Wednesday, January 15, 2014

MAN IN DEMAND

Today's man is often not readily recognizable as such. He gives no real attention to his physical appearance, has a poor work ethic, and fails to implement basic etiquette and social awareness. Worse, he is sexually promiscuous, spiritually unaware and self-centered. In fact, he's not much of a man at all besides his gender. The world wants—and needs—real men. More importantly, God wants real men to follow Him and present an example worthy of imitation. While it is possible to reach manhood without much help or guidance, it's far more likely an adolescent boy trained in the art of Christian manliness will grow into the kind of adult he ought to be. Man in Demand offers just that kind of training through a series of cartoon illustrations, Bible studies and practical information. Young men are advised on personal hygiene and good grooming, the right clothes to wear, how to carry a conversation, keeping fit, how to date girls, and all kinds of important matters that distinguish the men from the boys. A number of charts help boys chart their progress and offer visual incentives for improving themselves. A teacher's book offers parents or Sunday school instructors hints for presenting the material. At the same time, students could easily work through the training manual themselves, or teachers can use the student book to teach the course without spending money on an extra volume. The Student Training Manual is a black and white consumable book—it cannot be reproduced. Man in Demand was originally published in 1975, and the cultural context definitely shows through. Many of the specific difficulties encountered by youths have been replaced by others (for instance, marijuana use is far less prevalent now than it was 30 years ago), and sometimes the language and attempts at slang will seem silly or incomprehensible to many readers. Still, the values presented and promoted by Wayne and Emily Hunter are generally good guidelines for young men to observe, and are clearly presented and accessible even for today's young men.

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