Using engaging illustrations, scriptural wisdom, practical suggestions and study questions, Kent Hughes offers a frank biblical discussion on major areas of Christian manhood: family, godliness, leadership, ministry and more. The applications of the principles seemed unnecessarily wooden, so the group was able to wrestle with how to apply each discipline with wisdom. Kent Hughes does a great job of breaking down what it looks like to be a Godly Man and how men can apply these disciplines to our lives. The typical disciplines you see (not a negative, they are always written about because they clearly Biblical and obviously important) written about are handled well, but the strength of this books comes from some of the other chapters that tackles things you don't always see, such as friendship and work. I recommend reading the book with a friend or a small group like I did, as having others to go along with you helps keep you motivated.

For instance there’s various Bible reading plans presented to the readers, a personal reading survey in which Kent Hughes asks various Christian leaders what are their five favorite books (secular or sacred) and what’s their spiritual ones that’s their favorite, etc. His general point is that things aren't easy, and it takes time to accomplish things, and often it is hard just to keep going. The book is then packed with another 50 pages or so of 'resources' including the hilariously dated 'Bible on Audiocassette', which, honestly, I'm surprised made it into the updated version (the word is so old that my spell-checker is telling me I have it spelled incorrectly). great book for any and every Christian man wanting to serve His God-the practice of godliness-work and discipline-no easy way to success in anything and that holds good in the spiritual/moral realm. Intercession: "On the evening Christ gave himself up for us, John 17 tells us, he prayed in succession for himself, for his twelve disciples, and for all of us who would later believe.

To be fair, he spends the last 6 pages or so speaking on the disciplines in the context of grace and warning against legalism. boxing and sweating like a champion to get victory over sin' is the most refreshing thing I could have set my eyes on.

I really enjoyed Hughes' blend of Scripture, practical, personal examples and literature, poetry and other stories from the culture around us.

There are also Bible reading plans (including M'Cheyne, which I recommend), helpful Proverbs regarding speech, hymns, choruses, and praise Psalms.

Some of the disciplines include purity, marriage, and the discipline of the mind, discipline of devotion, integrity, work and discipline of giving and discipline of ministry.

Samuell 5 records David's initial assumption of power and documents that David took on additional wives and concubines from Jerusalem. Hughes definitely has an expansive heart for men in the American church and rightly assesses that the disciplines are some of the primary means by which men can actually start to develop a real spiritual fervor in their lives. This sin is seen in its true light only when it is seen as a preference for impurity rather than a Spirit who is holy.