Becoming the Man God Created You to Be - Play the Man

I generally enjoy Mark Batterson's books; however, this was not one of my favorites. Note that there was nothing wrong with the writing or the subject matter. It just wasn't what I was expecting or looking for.

Maleness is biological. Manhood is an achievement. Just because you’re the former doesn’t mean you’ll become the latter.

In his new book, Play the Man, Mark Batterson aims to help male readers become men. He begins by outlining seven virtues men need. He acknowledges that these virtues aren’t “exclusive to men,” but he nonetheless finds that “men lack them more often than women.”

What are the seven virtues of manhood?

1. Tough Love: “loving others when they least expect it and least deserve it”
2. Childlike Wonder: “true knowledge” combined with “profound humility”
3. Will Power: “making the most of any and every situation your find yourself in”
4. Raw Passion: “a lust for life that doesn’t settle for status or status quo”
5. True Grit: “resilience in the face of rejection, fortitude in the face of fear”
6. Clear Vision: “something to fight for, something to fight against”
7. Moral Courage: “putting yourself in harm’s way to protect someone else”

Batterson illustrates these virtues with stories drawn from Scripture and history, and he applies them to everyday situations men face.

He then turns to how fathers can help their sons make the transition from boys to men. Based on his own experience, he shares how dads can make a yearlong “Discipleship Covenant” with their boys as the latter transition into adolescence. This covenant includes physical, intellectual and spiritual commitments. The capstone of this discipleship is a “Rite of Passage” that celebrates what the young man has accomplished.

As a man, I appreciated Batterson’s outline of the seven virtues of manhood. But as a dad, it was the second section of the book that captured my attention the most. If you’re like me, wondering how to help your son move from boyhood to manhood, I encourage you to check out what Batterson recommends.

American culture shuttles back and forth between the extremes of toxic masculinity and emasculated manhood. The former celebrates machismo while the latter denies any essential differences between men and women. Becoming the man God created you to be means recognizing the differences without using them to harm others. Play the Man is thus a helpful contribution to better men, better churches and a better culture.

In a world where manhood is challenged and a society that diminishes the role of the father, this book is a welcomed treasure to remind the man that they were created to be. At the end of this review, there are pictures for you to use with quotes throughout the book along with the links to buying the book, getting the FREE YouVersion Bible Study, and the video introduction of the book.

In Play the Man, Mark Batterson tackles the topic of manhood with seven virtues of a true man.

1. Tough as Nails

It takes courage to do something that no one else wants to do. Batterson capitalized on the story of Charles Lindbergh who traveled in the Spirit of St. Louis across the Atlantic Ocean in 1927. Without fail, this story reflected on the tough attitude of Lindbergh and tied Batterson’s vision of toughness in the Christian man. One of the major points that I took away was a quote in the first chapter saying “Most of our problems are first-world problems. ” Batterson believes that we, as men, must toughen up. Perhaps not in the physical sense but in the spiritual sense. The premise to show us that we need to take up our cross daily and follow Christ. In addition, our heart is to be tough as well. Not hardened, but to have tough love.

Another area is anger. “The key is getting angry about the right thing, at the right time, in the right way.” writes Batterson. So often, authors avoid the part where Jesus got angry with those in the temple. Batterson does not miss a beat talking about the hypocrisy of the Pharisees. Jesus’ decision was not to offend those that were following him or appease those who did not agree with him however it was to offend the Pharisees. It was to buck the system.

Batterson ends the chapter with talking about being toughskinned and the fact that real men cry. It almost seems oxymoronic to say those two things in one sentence. However, it is the hope that we can become more thick skinned and have the same heart for things that break the heart of God. Becoming thick skinned doesn’t mean becoming calloused. It means being able to quickly forgive an offense and calibrating your heart to break for the things that reach God’s heart.

2. A Gentleman and a Scholar

This is prehaps my favorite chapter. I love learning which is one of the reasons that I enjoy reviewing books. This chapter talks about being filled with childlike wonder. Teddy Roosevelt is the featured gentleman in this chapter. He grew up frail and sickly, but took matters in his own hands when he began to build his body and his mind.

One of the attitributes that drew me to learn about Theodore Roosevelt is his love to learn. He would read an average of 500 books per year – including while he was President of the United States! Wow! The quote that stood out in this chapter from John Naisbitt is “Learning how to learn is the most precious thing we have in life.” The art of learning does not merely stop at college but is an ongoing process in life. Webster’s dictionary defines being a gentleman is “a man who treats other people in a proper and polite way.”

Batterson highlights briefly the rite of passage for his sons. Through this rite of passage, he took one of them to Roosevelt Island where there is a stone of his speach on Youth and Manhood. “All daring and courage, all ironed endurance of misfortune make for a finer and nobler type of manhood.” This is the premise of the entire book. He revealed something that I never thought about. I was always under the impression that God wants us to simply grow up and get on with life. Out of 1 Corinthians 13:11, “When I was a child, I talked like a child, I reasonsed like a child. When I became an man, I put the ways of childhood behind me.” In putting childhood behind us, we assume that are to lose our childlike wonder. However it is far from true.

He expounds on this from how we should become more childlike instead of childish. To be childish is to be selfish and self centered. However, to be childlike is to have wonder and to be available to learn more. Our moments are not filled with minutes spent but moments spent.

3. Unbroken

Batterson covers the topic of will power in this chapter. Whether it is will power to not sin or will power to not overeat, the heart behind it is this simple quote from Pastor Jack Hayford, “make decisions against yourself.” Meaning, make a decision against your flesh! The premise of this chapter is that will power helps you to be response-able to the things that are going on in your life. Vikor Frankl said “Everything can be taken from a man, but one thing: the last of human freedoms-to choose one’s attitude in any given circumstances.” As a man, there is a choice to make on how we approach the circumstances that we are in and be okay with delayed gratification, avoiding temptation, and being filled with integrity.

