Pastor J.D. discusses God’s design for men according to Genesis 2 and 3.

A glimpse inside this episode:

It goes back to Genesis 2–3.

Spiritual Leadership: 

• Woman brought into a situation where he already has a walk with God. He is supposed to explain the commands of God to her. 
• He names the animals, even names her! 

He’s given the responsibility to lead the family. Not only spiritually:

• She’s brought into a home where he is providing.
• He takes initiative in romance: Adam’s first words were a love poem.
• He takes responsibility to love and protect: “This is now bone of my bone, flesh of my flesh.”

When you look at Genesis 3 you can see that humanity’s fall happened, in part, through a failure of the man to lead. He was “with” the woman when she ate. He was standing there, wondering if Genesis 2:17 was true.

• How I know: Genesis 3:9 So the Lord God called out to the man and said to him, “Where are you?” “Where were you?” 
• The first sin was not one of commission, but omission. 
  • Just sitting back.
  • It’s no secret: Women are more faithful to volunteer in the church than men.
  • More initiative with the kids.
  • More initiative with the relationship.
  • They show more initiative in mission. (IMB: 4 to 1) 
  • They show more initiative to grow: my publisher advised me that women are reading more and you can’t write just to men. 

Genesis 3:9 is still his question. Where are you, men? We’ve got a generation of males that never grow up to be men who take up their role as leaders.

Dr. Anthony Bradley, sociologist: 

• 85% of youths in prison come from fatherless homes
• 71% of high school dropouts come from fatherless homes
• 90% of all homeless & runaway children are from fatherless homes
• 60% of youth suicides are from fatherless homes

Just as the fall of humanity came through the failure of a man to lead, so salvation comes when a man takes up his leadership role. 

• Jesus is the Second Adam
• And so with us… (no disrespect to the ladies)

Tony Evans: “As goes the man, so goes the family. As goes the family; so goes the church. As goes the church; so goes the community. As goes the community; so goes the nation. So if you want to change the nation; change the community; if you want to change the community change the church; if you want to change the church; change the family; if you want to change the family, change the man.”

Tony Evans: If the child is first to come to Christ, there is a 3.5% chance everyone else in the household will follow; if the mother, a 17% chance; if the father, a 93%.

What to do: 

• Commit to growing as a disciple (which you can hear about in last week’s episode)

Commit to re-order your relationships: 

• Anthony Bradley, like we said before:
  • Wife before children
  • Children before work 
  • Friendships before solitude
  • God before all of it.