Biblical Manhood

Dr. Ray Van Neste is the Director of the R.C. Ryan Center for Biblical Studies at Union University. A scholar, husband and father, he recently spoke to a group of Union students on the pursuit of true manhood.

If you'd like to listen to his talk in it's entirety here is the link.

Our culture is infatuated with youth and encourages you not to grow up. After all, it says, the glory is in the youth. If you would be men you must reject this siren song and swim against the tide. You must diligently seek to throw off immaturity and to grow up. Remember the one boy who never grew up was Peter Pan - and in case you haven’t noticed his role has typically been played by a woman. The chase for perpetual youth is never manly. The other example of avoiding the effects of growing up is the medieval boys choirs. To maintain the high voices of the boys as they aged, the boys would be castrated. Again, avoiding maturity is emasculating.

So my main point to you tonight is, work on growing up. It does not “just happen.” Examples abound of physically mature males who have never truly attained manhood because they failed to mature in anyway other than physically.

If you are raising boys or think you have some growing up to do yourself (don't we all?) I would recommend listening, or at least read his notes on the topic.