Men’s Bible Study Resources

April 1, 2016  David Murray   10 comments

Last week on Facebook, I asked for recommendations for Men’s Bible study resources, specifically thinking in terms of material for group studies.  Thanks to everyone who chipped in. Here are some of the recommendations. Hope you find them helpful as well. Please write further suggestions in the comments box and I’ll add them to the list.


What He Must Be: …If He Wants to Marry My Daughter by Voddie Baucham Jr. Recommended by Doug.


Reformed Confessions Harmonized by Beeke and Ferguson. Suggested by Psyche.


How Should Men Lead Their Families? by Joel R. Beeke. Suggested by Scott whose church is going through it with their men’s group.


Men of the Word by Nathan Busenitz. Recommended by John.


Manly Dominion by Mark Chanski. Recommended by Mark (not Chanski!).


The Christian Life by Sinclair Ferguson. Suggested by Brandon. He says it’s great for pacing at a chapter a week.


Let’s Study the Letters of John by Ian Hamilton. “Any of the Let’s Study Series” is a suggestion from Steven.


Hit List: Taking Aim at the Seven Deadly Sins by Brian G. Hedges. Recommended by John. His study group is going through this one.


Disciplines of a Godly Man by R. Kent Hughes. Recommended by Gordon.


Twelve Ordinary Men by John Macarthur. Suggested by Sally whose husband is leading a men’s group through the book.


The Masculine Mandate: God’s Calling to Men by Richard D. Phillips. Recommended by Steven, William, Whitt, and Brian who heard the author speak at a conference and is looking forward to reading the book.


The Thought of the Evangelical Leader edited by John H. Pratt. Recommended by Christopher who finds this book “fascinating.”


Instruments in the Redeemer’s Hands: People in Need of Change Helping People in Need of Change by Paul David Tripp. Recommended by Sherif.

 


33 Series on Authentic Manhood. Recommended by John and Mark. Authentic Manhood/Men’s Fraternity has several resources to choose from. This is pitched towards young Christians.

Ann suggested sermons by Paul Washer on marriage and family.

Refik uses Reformation Heritage Book Talk as his go-to for finding study resources.

There’s the full range of Ligonier’s video teaching series. Our congregation’s Men’s Bible Study is just starting R. C. Sproul’s Pleasing God.

Puritan Books and Resources


Precious Remedies Against Satan’s Devices by Thomas Brooks. Recommended by Doug


The Christlike Husband by William Gouge, extracted from Of Domestical Duties. Recommended by James.


The Holy Spirit by John Owen. Recommended by Joseph. He read it through with a group of men and described their experience like this: “We would read John Owen Volume III on the Holy Spirit (you could probably substitute any of his learned volumes) and we would take turns reading a paragraph at a time. But after reading a paragraph we would discuss what he meant. I doubt this would work with many other writers, but we weren’t discussing the content so much as just trying to understand what he was saying. It was like wrestling with an angel. At least that’s what I’d compare it to. It was very rewarding when we ‘got it’. We were all young single men. Though most of us were theologically literate we did not have a ‘discussion leader’ who gave us the answers – we had to figure it out. We had lots of time. We spent about 5-10 minutes on each paragraph.”


The Bruised Reed by Richard Sibbes. Recommended by Doug.


The Godly Man’s Picture by Thomas Watson. Recommended by John who has found that this book has stirred some good discussion.

Please write further suggestions in the comments box and I’ll add them to the list.

  • Steven Birn

    These are all so tiresome and predictable. How to be a man, how do be a husband, how to be a father, how to be a leader, how you can get to date some guy’s daughter. Where is the theological substance? Surely there are theological topics that interest men that go beyond the “safe” zone of being the leader in the home.

    • David Murray

      And your suggestions are…..?

      • Steven Birn

        I have no idea, I never see anything outside the box. There are an inordinate amount of Bible studies and books devoted to telling men what they’re supposed to be like in the home. There has to be more to our faith than our family.

        I know Eshelman is doing a once a month study using Calvin’s Institutes. I have no idea if he’s using a program or if he’s putting it together himself. You want to go through a book, let’s go through one of Brian Schwertley’s on the regulative principle or let’s pick a book on post-millennialism. Anything to get out of the safe zone where all the men can bloviate about how they haven’t been as wonderful as they could have been at home or as emotional as their little wife would like, ending with everyone committing to being better at home and then changing absolutely nothing. Rinse and repeat.

        • Liz Prince

          There is no greater calling to men (and woman) than teaching scripture by example in their own home and who can say in all honestly , I’ve achieved and let’s move forward…NO one!! “And that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus. All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works.”
          ‭‭2 Timothy‬ ‭3:15-17‬ ‭KJV‬‬

          • Steven Birn

            There is more to the Christian man’s life, to his walk with God, than his wife and children. Even if we were to accept the notion that our one great calling is to teach scripture in the home, how can we do that when the only thing men focus on in scripture is related to family? There is a much broader theological world out there, one that I dare say father’s need to be teaching to their children. It’s broader than the surface scratching of catechism sermons and it’s far broader than the Bible studies endlessly focused on family and self. We in the church, in the Free in particular, have a tendency to retreat into the familiar rather than looking curiously at that which we are either unfamiliar or that which we don’t fully understand. That’s ultimately my criticism of the listed Bible studies. It’s not that there’s anything per se wrong with them, it’s that they’re predictable and safe. They don’t require looking deeper into scripture, they only offer insights on topics just about every man with a family has already thought about. There has to be more to our faith than this and if there isn’t, I question why we should even bother.

        • David Murray

          I understand where you are coming from Steve. In fact, that’s why I was pleased that our men decided to start with R.C. Sproul’s teaching series, “Pleasing God.” I know the list is not perfect, but, as I count them, about half are focused on the “man/family issues” that you highlight. The other half are on more general biblical and theological subjects. That’s not too bad a balance. Can you send me links to your suggestions about Schwertzley or Post-mil, and I’ll add them to the list.

  • Mark Dawes

    Add this to the men’s Bible study list. Manhood Restored: How the Gospel Makes Men Whole by Eric Mason.

  • Thomas Bass

    I have been going through the Bible with Les Feldick. He makes the Bible very easy it understand. He has 982 30 minute Bible study videos and they are being posted at https://lesfeldickbiblestudy.com