4. The Three-Headed Dragon

Raw passion – it’s a long, lost art in today’s men. Muted by work and the mundane, men no longer find the enthusiasm that comes with being a man. Perhaps the quote from Eugene Peterson regarding John Muir; “a standing rebuke against becoming a mere spectator to life, preferring creature comfort to Creator confrontation.” Muir was not a spectator to life but a proud participant. The Three-Headed dragon that Batterson talks about are dragons that keep us from being full of that raw passion. The Dragon of Doubt keeps us wondering, the Dragon on Apathy lulls us to sleep, and the Dragon of lust keeps us wanting something more. Each of these dragons have an attribute that steal us away from raw passion.

5. Sockdolager

In this chapter, Batterson talks about True Grit which he defines as “resilience in the face of rejection, fortitude in the face of fear. It’s a no guts, no glory approach to life, even in the face of impossible odds.” We are in a place in our lives that, like the previous chapter mentions, we are lulled to sleep with apathy. We don’t want to do the hard things. We want to do the easy thing. This chapter is stocked full of stories and antidotes from stories about Dwight Eisenhower to himself about True Grit.

The goal of a man comes from Genesis 1:28 which says “fill the earth and subdue it.” Through this, Batterson covers the topics on how to speak, how to be a good steward in every avenue in our lives, teamwork, and not settling down.

6. Born for the Storm

We are each called for a purpose and with a vision for our lives. Andrew Jackson said of his life “I was born for the storm and the calm does not suit me.” Why? There is no action – there is no leader. We are stagnant without some sort of storm in our lives. Batterson calls men to embrace the storms in their lives instead of running from them. As men, Batterson shares that we need friends, strength from God to stand faithful and be strong, to have a mission, and retreat.

Batterson talks also about a vision retreat. The goal is to take your family’s goals and vision, go away for a very short time, and find the key components through prayer and preparation. Through this, it will help a man to find what is important in his life and sustain a healthy balancing act in his family. One of the biggest takeaways for me was this phrase; “Boredom is often the first sign of sin.” When we don’t have a mission or a vision, we get bored and we stray into sin. Batterson said it frankly, “When you stop building altars to God, you start building monuments to yourself.”

7. Call of Duty

It takes moral courage to be a man of God. He has put a compass in you called the Holy Spirit and in men, this compas guides us through His power to do the right thing. There are several places that Batterson takes us; Washing feet like Jesus instead of washing our hands like Pilate, the Sin of Silence, Modeling, the Moral Compass, the power of conformity, and the courage of confession. We battle these areas with bold humility, having a “crash helmet”, and offensive plays.

Batterson spends the rest of the book dictating the Rite of Passage for a young man into adulthood. The first thing he tackles is being famous in his own home meaning that he wants to put his family ahead of everything else, aside from God. In addition, he talks about being a prayer warrior and a warrior for the kingdom. Showing these things helps guide father to help mentor/disciple the son. For the final chapters, Batterson speaks on the discipleship of his sons. This portion of the book is an intimate look into his life through guiding his sons into the entrance to manhood. “We must give our sons a clear definition, a clear picture, of manhood.”

The rite of passage is different between the different cultures. However, each of them spend an inordinate amount of time making sure that the boy knows when he becomes a man. It is clearly shown to him. They are a defining moment! Here’s a great quote from E. M. Bounds, “Men are God’s method, the Church is looking for better methods; God is looking for better men.” Our jobs as fathers are to create better men! Creating better men doesn’t mean we define their faults but we celebrate their character. “We don’t find our identity in what we have done for God. We find our identity in what Christ has done for us.” Wow. How profound.

In closing, I’d like to quote Batterson’s final thought “When you play the man, when you make the man you are lighting a candle for the next generation – a candle that shall never be put out.”

I gave this book a 5 out of 5 stars for the content and the flow. Exceptional!

Each of these virtues and thoughts are captured through both the Bible and history. Recently, I was approached to read and review Play the Man as part of a launch team. I have had the honor to doing so for Mark’s book Chase the Lion and Dave Ramsey and Rachel Cruze’s book Smart Money, Smart Kids. Each time I have this opportunity, I enjoy sharing the attributes that I found throughout the book. But there is one thing that you can’t do just by reading this review is getting the complete feel of the book. You can order your copy today to get the full feel of it!

There was a time in which people were talking about what it means to be a man. Not anymore. Now, many are more interested in pandering to cultural expectations, elevating human rights, and blurring the lines between tradition sexuality. With more confusing philosophies and conflicting opinions about gender matters, the meaning of manhood, womanhood, or other variants of sexuality no longer commands the same level of interest as before. For author and pastor Mark Batterson, he fears that modern culture has not only forgotten what it means to be a man, it has lost it. It has become a literal 'no man's land' where people do not know who they are anymore. Batterson presses the cultural reset button to go back to the Bible. Using powerful stories of the early century martyrs as a springboard toward spiritual conviction and biblical principles, he advocates the seven virtues of true manhood. Men as fathers are to disciple their children, not the youth pastors. They are not merely to pile up "resume virtues" just to make a living. Instead, they are called to leave behind "eulogy virtues" to make a life, starting with their own. True manhood wins the heart of God. Batterson shows the way with the seven virtues. First, it is about "tough love." They are tough on bullies and injustice, but soft when it comes to compassion and care for the vulnerable. They take up the cross and will stand up for the truth. Real man do cry. The second virtue is about "childlike wonder" in which he deals with the root meaning of the Greek word for "disciple" which is a learner. Childlikeness means having a curious capacity to learn; being wowed by the beauty and wonder of God; and to recognize one is small in a very large world. The third virtue of a man is "will power" in which one learns to take responsibility for his actions. He also responds in righteous living and able to resist temptations. He keeps his integrity intact. The fourth virtue is "raw passion" where one is urged not to be spectators but participants in life. He walks in faith instead of dwelling in doubt. He fights apathy. He resists lust. He is more focused on meeting his wife's needs rather than self. Fifth, a real man would display "true grit" who does not shy away from challenges but to persevere with a belief at conquering himself, heart, mind, and soul. He is resilient and does not easily settle. The sixth virtue is "clear vision" where he has a specific focus and vision about what he want to do in life. He takes regular retreats to take stock of his life and lives forward in a balanced manner. Finally, there is the virtue of "moral courage," something that is most needed in our troubled times. He speaks out against evil. He models himself for the young to see. He is bold to confess sins and thrives in the kingdom.

