I have recently been turned on to Christian poet Bradley Hathaway. He is a cutting edge, hardcore, relevant, and faith-filled poet. Check out his stuff in this video of his poem, Manly Man…

[youtube AJGwVBvJMPM video: Manly Man by Bradley Hathaway]

In his book of his poetry, he tells the story about his inspiration behind this poem. I thought that it was interesting that one of the biggest influences on him for this poem was the John Eldredge book Wild At Heart. In case you have not yet read this book, or not heard of it, I highly recommend it. This book is one of the best books that I have ever read, and speak directly to the very essence of true manhood.

It is important for our society to get ourselves wrapped around this idea of real manhood. Much of society today tells us that traditional manhood it wrong, because it believes that it means that there will be this “man is superior” attitude that wants nothing more than to suppress the “inferior” female sex. This is simply an untrue statement.

Listen, you don’t even have to believe in the way God wired us to understand the fact that men and women are wired very differently. It is this truth that Eldredge (and Hathaway) are speaking of. Our society needs to see a revolutionary return to true (Biblical) manhood; a manhood that includes…

• Honor
• Chivalry
• A desire to conquer evil
• A passion to rescue the princess
• An untamed heart that seeks adventure

So if you have not read and studied this topic, and more importantly started to live like a REAL man (or understand your man), then you should jump directly into these resources, and not come up for air until you are done.

All the Hits So Far But Don’t Expect Too Much By Bradley Hathaway / Relevant Books      This book and CD capture the outrageous stories, experiences and observations of Bradley Hathaway, a fixture on the international festival and concert scene. All the Hits So Far combines his bold, honest poetry with commentary and original artwork, resulting in a rare glimpse into the mind and heart of a sensitive, hardcore manly man living life out loud through the microphone.

Wild at Heart By John Eldredge / Thomas Nelson      Helping men rediscover their masculine heart, Wild at Heart, a guide to understanding Christian manhood and Christian men, offers a refreshing break from the chorus of voices urging men to be more responsible, reliable, dutiful … and dead. God designed men to be dangerous, says Eldredge. Simply look at the dreams and desires written in every boy’s heart: to be a hero, to be a warrior, to live a life of adventure and risk. Sadly, most men abandon those dreams and desires—aided by a Christianity that feels like nothing more than pressure to be a “nice guy.” It’s no wonder that many men avoid church, and those who go are often passive and bored to death. In this provocative book, Eldredge gives women a look inside the true heart of a man and gives men permission to be what God designed them to be—dangerous, passionate, alive, and free.

Wild at Heart Field Manual By John Eldredge / Thomas Nelson      No more Mr. “Nice” Guy! Men, God doesn’t want you bored with church. He won’t squelch your heroic instincts and adventurous spirit—he designed you that way. Filled with probing questions, creative exercises, and space to record “field notes,” Eldredge’s hands-on manual will transition you from reading about your God-given heart to living from it. 276 pages, softcover from Nelson.