F o r e w o r d B y C h u c k N o r r i s J a c k G r a h a m a M a n G o d of S T U DY G U I D E E D I T I O N E s s e n t i a l P r i o r i t i e s f o r E v e r y M a n’ s L i f e “Having known, loved and walked this journey of ministry with Jack Graham since our teenage years, I can give testimony to the fact that he is a “man of God.” These words flow from a pen of integrity and a lifetime of beating out on the anvil of personal experience the godly principles of not only becoming a man of God, but finishing strong.” —Dr. O. S. HAWKINS, CEO/President, GuideStone Financial Resources “If I, or anyone else, had any question about how to lead a Christian life, they are answered in Dr. Graham’s book. I had sometimes wondered after I received another chance at life what I was to do. Jack Graham’s book gave me what I needed to know. A Man of God gave me the perfect prescription of how a man should lead a Christian life. —PAT SUMMERALL, Sports Commentator “My good friend Jack Graham has a powerful message designed to address a crit­ ical need. His message to men is timeless, potent, and biblically sound. It is must reading for any man who desires to be all that God has created him to be and who desires to order his priorities in line with God’s. Dr. Graham not only proclaims this message but also has modeled it himself and equipped the men in his church to do the same.” —DR.TONY EVANS, Senior Pastor, Oak Cliff Bible Fellowship, President, The Urban Alternative “A Man of God – Essential Priorities for Every Man’s Life reminds us of how important it is to stop and think about our Christian life. Dr. Graham is straight­ forward about what’s required of disciples, and he clearly outlines the commit­ ments we must make in our daily walk. He eloquently challenges us to continue to grow in our faith and to be passionate in order to impact others.” —ROGER STAUBACH, Hall of Fame Quarterback, Businessman “Unless you are spiritually and physically fit, you will not know what I call the ‘joy of living.’ However, I have found that physical fitness is easier to achieve than spiritual fitness. Dr. Graham’s book is a “must read” for any man not satisfied with being just a “curious Christian” and who wants to have a committed, “maxed out” relationship with Christ.” —KENNETH H. COOPER, M.D., M.P.H., Author, Aerobics “Jack Graham is a man under authority. He has faithfully served his Master, the Lord Jesus Christ. Jack Graham is a man of integrity. He has lived a life of com­ mitment based upon his faith in the Savior who redeemed him. Jack Graham is a man who loves his family and has provided leadership as a husband and father under the guidance of the Holy Spirit. Jack Graham is a man who answered God’s call on his life to preach the whole truth of the gospel. These all embody ele­ ments of a new book Jack has written, A Man of God. I believe every man who reads through its pages will be challenged to live a life pleasing to Almighty God.” —FRANKLIN GRAHAM, President/CEO, Billy Graham Evangelistic Association; President/CEO, Samaritan’s Purse “If you talk about a man of God, that’s Jack Graham. I can’t think of a better pastor. As members of First Baptist West Palm Beach, he was instrumental in our growing Christian faith. He is a great father to his children and husband to Deb. Dr. Graham is truly a man of God with every essential priority for every man’s life. We all need that, and we need to have God in our life. Dr. Graham has written a tremendous book.” —GARY CARTER, Baseball Hall of Fame Catcher “Encouraging, specific, inspiring, and right on. Purpose and priority driven, it lov­ ingly teaches us why we should, and how we can, become the man God created us to be.” —ZIG ZIGLAR, Author and Motivational Speaker “Jack Graham has written a challenging and inspirational call to men to reach their full potential as men of faith. As one of the nation’s leading pastors and most influential Christian leaders, Jack is persuasive because he lives what he teaches. We all want to be our best in our pursuits. But none of that success matters without becoming the men of passion and compassion that God wants us to be—and Jack Graham shows us how to reach our full potential.” —RALPH REED, Former Chairman, Southeast Region, Bush-Cheney ’04 “Jack Graham writes a practical manual for what should be every man’s ulti­ mate desire—becoming a more passionate man of God. This book is full of exam­ ples every man will relate to, and is written by a man who has modeled what he is talking about. Thanks, Jack!” —MARK DEMOSS, President, The DeMoss Group “Jack Graham and A Man of God has shown how men can truly experience a living faith in Christ. Jack has issued a wake-up call to all men. I am proud to call him my pastor.” —JOSH MCDOWELL, Author and Speaker “Those who are in the game have more fun and are less critical of other players than those who simply watch from the sidelines. That is because they know what it takes to effectively play the game at the highest level. Jack Graham shows us how we can get off the sidelines and into the game that really matters . . . the game of life. He takes us from being merely curious . . . to becoming more convinced . . . and finally to being committed! A Man of God is a terrific book, written by a godly man who models integrity, passion and vision. I recommend that you read the book, and then learn to enjoy life to the fullest as a participant rather than as a spectator!” —NORM SONJU, Founder, Retired President/GM Dallas Mavericks (NBA) “Jack Graham has a wonderful gift for