The second part of the book is a personal challenge from the author as a father to his son in making a discipleship covenant. If Part One of the book is theory, Part Two could very well be how the author personally implements what he has written. It is a well-written out lists of covenants for both father and son, each with physical, intellectual, and spiritual challenges. Readers are then invited to write their own, though they could write their own, with Batterson's model as a template. He confesses that things do not often go ahead as planned. It may not even seem to make any difference. I applaud the effort as I think it is better tried than never. We may choose to adapt the implementation accordingly, but the first thing is the belief that it is something worth doing. I appreciate how Batterson modifies a familiar Gandhi quote. He writes with a warning that if we don't step up to our calling, we are in danger of the following:
"We want joy without sacrifice.
We want character without suffering.
We want success without failure.
We want gain without pain.
We want a testimony without the test.
We want it all, without going all in."
This book is a needed reminder for us to battle the times and not tamely accept what the cultural climate is telling us. The way I would recommend is to follow Batterson's arguments along, and listen in to his wisdom. There is a silent refrain that echoes clearly throughout the book. It has to do with William Wallace's famous challenge in the movie Braveheart: "Every man dies. Not every man really lives." Do we dare to take up the challenge? Be the man. If unsure, start with this book. I strongly recommend this book for fathers and sons.

Mark Batterson is lead pastor of National Community Church in Washington DC. He has previously written the popular "The Circle Maker."

Rating: 4.75 stars of 5.

conrade
This book has been provided courtesy of Baker Books and Graf-Martin Communications without requiring a positive review. All opinions offered above are mine unless otherwise stated or implied.

“I fear we have forgotten how to make men.” That’s one of the lines in the introduction of Mark Batterson’s latest book “Play the Man.” We’ve lost something as a society with our inability to foster an adventurous and daring spirit in little boys and to help them grow up to be men. Just as animals within a zoo seem so much tamer than they would normally be in the wild, Batterson quips that perhaps churches do to people what zoos do to animals.

Batterson is a great storyteller and throughout “Play the Man” he tells stories, his own and the stories of others. He has a way of inspiring passion in his reader as he tells stories in such a compelling way that you’re ready to get up and go storm the gates of hell with a squirt gun when you’re done.

To make a case for raising men, Batterson suggests seven virtues that need to be instilled in young men in order that they might grow up well. These virtues are tough love, childlike wonder, will power, raw passion, true grit, clear vision, and moral courage. Mixing Scripture, personal anecdotes and stories, and real life accounts of people living out these virtues, Batterson makes a case for the importance of these virtues but the need to pass them on as well.

The most important part of this book, for me, was the last part where Batterson shares more personally about the various things that he has done with his own sons to instill these values into them. He never claims perfection, honestly admitting his own faults and laying out the things that he might have done differently had he had the chance. He shares from the experiences that he had with his own sons in their rites of passage that he helped to cater specifically to them.

Batterson has also set up a website where he shares resources. Specifically, he has copies of the discipleship covenants between fathers and sons that he talks about throughout the book. These covenants are set up to help fathers and sons move towards this rite of passage together.

I’ve read most of Batterson’s books. I am always inspired and filled at the conclusion of his books. He communicates in such a way that is simple and helps to make even the most unlikely of candidates believe that they too can embark on the journeys of which he writes.

“Play the Man” is an important book for our culture. In a day and age where kids are growing up faster than they ever have before, this book lays out some important ideas and virtues that require time and investment in order to instill them in the next generation of men. If you are a father, a grandfather, an uncle, or just a mentor to young men, you need to pick up a copy of this book to get some ideas as to how to successfully help young men to grow up to play the man!

(This review is based upon a copy of this book which was provided free of charge from Baker Books. These opinions are my own; I was not required to write a positive review, nor was I compensated for this review.)

Soundbite:
“Playing the man is the hardest thing you’ll ever do. A close second is making the man, but that’s what makes it noble. It takes tough love, childlike wonder, willpower, raw passion, true grit, clear vision, and moral courage. At points you’ll wonder if you’ll ever make it. Those are the moments when you must strive valiantly and dare greatly as a father. If you do, you’ll make a man…You’ll get out of fatherhood what you put into it” (Mark Batterson, Play The Man: Becoming the Man God Created You To Be, Baker Books, 2017, p. 196).

Review:
Mark Batterson's book Play the Man is an important book for men who want to influence their world. His goal is to help men disciple those who come after them—their sons, those they mentor, younger men in leadership. He describes 7 virtues that every godly man should possess or at least develop. But perhaps the most significant contribution of Batterson's book is his concept of the Discipleship Covenant he created for his sons as an initiation into manhood. That initiation was a yearlong discipleship process with him in the areas of physical development, mental development, and spiritual development. His goals in each of those 3 areas were to stretch his sons to develop the virtues of manhood he espouses. It's a very intentional approach to discipling one's children. Batterson has set the bar very high for them and, of course, for himself as the father who has to model all of the things he is asking his sons to do. The book will challenge those who read it.

Batterson's style is a unique combination of stories from his own experience in these areas coupled with a plethora of examples from men in history. He has done his research. May contemporary men rise to this challenge. 5 stars.
M.L. Codman-Wilson, Ph.D., 5/19/2017

Excerpts:
"Do you have a mission statement for your life? What about a vision statement for your marriage? How about core values for your family? Or what about life goals or a life plan? Men need something to fight for, something to fight against. It's how we survive the storms that are bound to batter us now and then" (Mark Batterson, Play The Man: Becoming the Man God Created You To Be, Baker Books, 2017, p. 122).

"The only way you become great at anything is by making decisions against yourself…The secret to sinning less is dreaming more! You need a God-sized dream that is bigger and better than whatever sinful temptation you face” (pp. 67, 71).

