Victor Chen Ministries

“Be A Maximized Man”

Chen Woei Shiong reporting on Edwin Louis Cole’s talk (5 September 1999)

Certainly not a talk for WIMPS!!!            And if you thought you have secured manhood, with your machoism, coolness, charming looks, irresistible sweet-talking, dominant and female conquering instincts, THIS IS ONE FOR YOU, as Ed Cole puts it “Illusions of grandeur are not visions of greatness”

Edwin Loius Cole is known around the world as one of the leading authors and speakers to men, urging them to be the men God designed them to be. His message that “Manhood and Christlikeness are synonymous” tells us that our dreams of real manhood is possible by looking to Jesus Christ as our role model.

KEPT OUT OF CANAAN

Ed’s message was simple, just as the gospel was intended to be. It is men who made it complex..

Ed reveals that “being a male is a matter of birth”, but “being a man is a matter of choice.” The thrust of the night’s talk is about that choice. A man’s worth is measured by his character and not by what he has. Indeed character is about continually making the right choices in life.

Pungent and direct, the basic truths he expounded about maximizing manhood are logical and simple, yet some may be unwilling to accept its call for sacrifice, commitment to change and putting these dynamic principles into practice to reach God’s potential for them. The sins that kept the Israelites from entering the promised land (I Corinthians10) are keeping modern men out of Caanan, a symbol of mankind’s maximized potential. Cannan land is where God wants the Israelites to live, and where he will fulfil His promises to them. God wants men to enter into Canaan - that place of rest, blessing, success, ability and authority - where He desires them to be.

The same sins - lust, idolatory, fornication, tempting Christ and murmuring - are still the root causes why men are still wandering in the wilderness, never becoming all that God intended them to be. God wants men to have Canaan land marriages, businesses and parental relationships.

RESPONSIBILITY

Maturity comes with acceptance of responsibility, and not how many hairs have grown into the grey matter of your brain!!! (Grey Hair). And maturity is the essence of manhood. God gave Adam stewardship over the earth, and with it the  responsibility to guide, guard and govern (Genesis 2:5). When the family came, man was responsible to lead the family by directing, protecting and correcting. Then Jesus came as a prophet (speak God’s word to people), priest (minister to the Lord and people) and King (govern constituency by serving). Every man should also be a prophet, priest and King at home, as he is the head of the household just as Christ is the head of the church. Leadership, Ed reminds is about ‘serving’ and that  “you are only qualified to lead (family) to the degree you are willing to serve”. For Christ came not to be served, but to serve (Mark 10.45). Manhood and Christlikeness are synonymous.

Sin entered the world when the first man sinned, not when Eve sinned,because God held him accountable (Romans 5:17).  The total well-being of a family is the responsibility of the man. In some cultures, women are the bread-winnners while their abusive husbands spend their life time boozing and womanizing.Many mediocre men today want authority without accountability.

Ed tells us that you can’t make men accountable for what you have not first made him responsible. It is not only a shame, but worrying if many of today’s men do not know what is required of them, which undeniably confirms not only RLC , but every church that intends to have an impact on society need to have an effective Christian Mens’ Ministry. A committee set up by Al Gore investigating into the cause for the increasing crime in America concludes that ‘Fatherlessness’ is the main reason for family breakdown, which inevitably was the main cause for crime and social ills.

Fatherlessness is the lack of concern for the family and is pandemic around the world. Fathering is not just providing for the financial needs of the family, but also counseling, mentoring, encouraging, communicating, loving and leading. Fathering is a comprehensive task. That is why it requires a man.  A maximized man.

A father is also responsible for the moral and biblical upbringing of the family. Ed warns pastors not to absolve men from this responsibilty by trying to disciple every member of the family as it is not the way God had ordained it. For instance, it is the responsibility of the man to teach the 10 commandments to his family(Deut 27). These commandments are moral absolutes. How would  his child understand grace and the need for a Saviour without first knowing what is right or wrong?

In our society, moral decay has taken its toll and showing its ugliness.Legislation has not eradicated or decreased crime, merely condemning it, but providing no solutions.. The cure of crime is not the electric chair, but the high chair.

LOVE, COMMUNICATION & MARRIAGE

Many women fall for a man’s personality, only to realize that she has to live with his character. God created courtship so a man’s character can be determined before marriage for ‘a good character (man) is rather to be chosen than riches.’  A marriage could either the closest thing to heaven or hell on earth.

If you have progressed beyond courtship and into marriage, be reminded that friendship and communication are important to hold and maintain a marriage. When men do not continue to commmunicate and relate to their wives, she will transfer her emotions and trust to another. When communication stops, abnormality sets in. Eve was deceived by the devil and was led to partake in the schemes of the devil by an altered perception of the truth.  Men, listen to your wives, for the “ability to communicate is not in the ability to speak, but in the ability to hear” (Ed Cole).  Many women complain that “my husband hears me but doesn’t listen to me” and the bible reminds us that ‘he that hath an ear,  let him hear’. God places a premium on listening.

A single person has one, invaluable, priceless and meaningful gift that can be given once in a lifetime. When both the male and female are virgins, when the hymen is pierced, blood flows into him and the covenant is sealed. Marriage was meant to be a blood covenant and is as significant as the covenant we have with the Lord and the shedding of his precious blood for us.

Lastly, husbands, love your wives for she is a joint heir in Christ with you, and loving your wife it is the greatest gift you can give to your children.

COMMIT TO FAITHFUL MEN

The success of any enterprise, marriage or ministry is based on faithfulness. 

An important scripture which the Christian Mens’ Network is based upon comes from 2 Timothy 2:2 “Commit to faithful men who are able to teach others ...” for God commits to faithful men and He then makes them able. Character is more important than talent, and faithfulness is the cornerstone of character.

Many that were there for this talk would have agreed with me, the talk was something not to have been missed. The principles taught in that one night gave us great inspiration and motivation to not only model our manhood around Jesus, but to commit to RLC’s Mens’ Ministry.

Such a ministry should target ‘men’ from age 13 onwards, as in the economy of the old testament one enters manhood at this age.  We need to educate our children on the ‘sacredness of sex’ and the ‘glory of virginity’ to give them a proper start that some never had. Man or Boy, I am sure no parent would disagree that a 13 year old should start to be taught all this.

The talk ended with an altar call for those who wanted to stand up and be counted for Christ in this ministry.  It must have been moving for the women to see throngs of men rising to the occassion.  The talk surely has given us a good footing for us to begin our Mens’ Ministry which the Lord had impressed on Pastor Joshua to start during the Korean pilgrimage. Lets all be a man. Live the life of maximized manhood. Christlikeness.