On Father’s Day, God Is Rallying His Troops

“You can feel it in the air, a rumble in the distance like thunder rolling in. It’s an army of men who are fed up with being beaten up by those who want to feminize and emasculate them,” says Dr. Tim Clinton, as he explores the issue of godly masculinity amidst the toxic culture today in his book, co-authored with Max Davis, Take It Back: Reclaiming Biblical Masculinity – The Heart and Strength of Being a Man.

“[These men] are tired of living lives of compromise and sin, and the battle lines have been drawn,” Clinton continues. “Men are stepping back into the ring.”

And, as if all the shaming of traditional men isn’t enough, men who are attempting to live upright, godly lives are being shamed and attacked from another source.

“Godly men are fighting not only a culture that’s against their masculinity and manhood but also the temptations and spiritual tensions of this world set on bringing them down,” Clinton says.

“We’ve seen that there is a cultural enemy in direct opposition to what we as men are and stand for. This enemy wants society to move on from its Christian heritage to promote its liberal agenda,” Clinton says. “Behind the scenes of this enemy culture, however, is a very real spiritual force, an actual adversary pulling the strings. Whether you believe it or not, this adversary oversees an entire unseen realm—a hierarchical system that has been in place from the beginning of time, with the sole intent of disrupting God’s plan.

“Toss into the mix stress, fatigue, financial expectations to perform, pressures to be unethical, time demands, and loneliness—not to mention pornographic images pounding them relentlessly from a myriad of sources,” Clinton says. “Men have never been under attack like they are today.”

Clinton shares some words of encouragement for those who feel sucker-punched, discouraged, and down and out. “Take heart. It’s not too late! God wants you. He’s not finished with you. In fact, your best days as a man lie ahead.

“You’re not alone!” Clinton says. “God is rallying his troops via the Holy Spirit, and men are heeding the call and reporting to duty. They are rising up. Heaven and earth are on tiptoe awaiting Spirit-led, Spirit-intoxicated men, brothers, servants, followers of Christ who are willing to stand in the gap for such a time as this. It’s an uprising. Lightning is about to strike!”

In Take It Back: Reclaiming Biblical Masculinity – The Heart and Strength of Being a Man, Clinton, president of the American Association of Christian Counselors (AACC), challenges readers to reject the culture’s redefinition and seek biblical examples of true manhood. Fast-paced, filled with relevant, biblical stories of godly men like David and Nehemiah, and contemporary stories of godly men like 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. {eoa}

Dr. Tim Clinton, EdD, LPC, LMFT, is president of AACC, the largest and most diverse Christian counseling association in the world. Dr. Clinton also serves as co-host of Dr. James Dobson’s Family Talk, heard on nearly 1400 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. Dr. Clinton and his wife, Julie, have two children and a granddaughter.

Max Davis is the author of over 30 books that have been featured in USA Today, Publisher’s Weekly, Bible Gateway and on the Today show and The 700 Club. He holds degrees in journalism and biblical studies. In addition to his own works, he’s done a variety of collaboration projects with highly notable leaders.