“Our most sacred responsibility as fathers is to help our sons play the man. Commission your son with a Discipleship Covenant and give him a Rite of Passage…The goal of the discipleship process is to make a man of God. And that takes more than a father; it takes a spiritual father” (p. 156, 182).

“The Holy Spirit gives us the moral courage to confess our sin and profess our faith. He gives us the courage to attempt things we cannot do in our own strength. He gives us the courage to play the man no matter what, no matter when, no matter where!” (p. 148).

Batterson does it again. I have to confess from the beginning that I am a huge fan of Mark Batterson’s books. I think I have read all of them without being disappointed, and Play the Man: Becoming the Man God Created You to Be (BakerBooks, 2017) is no exception.
What I particularly like about this book is that it is personal and practical at the same time. There are far to man books that claim they have the answer to a specific issue, but turn out to be nothing more than an excuse for the author to brag about what he (or she) is doing or has done.
This is Dad Discipleship at its finest, and when things don’t go as planned, Batterson is Man enough to admit his mistakes.
Part I is titled Play the Man: Seven Virtues and Batterson goes through some of the attributes that a godly man possesses. Things like being tough, but not hardened, being a gentleman, without being a doormat.
Bottom line is that God would like for men, created in His image, to think, speak and act in a certain way. And if Dads don’t teach their sons to be godly men, then someone else, or society will teach them something…and it may not be what you want your son to learn.
Batterson has talked about the rites of passage that he created for his sons in at least one of his other books. I enjoyed reading more about it.
Baker Books sent me a copy of this book in exchange for a review. I was not required to write a positive review.
5/5

I have read and listened to several of Mark Batterson's books--I've listened to The Circle Maker two times, and taught it as a Bible study. ALL of his work is excellent, but...Play the Man exceeds even the other excellent books. I am a woman, but Play the Man is for EVERYONE! It is written in such a way that each chapter builds on the other, while each chapter can simply, but powerfully, stand on its own! It is extraordinary! I can see men using this in small groups, I can see couples using this, it would be awesome for father-son reading, as well as being used as a teaching tool for everyone--I can see anyone reading this book and taking away the beautiful virtues that Mark so powerfully presents.

I am a counselor, and one of the things I enjoy most is sharing what I am learning with my clients. This book is one of those books that I will refer clients to over and over, simply because of the valuable Truths inside. Mark has such a unique gift to be able to weave together God's word, history, personal experience and challenge in a way that it stirs something deep inside.

I am also a mom to an adrenaline junkie son. He is at a critical place in his life where he is finishing college and realizing college was the incubator for determining he had to pursue his dream or else get in a yucky stuck place. This book is so perfectly timed for my son...as a validator, challenge, and more exposure to God's Truth.

This book is highly recommended! Take the adventure and play the person God called you to be!

Filled with Interesting Stories.
*A.J. Jacobs set out to be the smartest person in the world.
*President Teddy Roosevelt read an average of 500 books a year.
*Rite of Passage
*Why Yellowstone needs wolves.
*Polycarp the Martyr
*1943, B-24 Bomber, the Green Hornet (Unbroken)
*What will delayed gratification do for you.
*Had not Washington crossed the Delaware with his army undetected, there may not have been an America.
*His son's Rite of Passage.

Sayings Found in the Book: "You may not be able to control your circumstances, but you can control your reactions to them."
"Single-minded as a buzz saw." Said of John Wesley Powell, the man who ventured into the Grand Canyon when thought to be impossible.
"I want my children to live according to their consciences, their convictions."
"You can't fully appreciate what you've not personally experienced."

This book will challenge you into forward motion. The life-changing messages continued with me throughout the day. Not only did I think about the lessons, I tried to figure out ways to make the story my own.

Excellent read. I highly recommend it.

I really enjoyed this book. Of the four Batterson books that I’ve read I would say this ranks at number two for me. This book makes good use of scripture throughout, and it uses a lot of U.S. history for stories. I love U.S. history and I’ve always enjoyed stories about the world’s “Men’s men.” Batterson has a knack for tying cultural stories in with biblical teaching that keeps reading interesting. It’s one thing to write a book with great principles, its something else entirely to do it and keep it interesting.
I’m a young pastor, I’ve been married for almost four years, and I plan on having kids in the future so this book gives me a framework to approach fatherhood from. I appreciate Mark’s humility in saying that his model isn’t perfect for everyone and is meant to be a framework because it gives us men flexibility to make it work for our own families the way it needs to.
Just as with his other books the chapters are long enough to include all the necessary information and creativity, while being short enough to be engaging. The book is also attractive in its presentation, which can be a trivial measure of worth, but it does contribute to this book’s desirability. We all know we shouldn’t judge a book by its cover...but I think we all know we do. I would recommend this book to any young man seeking to be a man after God’s heart, but I would strongly recommend it for anyone in the chapter of life of fatherhood. This is definitely a 5 star book for me. Engaging, relevant, practical, and most importantly biblical.

I was very disappointed with this book. My pastor gave me a copy so I could help teach it to the men of our church but I gave it back and told him it was a bunch of bull. I couldn't believe he would actually put this before our men and I wondered if he even read the book. Apparently he did read it and we just have different thoughts on what it means to be a man.

This book has lots of man's wisdom in it, but you know there's a way that seems right to a man but it's way leads to death. There is plenty of the world's wisdom in here, but not much of the Word of God. A lot of worldly wisdom with a Christian wrapper on it.

Here's a few thoughts:

Chapter 1 is titled Tough as Nails with the first of 7 virtues being tough love.
Batterson talks about having tough love; be a tough guy, get mad, get thicker skin. I say how about be like Jesus, suffer injustice without letting it affect your disposition, not take account of a suffered wrong, etc?

