I’m rereading the book “Wild at Heart” by John Elderidge as part of a men’s group that I hope will become a true band of brothers. That will no doubt take a miraculous work of the Holy Spirit to happen.
After our first session I had many ambivalent feelings- some hopeful and positive and some feeling that there are problems in the whole enterprise. One concern that I had was the list of movies that kept coming up in the DVD and discussions. Many of these flicks are not what I desire as a Christian to feed my mind with. I cannot speak for anyone else but the very few of the ones mentioned that I have seen I regretted because the images still give me trouble and the others would, too, no doubt. I’m not squeamish about blood and guts but I do feel a slight deadening when I see brutality in the form of entertainment and varying forms of sensuality only intensify the difficulty I have maintaining pure thoughts as I walk about in our sensual society.
During the sermon this morning something raced through my mind about the perfect movie analogy for “Wild at Heart” for sensitive consciences like me. The storyline is superhero stuff but the plot is more real to life for where I live than any battle scene. It’s the cartoon “The Incredibles”. By no fault of his own Mr. Incredible is stuck in a 9 to 5 where he can’t be who he is designed to be, not to even confront the inequities at his fingertips, let alone the injustices just outside his window. He has lost his heart and is losing his family in order to play by someone else’s rules that seem to him both necessary and unavoidable. The situation turns from bad to worse when his anger over not being able to right a wrong results in the loss of his job. Then while bemoaning his low ebb the solution and the temptation come packaged in the same invitation. It involves all that he wants in again living up to his potential but with several hooks- a beautiful woman, flattery, deception toward his wife, and unbeknownst to him his destruction. It appears as though his family rescues him but in reality it turns out that they have to do the job as a team or none would have made it. Mr. Incredible finds his heart in rescuing his beauties (wife and daughter), calling out his son, being wild and dangerous in beating down the bad guys in battle, and preparing to meet each new dangerous adventure with satisfaction. The movie ends when they prepare as a team to meet the next foe-resolute, confident, together.
Too fake! Just a cartoon! Not real! But I don’t fancy that I’ll be wielding a claymore in my community or machine-gun on any manicured lawn or a bomb in a backyard or anyplace else for that matter. But temptations and death by the mundane are ever present battles to fight. I need God’s help, direction, warrior spirit, and superhero strength to confront evils I meet about me everyday. Wild ideas I guess, but it’s more where I live.
CreatorWorship 
Several years ago Wesley gave me and Napalm a copy of Wild at Heart and it was a real blessing on many levels. One, it revealed to me many of my motivations the why behind my choices, the engine, so to speak as to what made me move. I realized that I was fighting some wounds, that all my efforts were geared to proving that I had what it takes to make it, that I wasn’t the child I was told I was. I felt in a way like OZ, afraid at any moment someone would pull back the curtain revealing the true me. Then God blessed me through this book. I am not saying I agree 100% with what the book states but through His grace, and His mercy I was able to see that I am free in Christ and that I do have what it takes in Christ and that the only one I need to please is Him.
My prayer is that you will be able to fellowship with your brothers and that you will be able to be accountable and close to them but that may require being vulnerable….something that is not easy for me or anyone.
I’m one of those who have been less than happy with the book. I plan on doing a real comment on the book of things that bothered me, but I remember it began early with his book. I’ll try to comment more if time allows but Etheridge’s ideas on the sovereignity of God (or lack thereof) were disquieting to me to say the least. The whole language of chance and toss of the dice is really foreign to Biblical thinking IMHO. Also, didn’t he mention man being born outside the garden with a wild heart or something to that effect?
And, I don’t think we were born to be wild so to speak. I really miss the whole premise of his book(s), I’ve read more than one just to see what the hoopla was about.
I also disagree with his wounding concept, makes us the victim, too much postmodernism (existentialism) for me.
I think you can miss the point of the thesis of the book if you are looking for a deep theological discussion. The thesis is this, we are created in the image of God. God created all things masculine. What speaks to the heart of men? Adventure, a quest, victory. If you have Christ as Lord and Savior then you have what it takes, you have victory.
Somewhere along the line the church has lost an entire generation of men….why?
Eldridge is painting with a very broad and very liberal brush to reach not just a small specific audience of believers but a wider group of men who may not know Christ as Lord and who may never come to know Christ as Lord because they perceive Him as weak when in fact Christ is author of all things manly.
Maybe that is why Eldridge utilizes pop culture so much? If you are going to incorporate a missionary minded approach to reaching the pop culture what better way than utilizing the language of the pop culture?
I think Eldridge points out that God is a man’s man, not some airbrushed, gentle, turn the other cheek portrayal many have been exposed to in the culture over the years. The wounding concept isn’t making anyone a victim it is actually verbalizing and bringing into light what Satan tries to suppress in many young men. We have an entire generation of dads who have vanished. They aren’t physically or mentally let alone spiritually involved with their families. So you have an entire generation of sons who are always trying to please their dads, to get the attention of their dads to no avail… How does this pervert the image of God the Father?
