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

This is a Mark Batterson book that is offers encouragement and advice for what it is and takes to be a man of God based on the word of God. This is a much needed topic in today's challenging culture that has begun to take issue with God's definition of masculinity and playing the man. I appreciated the content and the manner in which he promotes ways to help the next generation cross the gap from boyhood to manhood. C`mon Man, take the time to read it.

This is a wonderful thought provoking book. There is a game plan to learn and aHigh trail to follow. But if you don't follow the trail you may never be the Man that you and God really want you to be. Play The Man is a great book to battle today's problems and puts you in the winner circle.

Where did we lose sight of what it means to be a man?As we look around society it’s increasingly obvious that we have lost our way. Men seem to have neglected their responsibilities to teach the next generation of men, leaving boys trying to figure things out for themselves or follow their peers. Adding to the mayhem, more and more kids are growing without a dad (or in some cases even a father figure) to teach them what they need to know, or have someone to cheer them on or coach them. No wonder men in our society are confused and lost when it comes to their roles in society.Mark Batterson arrives with a great book ‘Play the Man‘ to address the issue and start to look at really practice ways to attack this head on. Mark Batterson is the New York Times bestselling author who’s works include The Circle Maker and The Grave Robber, and Pastor of the multi site National Community Church in Washington DC.A book, for men?“Is it a picture book?” I hear you shout from the cheap seats.Okay… men aren’t renowned for their reading skills, in fact it’s something that Mark himself even addresses in his book.“According to the Pew Research Institute, half of adults read fewer than five books per year. Men read 13 percent fewer books than women”I’ve been an admirer of Mark’s writing for years and the main reason is simple ‘readability’ – it’s easy to read.It’s obvious that Mark is well read as he has a real knack of taking a tale and twisting it full of intrigue and natural logic. To this he adds a dash of science and pinch of history.Batterson is the the author for men who want substance, don’t want to read the Encyclopedia Britannica and still want to learn.In ‘Play the Man’ Mark uncovers what he calls the seven virtues of Manhood.The six virtues of Manhood in the book are:Tough love (sacrificing yourself for others)Childlike wonder (never losing your desire to learn about God’s world)Will power (that sanctified stubborn streak)Raw passion (an infectious enthusiasm)True grit (the combination of passion and perseverance)Clear vision (knowing what you’re fighting for)In ‘Play the Man‘ Mark is able to use his natural storytelling ability to share an anecdote about manhood, the good the bad and the ugly. However the thing that makes this book great is his ability to be able to couple that together with the scriptures, and give really practical ways to teach this to the next generation of men.Let’s be honest, men are really great at avoidance and I wonder if we have lost our way a little because of it? Men are living in some weird void where it seem like we have become the joke of the party. I think it was Scottish comedian Billy Connolly who said “Middle aged white males are the only people you can make fun of without being told off” and he’s right to a point. Men are living in a no mans land where manhood is skewed.The subtitle of ‘Play the Man’ is ‘Becoming the Man God created you to be’.This is more than just a book, it’s a manual for manhood. Imagine if this is shared, developed locally, put into practice and focused on, it could be the start of a manhood revolution that could change the world.The revolution starts at home, in our families and in our communities. Are you willing to ‘Play the Man’?Viva La Revolution

I wasn't quite looking for a fathering book as my children are grown. I was wishing I had found this book before my journey with them began. I hope other dads find this before their children are grown; excellent advice. Otherwise, I found the reading very pleasant and there were many lovely facts for me to joyfully remember of this beautiful walk we take with our Lord Jesus in this life.

My son’s only 3 at the moment and I’m a fairly new reader but I’m going to start thinking about these moments with him!

Mark Batterson continues to deliver impactful and inspiring wisdom through his books. Play the Man is what I believe to be the culmination of a well-read, well-prayed, and well-gifted Pastor whose love for families resonates through each story he shares.Masculinity is under attack because it has been so poorly represented in our culture. Mark does a masterful job of drawing the true nature God intended men to exhibit as we raise another generation of men and continue to perpetuate the essentials of manhood. Mark clearly and cleverly details 7 powerful values that will prove to be the catalyst for raising this next generation of godly Christian men by embracing these timeless yet timely truths.Thankful men like Mark Batterson are still putting into print these truths for us. By the time I was done reading this book I feel I owe my grand children a rite of passage and I pray my son will allow me to partner with him as we walk the journey to manhood together despite the fact he's grown with children of his own. While I can't change the past, I can help them carve a brighter, stronger, and more courageous future and Mark has provided the manual on how to make that a reality.Play the Man is destined to be a classic. I look forward to the accompanying resources and series materials in the near future so I can share this with our men this coming Father's Day. God Bless Mark Batterson for writing this book!

This book has a lot of meat, a lot of take always and brings a lot of conviction. Which makes a way for transformation to take place in our lives. Biblically based outlook on how we need to be the man in a world where the definition of manhood has been warped and disfigured. A must read for any man!

Amazing book for all aspects of being a Christian man. Straight to the point and honest. The author tells it like it is.

A book that needs reading by all the guys who want to see the Kingdom of Jesus in their lives and the Church.Not for the faint hearted - only the ‘riskers’ will risk the read!!!

Great storytelling. Great motivation. Very practical. A must read for all men.

Gran manera de conectar y marcar una guía de como ser un nombre de acuerdo a Dios. Más de lo que esepraba

Good learnings and reminders on what being a man should be about. Recognising the reality that we’re flawed doesn’t mean not trying to do better and Mark paints a picture of what we can aim to be.Play the man!Make the man!

This is my second time reading this book and I have received so much from it both times. Highly recommend reading it.