Book Review: Bearded Gospel Men by By Jared Brock and Aaron Alford

For the past few years, there has been a growing trend (no pun intended) of men growing beards. I am not sure if Duck Dynasty started that craze or what. The point is men are growing beards. Many Christian leaders have also taken on this task while others have not for some reason. Maybe some of them haven't escaped puberty or their wives have promised no kisses from them if they grew one.

Some Christian leaders have looked at men who have grown beards as those who are wise, but is that really true or just another joke? Whether people take the beard trend serious or just as comical, it has been getting a lot of attention. There is also an awareness that one thing the church is lacking it men. Sure we have men in the church that lead, but the other men seem to have checked out. Thankfully, there have also been a growing awareness of men who need to stand and be leaders in their families, churches, and communities. Jared Brock and Aaron Alford has taken the comical side of growing beards and the serious side of manhood in their book, Bearded Gospel Men.

The comical side goes with tips on growing beards, pics of bearded men with a phrase that goes with it like it was a meme in a book, and even on page on the bearditudes. The serious side takes a look at ordinary men who took a stand for Christ whether it was against a false teacher or immorality. Granted all of these men have had a beard, which makes one wonder if you have to grow a beard to be a Christian man (I am not being funny on this one). There have been men on social media that have questioned not only one's manhood, but also one's Christianity when it comes to them not having a beard. My question is when did having a beard make you a Christian or more godly than those who don't have one?

I did not see anywhere in the book where the authors were advocating that having a beard means you are a gospel-centered man and growing in your walk with Christ. They did say that like growth a beard requires time, so does growing as a Christian. As I continue going through this book, I guess I was not getting the humor that went with it and did not see what the point of it was. Yes, they did show men who took at stand for Jesus, but they did it in a more devotional style rather than a biography. I guess this book just didn't do it for me.

Thanks Booklook Bloggers for letting me review this book.