making the normal Christian life excit­ ing and demanding but fulfilling. In this book he challenges men to understand and then affirm a radical commitment to God. Many men see the Christian faith lacking a masculine component. Dr. Graham challenges men to move beyond the curiosity level to become a fully devoted man for God. This is a call to com­ mitment that requires real men of courage and conviction. Like his powerful, mas­ culine preaching in the pulpit of one of America’s greatest churches, Prestonwood Baptist in Dallas, he challenges men to move beyond the flawed “macho” image of masculinity in our culture. A real man has the courage to surrender his will and his future to a loving God with a wonderful plan for his life. Great reading, filled with the stories of men of courage in all walks of life! I would that every man at this university could read this book.” —DR.DAVID W. CLARK, President, Palm Beach Atlantic University “Jack Graham knows what it takes to be a strong and sturdy man —partially because he is one himself and partially because he leads so many men through his phenomenal ministry at Prestonwood Baptist Church in Dallas. He writes with a sense of what men want to hear, and this often includes illustrations from ath­ letics, business, and the world of competition. No man reading this book will miss its central point: A great life for a man will involve a deep and disciplined com­ mitment to Christ.” —DR.NEIL CLARK WARREN, Psychologist, Founder, eHarmony.com “Every time I hear Jack from the pulpit or read one of his books, I am reminded of how God has gifted him with the ability to communicate in a powerful, straightforward, spirit-filled way; particularly to men. This book will challenge you to deepen your commitment to your personal relationship with Christ. Jack encourages us to be passionate and committed servant-leaders in our families and our churches.” —RON MURFF, President, Guaranty Bank “Jack is a man’s man and he knows how to get to the bottom line and challenge us to be the men we all desire to be in Christ. This is a must read for real men.” —DR.TOM MULLINS, Senior Pastor, Christ Fellowship Church “Jack Graham’s latest book has challenged me to the inner depths of my soul. He will challenge you, convict you, and stimulate you in a way that hasn’t hap­ pened before. Get ready for a life-changing read.” —PAT WILLIAMS, Senior Vice President, Orlando Magic “As I read this book, Dr. Graham inspired me and he will inspire you to be maxed our for Jesus Christ. He challenges us to let the Master take charge. Let’s go for it!” —GARY KINDER, Leader, Bent Tree Bible Study, Businessman A M AN OF G OD Essential Priorities for Every Man’s Life Study Guide Edition J G ACK RAHAM F C N OREWORD BY HUCK ORRIS CROSSWAY B OOKS A PUBLISHING MINISTRY OF GOOD NEWS PUBLISHERS WHEATON, ILLINOIS A Man of God: Essential Priorities for Every Man’s Life (Study Guide Edition) Copyright © 2005, 2007 by Jack Graham Published by Crossway Books a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers 1300 Crescent Street Wheaton, Illinois 60187 First edition 2005 Study Guide edition 2007 All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopy, recording, or otherwise, without the prior permission of the publisher, except as provided by USA copyright law. Cover design: Josh Dennis First printing 2005 Printed in the United States of America The study guide was produced with the assistance of The Livingstone Corporation (www.LivingStoneCorp.com). Project staff includes Dave Veerman and Neil Wilson. Unless otherwise marked, Scripture references are from the New King James Version. Copyright © 1982, Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. Scripture references marked NIV are from The Holy Bible: New International Version.® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan Publishing House. All rights reserved. The “NIV” and “New International Version” trademarks are registered in the United States Patent and Trademark Office by International Bible Society. Use of either trademark requires the permission of International Bible Society. “Rise up, O Men of God!” words by William P. Merrill (Richmond, Va.: The Presbyterian Outlook). Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Graham, Jack, 1950­ A man of God : essential priorities for every man’s life / Jack Graham. — Study guide ed. 1. Christian men—Religious life. I. Title. BV4528.2.G72 2007 248.8'42—dc22 2006032421 BP 17 16 15 14 13 12 11 10 09 08 07 15 14 13 12 11 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 I dedicate this book to my grandfather, A. J. SIMS. He read me the Scriptures, led me to childlike faith in Christ, and demonstrated the life of a godly man. Though he has been in heaven many years, the legacy of his life lives on. I am forever grateful. C ONTENTS Foreword by Chuck Norris 11 Introduction 13 Acknowledgments 15 PART ONE A MAN OF GOD AND HIS MASTER 1 A Commitment to Maximum Discipleship 19 2 What It Means to Follow the Master 33 3 The Importance of a Man’s Lifestyle 49 PART TWO A MAN OF GOD AND HIS INTEGRITY 4 Facing a Fork in the Road 69 5 A Call to Moral Purity 85 6 A Man and His Money 99 PART THREE A MAN OF GOD AND HIS FAMILY 7 Loving the Lady in Your Life 117 8 Protecting and Blessing Your Family 137 9 Living a Legacy for Your Children 153 PART FOUR A MAN OF GOD AND HIS MINISTRY 10 The Need to Have and to Be a Mentor 169 11 Sharing Our Lord, Our Light, and Our Labor 185 12 A Commission to Marketplace Evangelism 199 General Index 213 Scripture Index 219 Study Guide 223