him to condition his body for a challenge and the courage to defend what he holds dear—namely, his family and faith. Courage comes from this purpose. However, if a man doesn’t know what to fight for, he will find the wrong thing to fight against.

2. Man is designed with the original intent to work and produce; thus, he has an entrepreneurial drive.

This purpose empowers him to meet his needs, satisfy the desires of his family and ultimately finance his purpose in life. Man is the economy, and within every man is a deep purpose to work. The most evil and insidious strike against a man is to strip him of work. As Solomon said, “He who labors, labors for himself, for his mouth craves it of him” (Prov. 16:26). Contrary to popular belief, work is not part of the curse—in fact, God gave man a job before He gave man the responsibility of a family (Gen. 2:15)

3. Man is deeply relational and desires to have viable and lasting relationships.

This sounds counter cultural, but deep within man is a desire to be gallant in his relationships. To be gallant means to show special attention and respect toward women in an honorable way. He treats older women as his mother, younger women as his own daughter, and his peers as his sisters. The only woman who receives the intimacy of his eyes and the passion of his heart is his wife. As Job said, “I made a covenant with my eyes; why then should I look upon a young woman?” (Job 31:1)

4. Men want to live faithful lives.

We have a passion for integrity and value authenticity. We want to be found faithful. This isn’t what we’ve been told but it’s true. Do you know that overwhelmingly men are spiritual? Barna research found that 9 out of 10 men affirm their belief in God. However, we’ve shown very little effort to communicate to men effectively. The church has designed elaborate schemes and rooms for children, youth, and have modeled the decor of churches to attract women. We must speak to the heart of man and draw upon his spiritual purpose.

5. Every man wants to leave a legacy.

Man has a philanthropic cause. The word philanthropic means “love for humanity.” It is a deep purpose of authentic manhood to enhance the condition of humanity; thus, this word best represents what it is to be like Christ. Who has raised the standard of humanity more than Christ?

For the last few years, I have traveled extensively to speak to the heart of man. The good news is that I see an intensity from men that is new and refreshing. The altars are filled at the call for men to resurrect authentic manhood. The volume is being turned up and the Spirit is being poured out on men. Every day we receive testimonials of men who have decided that their lives will be focused upon their purposes and not on the trivial pursuits that cause so many to fail.

Frankly, we must have this prophetic voice or we’re in deep trouble. Utter destruction will occur if we don’t. {eoa}

FivestarMan was founded in 2008 by Neil Kennedy. Kennedy has passionately promoted God’s Word for 25-plus years of ministry. He is known for practically applying biblical principles that elevate people to a new level of living. As a business, church, ministry and life consultant, Kennedy has helped others strategize the necessary steps to reach their full potential.

For the original article, visit fivestarman.com.