Our culture has limited the very essence of what it is to be a man. And the chief proponent of this limiting can be found in the body of Christ. The church today views manhood in the context of a man being able to act as a provided – nothing more, nothing less. Additionally, the church also reserves roles for certain men that are “called to the ministry”, and are somehow considered set-apart from other men who can limit their life-roles to simply acting as a provider. Thus providing an excuse for the majority of men to shun their responsibilities. This is a false and ultimately impotent view of manhood. One could spend hours pointing out the many causes of such actions, the feminist movement, our cultures obsession with sensuality etc., but for now I want to provide an overview as to some of the very key roles that every Christian man is called to fulfill and how they all coincide:

I. Generational Sonship
Men need to view their own lives and legacies as a representation of their fathers. Even if it manifests itself in a small way, men must view their work and life calling in the construct of their fathers, and building upon that. Ask yourself: How can I carry on and build upon my father’s legacy? How has my father influenced my life for both good and bad, and how can I take the good that is there and exalt my fathers strengths by performing and building upon that foundation, all the while avoiding the bad influence? This is the first foundation that must be in place for a man to even consider building upon additional roles in his life. Without the proper view of his father, just as Christ came to serve his father, everything else is pointless. (For now I will not delve into the issues of men without fathers. Although the scripture has much to say about them.)

II. Future Patriarchy
If a man truly desires to be a standard-bearer in a dark and wicked land, he must view himself as a future patriarch from an early age. He must view his time, his desire to learn, his relationships, his community, and in essence his life as striving to be a leader in his own household, in the shepherding of the church flock, and the protecting of the flock from untruth. Every endeavor that a man sets his hands to accomplish must be viewed in the greater role of Biblical leadership. This is very much lacking in our day and age, and as a result, we have men that are not prepared to give an answer to every man of the hope that is within them.

III. Dominion Building
Genesis tells us to rejoice in our labors but to first view them as dominion works that have a bigger purpose behind them. Labor that will first bring glory to our creator God and grow the Lordship of Christ over all the earth. Different men will have different roles in this area. Some are called to serve other men, some are called for specific life works of their own. Ultimately, all men should strive to put themselves in dominion work situations that will allow them to have a full-orbed flexibility relating to their many God given roles. Man was never created to just hold a job for the benefit of drawing a paycheck. Man was created to view his work as holy calling to glorify the Lord Jesus Christ and to use the resources and time that has been given to expand the kingdom work.

IV. Church Shepherding
As a man is established in his God given roles as a faithful son, patriarch, and a dominion builder, he should desire to shepherd others in the body of Christ through the preaching of the word and the edifying of the body of Christ. All the wisdom and knowledge that a man gains from viewing his life as a future patriarch will culminate into a practical outworking by expounding wisdom to others in the body of Christ. This manifests itself in the roles of deacons and elders.

V. Marriage
As a picture of Christ to the church, on an experiential level, this is the most profound and important relationship-constituent that a man will be given on this earth. This defining relationship will affect every other God given role that a man has been called to fulfill in his life. It is not to be taken lightly but it is to be gloried and reverenced as a wonderful blessing sent from our Lord. If the first three roles that I have mentioned, (Gerational Sonship, Future Patriarchy, Dominion Building), are not in place, then this role is not yet needed and should ultimately not even be thought about until the other roles are first established in a mans life. Remember, marriage is not for the pleasure of man, it is intended for the glory of our Lord and savior and the work that a man has been called to carry forward on this earth.

VI. Fatherhood
After the Lord has established the foundations of Generational Sonship, Patriarchy, Dominion building, and marriage, then comes the ricochet of all the foundational roles that have been established; The setting in motion and the passing of the generational torch. A man must view his children as the means in which the Lord Jesus Christ will be honored through his household from generation to generation.

These are the roles that every man has been called to fulfill. In a society that limits mans role to provider, there are many challenges for men as we break out of the conditioned mold that we have been placed in and view our lives in the full scope of what we have been called to be as men after God’s own heart. It is inevitable that a man must condition his mind to the word of God and be prepared to constantly compartmentalize from role-to-role as we live out our lives on a daily basis. This is a challenge, but it is a glorious challenge that every man should whole heartily embrace. Future generations depend upon how men of this generation act in fulfilling these multi-faceted roles.