Chapter 2 is titled A Gentleman and a Scholar. The virtue is childlike wonder.
Batterson says men should read more worldly literature. He says we need to learn about the created world and that our knowledge is our worship ceiling. The more you know the more you can worship, he says. He says we should be men of The Word, but then he says we should read more worldly authors. He says we should look up at the night sky with childlike wonder, but I say you don't need to be educated to do that. I say study the Word to show yourself approved and above all, get understanding from the Word. Get into the Word and leave the rest of the world's literature for after you have mastered the Word.

Chapter 3 is titled Unbroken and the virtue is willpower.
Batterson mentions Zamparini, Frankl, and Polycarp and claims it was willpower that kept them alive (or from denying the faith in Poycarp's situation). What do you do when your marriage is falling apart? When you have workplace difficulties? When you're struggling with addiction? Batterson's answer is to have more willpower. Just try harder! I can tell you from experience that willpower will not do anything for you in your struggle with sin. Jesus is supposed to be our example, yet Batterson puts these mortal men forward as our examples. We should be following Jesus!

Chapters 4-6 are again about being a man's man. He says we should do tough stuff, do hard things, and if we think we know what we want from life, then by golly, set your sights on it and give it all you got! Again, he doesn't give much Jesus to follow but there's plenty of other men to emulate.

Chapter 7 about moral courage was the only chapter I thought was worth reading. It gives Jesus as the example of courage when He stood before Pilate, when His accusers accused Him and He reviled not. When they questioned Him and He opened not His mouth, He answered not a word. Like a sheep He was silent. This moral courage is about becoming and being agape love.

The next couple chapters are how to turn your sons into manly men. No thanks.

In summary, this book is not a good look at biblical manhood; there's not much following Jesus, just looking at men.

Mark Batterson, in his usual, down-to-earth style has hit it out of the park with this call to action for men! At times we all need the words of a contemporary voice to resonate deep truths into our lives.

This book is NOT "do these 10 steps and you will have it all figured out".

It is a refreshing stream which calls to men to take their God given place in the lives which matter most - the lives of their spouses, children, and friends. I received a review copy as part of his book launch team. I could not put the book down as the pages were sprinkled with humor and thoughts which made this man look deeply into the mirror to ponder its message. Mark opens each chapter by citing some personal or historical example of men who answered the call of their day - many at great cost.

I invite you to jump off this cliff, spend a few bucks, read it, and reap the investment you made in yourself and the lives you care about. I plan on getting several copies as gifts for Father's Day in the next week or two.

Ladies - if you want to do the man in your life a favor.....give him a dose of encouragement and get him the book. If he claims he is NOT a reader - it is 200 pages long and can be completed in less than 3 weeks if he does 10 pages a day while sitting in "the library"!!

Mark Batterson hits another home run with his latest book “Play the Man!” This book addresses what it means to be a man from a Biblical perspective, and as such treads on dangerous ground. Batterson’s focus is not so much on “man skills,” of which he admits he himself may be lacking in some areas (not all men can fix their own car). Rather he focuses on “man virtues,” which are not exclusive to men but are, in the humble opinion of this reviewer, sorely lacking in many men in this time period.

The seven virtues he addresses in the first seven chapters are: tough love, childlike wonder, will power, raw passion, true grit, clear vision, and moral courage. Each chapter describes what that virtue is by providing both definitions and examples, in many cases pointing toward Jesus as the epitome of these very virtues. Batterson makes it clear that while developing these virtues is the responsibility of the individual, it does not mean each man is on his own. The Biblical standard from Proverbs 27:17 holds true today: “Iron sharpens iron, and one man sharpens another.”

The latter three chapters deal primarily with passing on these virtues from father to son, specifically focusing on how Batterson created a discipleship agreement for each of his sons taking them through a year of spiritual, intellectual, and physical challenges intended to help them move from boyhood to manhood. The year ended with a ritual to symbolize their passing from being a boy to becoming a man. These challenges and rituals were different for his two sons, since he took into account their personalities and character traits in creating them. The suggestions he gives are excellent for any father wishing to truly lead his son(s) into manhood, a process largely left to chance for many.

I highly recommend this book for all men. If there is any shortcoming, it is in defining how those men who are not fathers (like me) can be involved in the discipleship process. Batterson speaks only briefly to this point in chapter 9, and I was left feeling a little short-changed. I would have liked a little more “meat” on how that can play out. But that does not diminish greatly the value of this book in opening up what true manhood can, and should, be.

Mark Batterson does it again with his newest book, Play the Man. After reading all of his previous books, I was very excited to find out he would write a book about being a man! Mark talks openly about his family and the way he created a pathway for his sons to pass into manhood. With this book he dives deep into the way he believes a man should not only act biblically but gives historical references to so many great leaders demonstrating authentic manhood. He uses 7 Virtues that should be sought after and then leads into the right of passage he has done with his own sons.

Mark draws on his own life and the lessons he has learned over the years to imagine what he wants his sons to learn as they head into the horizon of manhood. He talks about how even Jesus had to learn about what it means to be a man. He speaks of the struggles that Jesus had and correlates them to present day life and how we must strive as Men to not seek anything but God's vision for our lives as men, fathers, brothers, uncles and sons.

This is read worth the wait as I have wondered over the years his strategy for his right of passage that he set up for his sons as I am raising 3 sons of my own who are getting close to their teen years. Great read and I recommend Marks book to anyone looking to grow as a father and a man.

Mark Batterson is one of my favorite authors and I consider him a virtual life coach. His books challenge me to go to the next level and strive for excellence through doing the impossible. Never thought you could be a Pastor, Preacher, Entrepreneur, Author, Husband, Father, Mentor, and more all at once. His example in his integrity, authenticity, and keeping his priorities first is truly commendable. It is amazing what God can accomplish despite imperfection and because of the desire to be the best that you can be. His newest book, Play the Man is one that goes to the top of my list along with Chase the Lion and Primal. Batterson truly redefines what it means to be a REAL Man.

