The 417 Rules of Awesomely Bold Leadership: More Excerpts

Rule #94 -- Be Awesomely Manlier than Everyone Else

...and so there I was, and Mr. Norris wouldn't even get off the floor.  I said to him, "Chuck, it's okay.  You lost.  But stand up and be a man."  And I think he would have, but he was still unconscious. 

As I walked away, fist still smarting a bit, I thought about what has become of our culture, and how everyone's become feminized, like Oprah Winfrey, who almost picked me as a life coach one time.  And it's now affecting the church, and to fix that, we need awesomely bold people to preach week-in, week-out to pretty much the same people in the confines of our buildings.

I agree with John Piper, who wrote recently that manliness happens when "Preaching is more readily prized, " and "the fear of strong preaching is part of the effeminizing of the church, and the full range of the way God is and appears on the Bible is not known where preaching is simply casual and conversational."

My friend, I won't dance around all girly-like like that and mince words.  I'll say it, my way:  The church has become too feminized, and the way to rectify it is to make the church sit down, be quiet, and passively listen to awesome people like me.

There's simply nothing manlier than not being able to respond, to just sit there and take it.  Women?  They have "conversations".  But men?   That's not us.  We sit down in large numbers, in rows, audience-style, listen, and quietly accept.  Why?  We're men.  That's what we do.

Case in point:  On the manly blog I linked to, no one is allowed to leave a public comment.  No one.  Boldness?  Hell, yeah.  And that's right, I just cussed, like John Wayne in "Rio Lobo" before he shot that one guy, and we need more John Wayne's shooting from the Biblical hip with the Winchester of truth from the pulpit of...something...western-y.

Let's make this simple:  Here's a Manliness Quotient list of activities, from Manliest to Girliest:

1)  Me, boldly leading you, a leading leader of visionary leaders.

2)  You, listening quietly to me boldly leading you.

3) You, teaching conversationally, among people who know you, who are allowed to challenge, ask, clarify, and teach you, too.

Friend, be a man, stand up, and do number 2.

Comments

[Jeannie]

You crack me up.

[RichMart]

"shooting from the Biblical hip with the Winchester of truth".............

If I become a leading leader of visionary leaders, will I be able to come up with lines that that? However, shooting from the hip with a Winchester is pretty impressive!

[Mike F.]

I prefer to sit while I do number 2, but that must be because I've been so feminized.

[Matt]

Are you sure about that? I've always thought it best to sit down when doing number 2.

[Amanda]

Hee hee! "Do number 2!"

...but seriously, I've found myself questioning "church" structure vs. the Church of the Bible a lot lately. Sometimes I think I must just be too critical, because everyone around me seems to believe that the local church is set up the way it should be. And granted, I'm not a man, so it makes sense that I don't know much about how to quietly listen to and prize a sermon. But I keep wondering whether it's really effective for the edification of the saints.

Thanks for continuing to give me something to think about...and for simultaneously entertaining me through doody references and biting sarcasm.

[Dave Block]

Hey Brant,

You're very funny as usual, and you make some good points with this. But while discussing Scripture is very beneficial, I think there are some strong benefits to pulpit preaching. We have both in my church -- both of the main adult Sunday School classes are devoted to reviewing and discussing the points made in the sermon from the previous week.

You seem down on pulpit preaching. To borrow from a comment I made elsewhere, here are some benefits of pulpit-based preaching:
-The entire congregation hears preaching from someone with a great background in Scripture and theology
-The entire congregation hears preaching from someone who prepared many hours for the sermon
-The entire congregation is moved in the same direction by the spiritual leader of the church since they all heard the same thing -- which of course can be bad, actually, but...
-The entire congregation has the opportunity to evaluate the preaching for error
-The entire congregation has the opportunity to discuss the message since they all heard the same thing
-The preaching can be integrated well into the rest of the worship service, which can make it more effective as hearts are prepared by worship songs and prayer
-Preaching in the pulpit by a good orator often is highly motivational

I'm interested in your thoughts.

Your blog is great. Keep it up!

[pattracks]

I love how you lead me. Lead me like the big, hairy, manly leader that you are. I'll be quiet now and take some more of your sweet leading.

[Nathanael]

I just have one question, Mr. Awesomely Awesome Leadership Leader Dude Guy.
Is Chuck gonna be okay?

[Carolyn Hansen]

Oh, ho ho! Love how you bring it home at the end there, babe. Makes us all want to do number 2 as much as possible.

[Steve_11]

Do you think they sat in rows during the Sermon on the Mount, or was it more random open hill-side seating?

I wonder if Jesus had a cool "Praise Band" play a set before he stepped up to the pulpit?

I wonder if George Beverly Shea sang "I'd Rather Have Jesus" that day - I think he was around back then.

[mark]

So what am I supposed to do about all of the coffee I just spewed over the papers on my desk? That last line is great! Now I'm going to do the manly thing by sitting down, shutting up and following your awesomely bold leadership.

[Sarah]

whoa... I read the link and I couldn't get past the first 3. I am stunned (although I shouldn't be) and trying not to be discouraged. I guess I'll never be able to "lead" anyone to Christ, to "lead" by modelling, to "lead" by saying or doing anything, for that matter - especially preaching! Apparently, I don't have the right body parts required for such tasks. Guess I'll just shut up now and go put on my burka.

For a different perspective on Christian women in leadership:
http://www.amazon.com/Why-Not-Women-Biblical-Leadership/dp/1576581837/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1/103-5148270-8549436?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1193421428&sr=8-1

I also appreciated Brother Maynard's recent post:
http://www.subversiveinfluence.com/wordpress/?p=1391

[Wells]

wow. my manliness only allows me to do #1 standing up. I must sit down to do #2.

