This Saturday in our Oxford Club for Men meeting we turn to chapter five in Richard Phillips’ book The Masculine Mandate. This chapter lays the final section in the doctrinal section of the book before turning to practical application in chapters six and beyond.

In it Phillips makes an urgent plea for men to live out the image of God within them by exercising servant lordship or leadership in keeping with texts like Genesis 2:19-20.

19 Now out of the ground the LORD God had formed every beast of the field and every bird of the heavens and brought them to the man to see what he would call them. And whatever the man called every living creature, that was its name. 20 The man gave names to all livestock and to the birds of the heavens and to every beast of the field. But for Adam there was not found a helper fit for him.

Even as Adam exercised lordship dominion in the right to name all the animals in the garden, men are to assume responsibility for their roles of servant leadership in all the spheres of their lives. He argues from the shepherd model of leadership plastered all over the word of God, especially in the ministry of Jesus (John 10:11), in his appeal for men to act as leaders who make the well-being of those entrusted to their care their ultimate concern.

He writes:

The way for Christian men to leave a lasting legacy is for us to embrace the Bible’s model of servant-leadership. Our goal must be not just to carve out success for ourselves but to leave a blessed imprint on the lives of those who are under our care. This can happen only when we as shepherds are ready to give our lives for the sheep, as did Jesus, our Good Shepherd. . . . Christian leaders must learn to measure our success in the security and inspiration of those who follow us, in their growing confidence and ability, and in the achievements of others rather than our own (p. 47).

Brothers, join us on Saturday morning at 7 AM at the church office as we consider how to embrace our roles as shepherd-lords that we might leave a blessed imprint on the lives of those who are under our care.