Dr. Gene Getz’ recently updated edition of The Measure of a Man: Twenty Attributes of a Godly Man (Baker Publishing Group, 1974, 2004, 2016) is some of the best men’s ministry discipleship material ever written. First published almost fifty years ago, and now with over a million copies sold, this new edition includes updated material along with the addition of forty linked videos hosted by Gene Getz himself.
The Measure of a Man Video Links are Like You Are Sitting Across His Desk and Being Discipled by Gene Getz Himself
Gene’s homespun video presence is easily accessed through URL links in the Kindle edition and cellphone-readable QR codes in the printed edition. Coupled with his gentle spirit and over fifty years of ministerial experience, the videos that accompany each chapter make you feel like you are being personally discipled by Dr. Getz himself.
As a seminary student many years ago, I had the privilege of attending Gene Getz’ then recently planted church, Fellowship Bible Church in Plano, Texas, and also had Dr. Getz as a professor in a pastoral ministry class at Dallas Theological Seminary. Dr. Getz is currently pastor emeritus of that church, now called Chase Oaks Church, and is also the director of the Center for Church Renewal. Known for his fresh approach toward ecclesiology and pastoral ministry, Dr. Getz has authored dozens of books, including the Life Essentials Study Bible.
The Genius of The Measure of a Man
The genius of The Measure of a Man is in its simplicity. The book is a list of twenty qualities of a mature Christian man based on the extensive lists of qualifications for overseers (or elders) in the church that the Apostle Paul gives in 1 Timothy 3 and Titus 1:
Now the overseer is to be above reproach, faithful to his wife, temperate, self-controlled, respectable, hospitable, able to teach, not given to drunkenness, not violent but gentle, not quarrelsome, not a lover of money. He must manage his own family well and see that his children obey him, and he must do so in a manner worthy of full respect. (If anyone does not know how to manage his own family, how can he take care of God’s church?) He must not be a recent convert, or he may become conceited and fall under the same judgment as the devil. He must also have a good reputation with outsiders, so that he will not fall into disgrace and into the devil’s trap. (1 Timothy 3:2-7)
The reason I left you in Crete was that you might put in order what was left unfinished and appoint elders in every town, as I directed you. An elder must be blameless, faithful to his wife, a man whose children believe and are not open to the charge of being wild and disobedient. Since an overseer manages God’s household, he must be blameless—not overbearing, not quick-tempered, not given to drunkenness, not violent, not pursuing dishonest gain. Rather, he must be hospitable, one who loves what is good, who is self-controlled, upright, holy and disciplined. He must hold firmly to the trustworthy message as it has been taught, so that he can encourage others by sound doctrine and refute those who oppose it. (Titus 1:5-9)
Excellent Material for Men’s Discipleship
Each chapter in The Measure of a Man covers one of twenty summary qualities of a mature Christian man, such as “Becoming a Faithful Man”, “Building a Good Reputation”, “Sharing Our Resources”, and “Handling Anger Appropriately”. A relevant video meditation from Dr. Getz precedes and ends each chapter, followed by a section for group discussion called Thinking and Growing Together, which contains group discussion questions, goal setting for personal application, and group prayer.
The videos by Gene Getz can be used for personal edification as well as for starting and ending a group discussion, making leading the group time extremely easy for any novice Christian group leader.
There are, however, a couple of significant missed opportunities in The Measure of a Man.
A Missed Opportunity in Measure of a Man to Address Prejudice and Racism in the Local Church
In his chapter entitled “Being Just and Upright,” Dr. Getz writes, “God gives us opportunities every day to practice justice and to be upright in our dealings with fellow human beings. This involves our relationships with our immediate families, with our fellow Christians, and with non-Christians who regularly cross our paths.”1
This chapter would have been a perfect place for Dr. Getz to discuss the problem of prejudice and racism that plague evangelical churches in America. And yet he makes no mention of it.
A Missed Opportunity in Measure of a Man to Define the Purpose of Good Works in the Local Church
Another omission in The Measure of a Man are any references to the qualities of deacons and their wives that are listed right after the qualities of overseers in 1 Timothy 3:2-7.
In the same way, deacons are to be worthy of respect, sincere, not indulging in much wine, and not pursuing dishonest gain. They must keep hold of the deep truths of the faith with a clear conscience. They must first be tested; and then if there is nothing against them, let them serve as deacons. In the same way, the women are to be worthy of respect, not malicious talkers but temperate and trustworthy in everything. A deacon must be faithful to his wife and must manage his children and his household well. Those who have served well gain an excellent standing and great assurance in their faith in Christ Jesus. (1 Timothy 3:8-12)
By making no mention of this list of deacon qualifications and the ministry to widows that deacons are supposed to perform (a ministry which is further referred to at length a few verses later in 1 Timothy 5:3-16), Dr. Getz misses a major opportunity to teach men about the goal of good works in the local church: to enable the church to say “there is no needy person among us” (Acts 4:34; Titus 3:14; Ephesians 4:28; Acts 19:34-35, etc.).
In spite of these two caveats, The Measure of a Man and its accompanying videos and group discussion material are powerful tools for stimulating spiritual growth in Christian men, for nurturing significant relationships among Christian men, and are appropriate for any men’s group, large or small.
Since 2003 New Commandment Men’s Ministries has helped hundreds of churches throughout North America and around the world recruit teams of men who permanently adopt widows, single moms and fatherless children in their congregations for the purpose of donating two hours of service to them one Saturday morning each month. We accomplish this with a free training site called New Commandment Men’s Ministry Learn how to mobilize your men’s ministry to meet every pressing need in your church at newcommandment.org.
_______________________________________________________________
Learn how to form teams of men for every widow, single mom
and fatherless child in your church at NewCommandment.org.
_______________________________________________________________
