I can honestly say that I find this book trite, over-espoused, and drastically overadored by a great many men and women that I generally like and enjoy spending time with. This doesn't make them dumb, bad, or idiots. It just makes them different than me. This doesn't make me smarter, good, or a non-idiot. It just makes me not a person who fits comfortably into any of the suggested roles that John Eldridge tells us that men secretly long for. As a leader, you will need to buy a copy of A Year with Menand be responsiblefor securing the videos for your group to watch each week.If youchoose for your group to also read Wild at Heart, Becoming a King, and Fathered by God, you’ll also need a copy of those books. Each participant would be responsible for purchasing their own book(s) unless you chooseto do so. For any group activities, each man should pay their portion of the total cost. Wild at Heart is split into three sections, called "movements." The first argues that every aspect of a man, from his desires to who he is as a man, reflects God. Eldredge argues that the reason a man has the desires that he does and the reason why he is masculine is because he is, ultimately, an image-bearer of God. Why does this criticism matter? What does it really mean? It means that Eldredge's objections to the mundane, domestic, un-alive realities of modern life -- such a big part of why his story appeals -- have nothing to do with the character of God or the message of Christ. The boring and uninspiring life that most men lead are the result of modern problems and modern socio-economic conditions. Their solutions, discussed since the Romantic Movement, are likewise the product of a particular time and place, and have nothing to do with scriptural admonitions of how Christians ought to live. In other words, it is shaky logic indeed to use 19th-century ideas as an answer to 21st century problems and then to ascribe them to a body of scripture that was written 1,900 years beforehand in a completely different historical context. The point is not that Christian scripture is irrelevant in the 21st century, but rather that Eldgrede is *suggesting* that scripture is irrelevant by seeking answers from an intellectual source *outside* the scripture -- and then describing these modern-day answers as fundamental to the "character of God."

Walking with God: Talk to Him. Hear from Him. Really. (2008), Nashville: Thomas Nelson, ISBN 0-7852-0696-5 Even worse, in his attempt to persuade men that their chief calling is to be "wild at heart," he depicts women, not as created believers in their own right, but as passive companions in a journey that is really all about the man. Tales are told and examples are given of women who stymie their man's "wild" nature, to the detriment of both, with the message clearly being that women ought to be passive supporters of whatever makes their men feel happy and alive. In Eldredge's interpretation, gender is defined in simple, discrete, definable categories. Men are *this* way, Eldredge suggests (invariably masculine in the William Wallace way). Women are *that* way (invariably passive and subservient, like a mythological princess). On the basis of his simple-minded and reductionist understanding of gender characteristics, he then proceeds to prescribe how exactly men and women can become fully alive as Christians, which obviously only works for people who already fit his mold for how men and women ought to be. His insistence that being "wild at heart" entails pursuing a beauty makes no concession to men who feel called to become a priest or otherwise to lead a life of singleness. By suggesting linking the two and by insisting that they are essential to man's created nature and therefore his spiritual vitality, he is essentially delegitimizing or at least denigrating the faith journeys of anyone who remains single, whether by choice or not. These are issues that must enter the mind of every insecure teenage guy who reads Eldredge's book, and yet Eldredge writes as if *everyone* should look and act like a William Wallace in their conquest of some unsuspecting beauty. His wife's book, Captivated, is little more than supporting documentation of the idea that women will get everything they need, all their deepest yearnings, if only they are "captivated" by their warrior man and give his "wild" yearnings free reign. This may work for their marriage and some others, but it is a despicably small-minded view that perverts the scriptures and simplifies the complexity of gender relations. I could go on noting other theological and exegetical problems but I've said more than enough about a ten+ year old book that has received tons of praise and criticism as it is. Ultimately, this book is contradictory, confusing, and only muddies the already murky waters of biblical manhood in the American church today. We agree with A.W. Tozer, "That our idea of God corresponds as nearly as possible to the true being of God is of immense importance to us. Compared with our actual thoughts about Him, our creedal statements are of little consequence. Our real idea of God may lie buried under the rubbish of conventional religious notions and may require an intelligent and vigorous search before it is finally unearthed and exposed for what it is." The view of women. According to Eldredge, women are passive helpless beings waiting for men to rescue them. They seem to have no other purpose then to be beautiful for men.Unfortunately, there are some significant problems in his method and his message that make this an unhelpful and perhaps even a dangerous book. First, most of Eldredge's points come from films ("Braveheart" is a particular favorite of his it would seem), books, conversations with friends, Eldredge's own life experience, and moments of God speaking to him privately. Now, of course God can use movies and books and friends to communicate with us and that's fine. But God's primary way of speaking to his people is by His Spirit, through His Word. Unfortunately, most of the book's main points come from the former list of things and not the Bible. Eldredge then pulls Bible passages out of context, twisting and distorting them to fit his purposes. We believe God created mankind in His image. Adam and Eve, the first human beings, chose to rebel against God and go their own way. As a result, all of mankind became separated from God; the image of God in man was distorted; mankind became subject to the power of the devil; and the sinful nature was passed on to all their progeny. Because of original sin, unregenerate human beings are incapable of pleasing or commending themselves to God. The only remedy for mankind's pitiful predicament is redemption through faith in Jesus Christ.

To prove his point about what men are and are not meant to do, Eldredge alludes often to overly-simplified conversations he has had with counterparts dubbed with good ol' pseudonyms such as "Reggie, Bob, Janet, and Dave." It's as if he writes a sentence or two articulating what he believes about a deep issue (made too simple to fit his writing style), and then decides to attribute them as dialogue to affirm his presuppositions. Which girl wouldn't grab a book with the title 'Discovering the Secret of a Man's Soul'?. Men say they don't understand women,well, we don't understand you too! So, out of curiosity, I grabbed this book when I was a young twenty something year old. I don't know what prompted me to read it, or may I do and I just don't want to tell you. Most disturbing is his insistence that God is a risk taker. It's just not true. When God created us and this world, He knew exactly what would happen. And he even had a plan (1 Peter 1:20).Yes, every man in the group—including the leader—will want theguide since it includes reading material and questions for each unit. Leader notes are included within A Year with Men. John earned his master’s degree in Counseling from Colorado Christian University, under the direction of Larry Crabb and Dan Allender. He worked as a counselor in private practice before launching Wild at Heart in 2000. John and Stasi live in Colorado Springs. They have three sons (Samuel, Blaine, and Luke), two golden retrievers (Oban and Maisie), and two horses (Whistle and Kokolo). He is married to an extraordinary woman, Cherie, and finds great joy in adventuring with his 15-year-old son, Joshua, and his 12-year-old daughter, Abigail. When he’s not with his family or on mission, he is most often found on expeditions in the mountains of Colorado. Board Members In July 2000, Eldredge left Focus on the Family, where he had worked for 12 years, to launch Ransomed Heart Ministries. [2] John, his wife, Stasi, and their three sons live in Colorado Springs, Colorado. [3] In addition to publishing many books, he has produced three videos: Risky Business: A Look at Gambling, Whatever Happened to Marriage?: A Look at Divorce, and Created Different?: A Look at Homosexuality. [4] Bibliography [ edit ] They will readily confirm that fact tacitly, being always on the move toward greener pastures. The "greener" the better, and jaundiced oldtimers who keep their salt shakers handy need not apply.