[Dave Carrol]

I still think that the fact that there are too many nerds in the church is a great threat than women.

Down with the nerds

[pattracks]

I still like John Piper. And Steve Brown. And I'm not even a Calvinist. Does that make me double-minded?

[Becca]

Dude, have you ever actually seen a Winchester? You must be the manliest man every if you can shoot that from the hip, even if it is only a metaphor.

[Marie]

The post is funny, but you are throwing the baby out with the bathwater. The comment about the sermon on the mount makes me wonder, would you have approved? Jesus teaching authoritatively, everyone listening quietly. . .is that ok? Does anyone have authority in the church? Is there a church anymore, or are we all doing our own thing?

[Brant: Jesus speaking in public to people who needed the message of the Kingdom. I think that rocks. Pretty manly, too. He's a great authority to have, too.

I love how the apostles preached in public, preached in Jewish synagogues, driving authorities nuts, and preached in public when it was against the law. I love that. Anyone who wants to preach like they preached, I think is pretty impressive. Preach it!]

[ChestertonianRambler]

Hillarious as usual.

I do have to admit, however, the boring fact that what he probably *really* meant in the original post was more along the lines of:

If you're going to preach from the pulpit (and that's what most every preacher I know does), be a man and talk about predestination and Original Sin, rather than being a woman and seek "relevance" by weakening the gospel.

Though, come to think of that, it still feels a bit sexist. I mean, does this mean that if my wife tells someone that they're a sinner, she's being "manly" and therefore unfeminine? Is "boldly leading awesome leaders" (or "boldly proclaiming the gospel") a male-only activity?

In any case, John Wayne could've shot from the hip with a Winchester, if he'd wanted to--and so I'm with you 100%. If you want to be a Bold Leader of Awesome Leaders, you sure better also be able to shoot from the hip with a rifle. And fire a gatling gun just like Arnold in Terminator Two.

[Brant: Makes (some) sense, but he's comparing it to conversational style, not content. Conversation happens when you teach and people are allowed to interact, and a conversational style connotes it's not an oratorical event, but teaching from an equal, or a servant, even. Try taking on the typical "preaching" affectations in front of friends sometime, and see how manly you are.]

[Monica Battaile]

I laugh, while holding my Winchester of truth, because you said "number 2"...

(giggle...)

I'm pretty sure having awesomely bold hair also helps to lead people. They sit, mesmerized by your hair as it flows in the hot air emanating from your head...

;)

[Texas in Africa]

This is why we need more women preaching.

[ChestertonianRambler]

Ah. I see. I recant.

Except about the guns. I shall never recant the manliness of guns.

[M.E.]

Sigh......all the good stuff's already been said, so I think I'll go watch Alton Brown. Maybe they'll run his segment on toast.

Cheers!

[Brian in Fresno]

There certainly is a place for preaching. Paul couldn't keep himself from preaching. On the other hand, speaking for myself, I learn the most and learn best when I can hear my thoughts while I'm telling them to someone else for their input. Too often when I hear my thoughts like that I usually end up saying, "I can't believe I just said that! It is so far of track!"

[Brant: I still say "preaching" in the N.T. was a public practice. Paul preached in Jewish synagogues and public spaces. I've talked to a number of bright people about this who disagree with me, and asked for examples of lecture-style teaching to groups of already-believers. I still don't see it.

What we call "preaching" -- giving lectures to large groups of believers who aren't allowed to dialogue on a weekly basis -- I don't see it.

People even point to the Eutychus meeting, where the dude fell out the window. But that doesn't sound like a sermon, either. They were eating together, talking in a house until after midnight, listening to a visiting missionary, then ate together again. If that's a precedent for modern-day preaching, I -- again -- don't see it.

We're *very* teacher-centric, lecture-centric, sermon-centric in our churches, but I don't see the precedent for this in scripture. People should definitely preach manly-style -- out there.]

[Wolfgang Amadeus M.]

Gads...OK Brant- alot of this I agree with. In my Church- number 2 is done sitting down- very quietly...ha!

Interestingly enough- your statements reflect some other area in my life- during this leadership session- is the door guarded? Does everyone stand in a rectanglular circle? And then, after, discuss things in small groups that we are either teaching or learning in? Hmmm.... this sounds too familiar Brant..too familiar...

Just don't step outside the circle.. and your visionary Leadership should remain intact...I hope.

blessings and light
Wolfgang Amadeus

[Brant: Thanks, Wolfie!]

[Dan Herron]

Wow Brant, I wonder if you read the rest of what Piper was communicating? I also wonder if you read books? Because, generally, many of the authors I know communicate in a similar mode as Piper; including men such as Brian McLaren, Rob Bell, NT Wright, Lesslie Newbigin, etc... Certainly, due to the relational nature of everything including our epistemology and motivations, methods, and responses in the communication process there ought to be consideration of personal and communal interrogation of a speech/act as well as personal and communal response to that speech/act. But, this cannot happen all the time. Our contexts; the unique callings, opportunities, and boundaries which God has given us; and, the intentions of our various speech/acts dictate what can and cannot be done within the sphere of human relationship and communication. In other words- chill. And, perhaps shine what seems to be a critical, cynical, and ungraceful spotlight into the dark recesses of your own heart for all the world to see; and realize that you are in as desperate shape as those whom it seems you are mocking and criticizing, and are just as starved for and yet paradoxically overflowing with God's grace through Christ as they and I am: who can save us from this body of death...? In all masculine, misplaced-expression-of-insecurity-and-aggression, sincerity: Dan.