Family Man, Family Leader

Written by Kevin Harper

Monday, 25 July 2005

Book review: Family Man, Family Leader by Phillip Lancaster

This is a very revolutionary book in this age of feminism. I can't agree with every conclusion Lancaster makes--I would suggest that he's a bit legalistic--but it certainly is a good primer in family leadership.

Men certainly have a tendency to abdicate their leadership role in the family for the sake of peace. What is so amazing about re-establishing the right kind of leadership (which Lancaster rightly calls "servant leadership") is that it brings the marriage relationship to such a higher level emotionally, spiritually, and practically. The right kind of leadership brings harmony to a marriage, not through gamesmanship and manipulation, but through each partner laying down his or her life in service to the other.

This is the kind of leadership Jesus taught and lived, and this is the kind of leadership Lancaster urges men to strive for in their families. Where I part ways with him is in what I think is his overly legalistic approach to family worship and other topics that seem to put our Christian service into a framework of merit, guilt, and performance, rather than loving service to God to the best of our abilities.

Maybe this is merely semantics, and maybe it's far from what he intended or believes, but this is how I felt when I was done with the book. Nevertheless, I would recommend the book to any man wanting to get another perspective on recapturing a greater role in the spiritual direction and growth of his family.

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