What really is too postmodern and existentialist for me is dads abandoning their families either through pursuit of their own goals, desires, dreams or a complete departure from the family itself. I think this wounds not only the sons but everyone in the family.
I have seen two reactions to this book – 1. Right on and 2. Are you kidding me?
I am not defending Eldrige as I do not agree with everything he has to say. However, this could be a great tool to reach those who are unchurched and can’t spell theology
I think you can miss the point of the thesis of the book if you are looking for a deep theological discussion. The thesis is this, we are created in the image of God. God created all things masculine. What speaks to the heart of men? Adventure, a quest, victory. If you have Christ as Lord and Savior then you have what it takes, you have victory.
Somewhere along the line the church has lost an entire generation of men….why?
Hmmmm, well I have to quibble here. Elderidge makes some theological arguments early on in his books that have to do with luck and chance, with risk, with cosmic gambling later that form much of the basis of his book. Now, why men have vanished is the subject of a much, much better book by Weldon Hardenbrook: Missing from Aciton (Whatever happened to Manhood), that was written at least a decade before the Eldredge books. I would say that you should examine that book for whatever happend to the last few generation(s) of men specifically in America.
Eldridge is painting with a very broad and very liberal brush to reach not just a small specific audience of believers but a wider group of men who may not know Christ as Lord and who may never come to know Christ as Lord because they perceive Him as weak when in fact Christ is author of all things manly.
I don’t know about his motives as far as reaching people but theological truth must be at the center of reaching people if that, indeed was his motive. IOW, we never sacrifice evangelism for truth. I’ve had this debate with homeschool “leaders” who welcomed long-earth “scientists” into speaking sessions (based on untruth, etc.) My argument is that we put the truth out there and God’s word will NOT return void, perod. Added to this I would say as Hardenbrook points out above in Missing from Action, that strong manly, men of the past speak OF theology as their main subject of conversation, not sports, not politics, not business but strong men of the past (when American men were men… spoke PRIMARILY of theology. Thus, I understand what you say that maybe, maybe Elderedge has the intention of reaching out to the lost (I don’t know this) but, if so, he should do his homework a little more and point out that real men involve themselves strongly in theological study.
Maybe that is why Eldridge utilizes pop culture so much? If you are going to incorporate a missionary minded approach to reaching the pop culture what better way than utilizing the language of the pop culture?
Again, see above, I say there is never, ever a substitute for God’s word. If you examine the scripture closely on letting your light so shine before men you will see it is about NOT primarily our actions but primarily about coupling Biblical proclamation along with our actions. It is about speech and THAT is not about pop culture primarily. It’s not the seeker-friendly junk that reaches people with anything beyond feel-goodism and self-narcissism. (believe me, I know, I’m presently in a seeeker-friendly environment and the evangelistic/mission mindset is producing nil).
I think Eldridge points out that God is a man’s man, not some airbrushed, gentle, turn the other cheek portrayal many have been exposed to in the culture over the years.
That, in itself is a great point, but without the theological rigor required of real men Elderedge still misses it totally. I would point one to men such as Dennis Peacocke or RE McMaster’s, or some of the homeschool dads such as Kevin Swanson for far better models.
The wounding concept isn’t making anyone a victim it is actually verbalizing and bringing into light what Satan tries to suppress in many young men. We have an entire generation of dads who have vanished.
Granted and good point but he says we are all wounded, etc. and sort of has us dwell on the wounds (sounds too much, and feels too much like Bill Gothard, for me, the victim mentality). No, all of us are NOT wounded as he emphaisizes. In this case, I could let it slip a little but sweeping generalizations can be hard to take and wearisome.
I think, maybe my problem with writers like John (and there are loads), is that I’ve read so many better writters amongst the Reformed genre. They will often say more in one chapter than whole books of John E’s. That’s a fact, it’s not meant in a derogatory fashion.
They aren’t physically or mentally let alone spiritually involved with their families. So you have an entire generation of sons who are always trying to please their dads, to get the attention of their dads to no avail… How does this pervert the image of God the Father?
What really is too postmodern and existentialist for me is dads abandoning their families either through pursuit of their own goals, desires, dreams or a complete departure from the family itself. I think this wounds not only the sons but everyone in the family.
I have seen two reactions to this book – 1. Right on and 2. Are you kidding me?
I am not defending Eldrige as I do not agree with everything he has to say. However, this could be a great tool to reach those who are unchurched and can’t spell theology
I’m not so sure at all on this last concept. Again, what little theology is in a book, or in his books, must atl least be correct theology. IOW, sloppiness is NOT acceptable, especially for a real man.
I have to say that I most certainly was in the number 2 category. Now, it’s nothing new for me but believe it or not I do find a lot of books that I would drop into category 1.
I have lots of friends (especially women) who think Eldredge’s books are the answer to all of life. I think this is another thing I didn’t like was to me his book was far too feelings oriented and actually NOT real mann oriented.
But that’s me…
Oh, I failed to mention that I really do love the title and orientation of your blog as a whole.
Thanks Recon77. I will check out “Missing in Action”. And because I do truly want to worship the Creator, I hope that more people are reading than comment so that His name might be lifted up.