This book challenges you to be not only a man, but more importantly, God’s man! No matter where you are in life it’s never too late to become the man, husband, or father you need to be! I believe I found this book at the right time because it is preparing me to be the best I can be! It has given me insight into developing vision for my life and discipline so I can lead my wife and future children effectively.
Not only is this book teaching me in those areas, but it’s also showing me what it means to be a spiritual father and mentor to the generations around me…to be a lifetime learner, to have child-like wonder, pursue God size dreams, never settle for the status quo, to confront the junk in the closet, and leave a legacy that impacts the ones that come after me.

He uses examples from role models like Teddy Roosevelt, George Washington and many others to show what it means to be a man and a true leader.

Another highlight about Play the Man is that Batterson asks questions only you can answer for your life. This is a book not to only read once but to continue to reflect on as you walk this journey out.

I recommend this great read to any man young or old, no matter what your profession is or how many failures you have had in life. Even though this book is geared towards men, there are incredible principles that can apply to their daily lives. It’s a great resource on how they can encourage and understand how the men in their lives are built!

Mark Batterson is one of my favorite authors and his latest book did not disappoint. While I think it would be a helpful read for any parent, it is clearly targeted to men, and in particular fathers of sons. As a father of three children, but only one son, I was challenged by this book to think about how I raise my children. Honestly I will apply much of this to all of my children, but I especially intend to proactively apply it to my son.

Batterson is a master story-teller and this book is full of stories and anecdotes to support the seven virtues in Part 1 of the book (Play The Man). Part 2 of the book (Make The Man) gives the real life "How" behind the "Why" of Part 1. In this section Mark talks about how he instilled these virtues in his sons during their year of discipleship which was part of his intentional engagement with them leading up to a special "rite of passage" adventure for their 13th birthday.

The importance of fatherhood in children's lives has been routinely dismissed by popular culture over the last several decades with father's often being portrayed as the out-of-touch imbeciles or overbearing jerks. Unfortunately many father's resemble these portrayals leading to a generation of kids yearning for an involved father who is a positive influence and role model. Batterson reminds us of why fatherhood is important and gives a great resource for father's to reflect on how they are currently doing as fathers, and how they might want to up their game as they learn better how to Play the Man.

I just completed reading “Play The Man” by Mark Batterson. This is another great and inspiring book by Mark. I love his ability to weave historical stories and events into modern day reality. For any man with a son or sons, this is a must read. Our culture is in serious need of a rite of passage for leading our sons from boyhood to manhood. Mark’s presentation of “The Seven Virtues” and “The Rite of Passage” is outstanding! As a grandfather, I consider it one if my primary purposes to continually lead my sons, son-in-law and grandsons to Play The Man. Our sons, daughters and grandchildren need to know beyond a shadow of a doubt they are my beloved sons/daughters, in whom I go to battle for and for whom I am well pleased. Thank you Mark!

Mark Batterson is back! While his last few books recycled a lot of ideas and stories, Play the Man is packed with new and original insights. The book challenges what should really define manhood in a time when the world and the church seem increasingly confused about what characteristics a man should have. I have already recommended this book to the young men I disciple, my brother, father and other men I know.

While, I wonder if women will connect with the book as much as guys do (it is clearly written directly to the heart of men), I can gladly recommend this book to any man regardless of where they are on their spiritual journey. The mixture of historical stories, real-life experience with his sons and Biblical application make this an easy and enjoyable read.

Batterson's Play the Man concentrates on seven virtues of manhood, and a rite of passage for helping fathers encourage their sons into manhood. The rite of passage ideas alone make this book worthwhile for every father of sons (and even daughters).

Batterson's seven virtues focus on being strong, determined disciples of Jesus Christ. Batterson wisely steers clear of trying to make new declarations of what masculinity means in the 21st century. He is not attempting to make declarations about men vs. women, gender roles, or somehow leaving women out of these virtues. Rather, he is declaring a target audience for the message.

The virtues are well-selected, and provide Batterson's now typical storytelling and encouragement. By themselves, the virtues would make a good book. But what sets this book apart is Batterson's sharing of ideas for fathers to help their children grow into these virtues. That takes this book from a good inclusion on your book shelf, to a must-have for fathers.

Play the man!

I am skeptical of books about manhood because the vantage point can be one sided. This book by Mark Batterson incorporates many views of manhood from the lens of history, Biblical illustrations, and personal experiences. My favorite part of this book is that the pages are not full of a list of to do's. The way Mark writes unleashes the motivation men need to play the man. At the end of reading this book I must say the transparency and authenticity is refreshing.

I have read most of the books that Mark Batterson has written, and this is one of the best. It is hard to say what is truly best, because that will vary based on the context one is in at the time.

What truly impresses me is how Batterson can take history, science and the Bible – put them together. The result is interesting in that it increases the understanding of the concept.

This is not just a book for guys. I read many passages to my bride, and she found them valuable as well.

I have read every book Mark Batterson has written, and this is by far in my top 2! A timely message that we needed to hear for this time in history. Mark doesn't just lay the groundwork for what healthy biblical manhood looks like, he also gives practical steps for those who never had a healthy manhood modeled for them. The bonus of a done for you (that you can adapt) process for Fathers to disciple their sons alone makes this book worth the price. Get a friend, grab your son, and get this book!

Author Mark Batterson never fails to take you on a journey of eye opening self discovery and more importantly, God-in-your-life discovery, when you read one of his books. PLAY THE MAN does just that. Gutsy and yes, guy-oriented, this book signals a cry for Christians to reclaim the God-ordained elements of risk and courage that go with masculinity, fatherhood, being a husband...being a man. Men need to develop the virtues of tough love, will power, raw passion, moral courage and more. He tells us "Man skills may win you man points, but manhood virtues win the heart of God."
But this is not just a book about masculinity and manly virtues: it's a book for everyone, really, who is on a quest to get back to the gutsy, sacrifical part of our spiritual walk with Christ. Every reader can be challenged to embrace self discipline and the battle to conquer our bent for wanting our own selfish way. Because "whatever we tolerate will eventually dominate us." Chapter 4 on Raw Passion, Chapter 5 on True Grit, and Chapter 8 about breaking generational patterns and turning the hearts of parents back to our children, did not survive my reading without getting marked up and annotated all over the place with my comments and exclamations of agreement.That's how it is when I read one of Mark Batterson's books. Deep, thought provoking, and challenging, I walk away from each paragraph, each chapter, with something to consider, something to move towards with the hope of breaking through to all that God wants to do in my life and in this world.

Mark Batterson asks a simple question: How many of you were discipled by your father? How many of you were taught what it meant to be a man? Too often we expect them to learn by watching, yet the example isn't always set. This book discusses being intentional with the act of playing the man. As a father of four boys I can't wait to go through it chapter by chapter and help them to understand how to be a man of integrity, of respect and all the other aspects of this book!

I loved this book! It was simple, practical, easy yet enjoyable to read. The stories and examples that Batterson weaves throughout the book keeps you engaged and wanting more. This is not a macho, be a man, get tougher, do more "manly" things type of book. He seeks to differentiate between masculinity and the image of God as opposed to masculinity as a cultural expectation. He points out early on that so-called "man-skills" are not what playing the man is all about. I appreciated how he talks about the virtues of manhood and ties it to the heart of God. At the same time,he he recognizes that the list that he gives is not necessarily exhaustive nor are they exclusive to men. He mentions that men often lack them therefore its an important subject.
I also really enjoyed hearing about the Discipleship covenant and the Rite of Passage that he developed for his own boys. It lays out a framework for others to follow therefore making this book very practical as well. If you have a son or are working on "playing the man" then you'll want to start with this book.

This was a fantastic book by Mark Batterson. He is realistic about how we have to guide our young boys to be men. As a woman, I still found the book fascinating. He is so down to earth and gives real life examples of how to do things. For example, he compares Scripture to game film. In order to be the best we can be, we have to study our enemy so we know what he is thinking/doing, in addition to knowing our own tendencies. His discussion of how being silent is affirmation is great in this day and age. By not saying something, you are agreeing with whatever is being done. We must ALL speak up for what we know is right.

Different from Mark Batterson's other books in that this one is based more on experience than academic and theological research. He waited eight years to write this as he experimented and grew more confident at being not just a father, but a man of God. Still learning, Mark reveals the adventure of uncertainty as he explains his own journey at discovering the role of a man is to first be a man of God. You sense an urgency to inflict our social woes through the solution of trusting God and by "playing the man". My favorite picture is the story of the Secret Service agent who responds to gunshots by expanding his body in a spread eagle fashion to protect the President. That Secret Service agent took a bullet to save the President. The next line says it all "Jesus also was spread eagle on the cross". Wow - as you read Play the Man you discover nugget after nugget of personal ways a man can become the man he was created to be. Yep, even women will enjoy this book - creates a great dialogue about what can be.

Mark Batterson shares his list of 7 virtues and the importance of a rite of passage about becoming the man God created you to be in his new book Play The Man (200 pages; Christian Living/Men; published by Baker Books).

Stories about historical figures such as Polycarp, George Washington, Andrew Jackson, Teddy Roosevelt, Ike Eisenhower, John Muir, Louie Zamperini, August Lindbergh (Charles' grandfather), John Wesley Powell and Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. along with Biblical examples and scripture illustrate the importance of this inspiring call to play the man.

Mark also helps to make the man with his own two sons, Parker and Josiah, as he lays out the steps in creating a rite of passage into manhood. Mark writes "you cannot be the hands and feet of Jesus if you're sitting on your butt. Church is not a spectator sport. And neither is fatherhood."

This book has the ability to create a ripple effect that can impact our culture's definition of manhood by "lighting a candle for the next generation - a candle that shall never be put out."

Play The Man!

Another great book from Mark, this books has tons of history in it. Spliced together with his own bits of family history, this book will stretch you to think outside the box that we can be used to watching from. Not only is it great for any man to read but dare I suggest that women can take away great nuggets of wisdom from this book. I always look for to Mark's new books because he makes it so personable that it's like your there when he speaks of all that he puts in his books. A great resource for men's groups.

In a time when our sons need guidance Mark Batterson gives us the challenge that we need to do...take the time to disciple our sons! The book is not a "copy-cat" program one can just implement but rather a challenge for each father to seek the Holy Spirit for how to train/guide their son into a adventurous relationship with Jesus. Mark's personally experiences with his two sons shows us that he cares deeply about the future leaders and fathers of our country and that we must take action now to ensure our spiritual heritage is not lost. This book challenged me to "up the ante" with my own three children and to not allow just anything or anyone to disciple my children but rather that it's my responsibility and honor to guide them into adulthood. Take the time to read Play The Man, ask the Holy Spirit for divine direction and start the journey of discipling your child!

I just finished reading Play the Man a few moments ago. I cannot recommend it enough, both for men and for women.

How have we, the church, fallen into the cultural murkiness of defining manhood? How have we missed the God given idea of what it is to be a man? Mark's book is a clarion call to return to the Scriptural definition.

In Play the Man, Mark outlines 7 virtues that make a man of God. He writes mini-biographies of men who embody these traits, shares personal experience, and outlines how to pass these virtues on to the next generation of men. Important note: these virtues aren't for men only, they're applicable to becoming a woman of God too. God has quickened my heart in so many areas because of this book.

I've already purchased another copy for my brother, who is getting married in three weeks. This is a must read for all of us who call ourselves men/women of God.

About the Book:

Somewhere along the way, our culture lost its definition of manhood, leaving generations of men and men-to-be confused about their roles, responsibilities, relationships, and the reason God made them men. It's into this "no man's land" that New York Times bestselling author Mark Batterson declares his mantra for manhood: play the man.
In this inspiring call to something greater, he helps men understand what it means to be a man of God by unveiling seven virtues of manhood. Mark shares inspiring stories of manhood, including the true story of the hero and martyr Polycarp, who first heard the voice from heaven say, "Play the man." Mark couples those stories with practical ideas about how to disciple the next generation of men. This is more than a book; it's a movement of men who will settle for nothing less than fulfilling their highest calling to be the man and the father God has destined them to be. Play the man. Make the man.

My Review:

This book couldn't have come at a better time. We are a family of 6, four of those being male. My husband has had a tough life and raising those boys has taken some definite relying on God. He grew up with father figures but neither of them being the exact replica he would like displayed and lived out in front of his children. I have realized over the past few years that to live out a Godly man for our children has been very difficult for him. He was raised a certain way and he tends to go back to those old ways to discipline our children.

I plan on giving him this book as a fathers day gift. He so wants to disciple and raise our children in a loving, Christian home. He wants our boys to do the same with their children. We never realized the importance of it until our children were older. There are things that will matter above all else. There will be things that you want your children to take away when they leave home to raise families of their own. God being in the center is important. He made those children and He knows better than anybody what they need and how they need it.

Mark Batterson, again rising to the call that the males of our society need strong male role models has written a book for these mentors to become better and better through God's guidance. Mark starts this journey from the story of Polycarp and with lessons and advice from several different sources he has placed hope in many of us that see this as nothing but a positive.

The author lists 7 virtues that all mean can use to becoming the man that God wishes them to be. Mark uses examples from various sources to teach us on the subject. Its a fascinating read and its available just in time for Father's Day. I loved it!

**Disclosure** This book was sent to me free of charge for my honest review from the author. All opinions are my own.

Wow! Mark Batterson does it again. From the opening story to the ending it was an awesome book. Mark has an ability to connect with his audience and is one of my favorite authors. I have read many books about being a godly man, father, and husband and this one sticks out to me. Mark uses stories of great men and his own experience to describe what it means to Play The Man." Mark does not approach this topic as though he knows it all but as one fellow man on a journey. This book is not a "how to" manual of being a godly man, but more he describes the inner characteristics needed to be a godly husband, father, and man. I would recommend this book for the man who wants to go deeper to see what it takes to "Play The Man." Excellent book!

This book simply book will change your life!!! It has all the ingredients needed to be successful to align your life the way God intended it to be. A perfect example is myself- because of this I have began to self evaluate when I speak, act, and listen. I am in pursuit of a promotion at my job and the executives at the company have voiced that they have seen a change for the better. My relationship with my wife and kids has improved as well. The conversations that take place are a lot calmer, in depth, and all of them are leaving me thinking of how I can help them be grow into adults that walk in faith. Love this book and highly recommend this everyone- it is powerful for both men and women as well as teenagers!!!!!!!!! Read it and apply it and then enjoy the transformation.

"If you look up sockdolager in the dictionary, it means"'knockout blow." And that's exactly what the rapid felt like - a 48 degree punch in the face. As we approached the rapid, my adrenaline was pumping like pregame warm-ups. We white-knuckled the handles of the raft and held on for dear life. Breaking through the rapid reminded me of running through the human-sized Hula-Hoop signs our cheerleaders used to make for our basketball team in high school. As we broke through the rapid, Josiah yelled at the top of his mid-puberty voice, "We are men! We are men!"
That will forever rank as one of the greatest moments of my life."

I've long been inspired by Mark Batterson and National Community Church, probably for the better part of ten years now at least. His philosophy of ministry, the values and mantras of NCC, his perspective on innovation, risk and creativity have all impacted what SPACE and The Ember Cast has done about discipleship, leadership and global missions. Being a suburb of DC, we feel the impact a place like NCC has - it seems both far away and close enough and they set the bar high for gathering and scattering people willing to sacrifice for a world in need. Close enough too to feel the impact of some good friends who are or who have been on staff. But for all of that, I'm most inspired by Pastor Mark to be a good dad. Read about his Discipleship Covenant with each of his kids.
Play the Man might seem like one of those manly men books. I hate those. No one needs one more sports analogy [and not only in books but in Sunday sermons as well.] Although Play the Man is certainly most applicable for men, it's a great read about seven virtues of manhood, described as only Pastor Mark can with facts from a variety of subjects, stories about his family and challenges to the way we live our lives.

"Also, right around that time, I read a book by Andy Stanley titled Choosing to Cheat. One statement I read in the book totally changed my perspective: "To say yes to one thing is to say no to the other." I decided to say no to a lot more opportunities so I could say yes to my top priorities - my wife and children.
At the end of the day, I want to be famous in my home."

Disclosure: I was provided a copy of this book for review purposes.

This was such a great book! Mark Batterson does an incredible job challenging and encouraging men in this insightful book. Mark lays out 7 powerful virtues that create a framework for godly manhood. He does a masterful job at unpacking each of these timely truths in an engaging no-nonsense style, that's highly applicable to any guy.

Personally, as a new dad to a young son, I'm grateful for this book. Mark shares several stories and ideas on parenting young men, and I'm thankful to be able to steal them as I raise my own son! :) I highly recommend this book for every guy!

With all the changes and turmoil in American culture, Mark Batterson has written a down to earth book on establishing core biblical values that will make men out of boys. Practical, funny, and full of biblical concepts, this is a must read for today's parents.

Once again Mark Batterson delivers a book that will challenge you to grow in your faith. It's a book that you can read in a day, but don't. Take your time, think about it, accept the challenges he sets forth, talk it out with others, share it with your sons and look for opportunities to play the man!

Finally a book for men that is practical, inspiring, and appropriate for men of every life stage, marital status, and level of faith. Mark's style is easy going, using personal experiences, historical references, again drawing from obscure yet fascinating accounts such as Polycarb to drive home deep truths and 7 virtues all men need to employ.

I dare every husband, father, uncle, grandpa, and man to read this book. It is impossible to read this and walk away the same man you were before you read it. It will challenge you. It stirred a fire up within me to be a different and better man. You have got to read this book!

This book is a Game Changer!!! Every book by Batterson push you to change and grow. However, this book highlights the blueprint of a man! It isn't a book on opinion! It is a book with historical examples and even personal testimony that is meant to encourage the reader to Man Up! This book will start you down your own journey of manhood and shepherding future men! Must read!!