Restoring Masculinity God’s Way

THE WARRIOR POET 

While some men may not think of themselves as either a warrior or a poet, John Lovell says all men are both by nature, even if they don’t recognize it. “What is a Warrior Poet? Put simply, it is an antidote to a society that has forgotten what true masculinity is,” he says. “Warrior Poets train themselves in both the art of war as well as the daily challenges to live and love better. This kind of man loves a woman well and cares for his children. He goes off to battle when freedom is attacked and works tirelessly to provide for his family.”  

John adds that Warrior Poets are dedicated to physical protection, the pursuit of truth, and living for a higher purpose than self. When asked where the concept came from, he says it’s a combination of King David of the Bible, both a fierce fighter and the sensitive author of the majority of the Psalms, the Lion and the Lamb (Christ) of Revelation five, and the close, male community seen in the 1989 film, The Dead Poets Society.

John believes the modern idea of masculinity has been reduced to “Go with the flow, be a nice guy, and do whatever the ruling class tells you.” Through his web content, podcasts, speaking engagements, and firearms training, he is putting forth a very different definition of what it means to be a whole man. John says he’s amazed at how his message has resonated in society, evidenced by 100 million views of his social media content. While most of those who respond share his Christian convictions and worldview, a large number do not, he says, but still like his model of masculinity. While the Warrior Poet Society (WPS) doesn’t have in-person meetings, John says the members often find one another at their churches, shooting events, at John’s speaking engagements, or on vacations sponsored by the WPS.    

THE MOST DANGEROUS MAN IN THE ROOM

 It’s easy to think of the word dangerous only in negative terms, but John says there’s a very good connotation as well. “Men who take risks. Men who go against the grain. Men who are righteous lions and vicious serpents.” John believes America is producing softer men every day, and that that’s not good. “To dismiss what sets your soul on fire and live an existence that doesn’t ruffle any feathers is not what you’re here to do. It will not keep your loved ones safe, and it won’t satisfy you,” he says. “A man who doesn’t find a challenge worthy of his strength will find another outlet. He’ll lose himself in sports teams, work, pornography, or going to the gym.” He identifies these traits of dangerous men, in the best sense:

• Dangerous men are tougher than a two-dollar steak. They’re physically, mentally, and emotionally strong and ready to defend both people and ideas.   
• Dangerous men can manage fear better than most. “When real fear shows up, most tend to shut down. It’s the heroes who can manage their own breathing, focus their minds on solving the next problem, and take another small step.”
• Dangerous men are clever. “They understand the fight is a game and the spoils don’t always go to the strongest – they go to the smartest.
• Dangerous men know how to break you in a hundred different ways. “These men are trying to become more skilled, because the more dangerous they can be, the greater advantage they have.” 

John says this type of disciplined aggression is important to being a good man. “Most men are uneasy with the seeming ease of everyday life. They’re bored. So they retreat into video games and sexual addictions and one too many glasses of whiskey at the end of the day – anything to numb the pain of not living up to their potential. True masculinity has been all but lost in our modern world, but it still flows deep in our veins. We just need to wake up to what we could be, understanding what it means to be disciplined and strong, to be truly dangerous.”  

GOODNESS NOT GREATNESS 

The latter doesn’t guarantee the former, says John. “Every man wants to be ‘great’ in the sense that others think much of him, respect him for his achievements, and marvel at his success. But while those accomplishments can add to life, they cannot make a life. … real satisfaction comes from goodness.” John goes on to explain that goodness is about character versus accomplishment.  Many highly accomplished people are lacking greatly in character, he points out.  

Looking more closely at what it means to have good character, he says, “My personal belief is God gets to decide what a good man is. If He created me, then He gets to define what I’m worth. Five times in the New Testament, the different biblical authors talk about ‘living a life worthy of your calling.’ I’ve stood on this phrase for years, and it’s served as an anchor for my own search for worth and value. How do I live a life worthy of my calling?” John then answers his own question. “Living a life worthy of my calling means aligning with what matters most and living as close to that as I can. When I act in accordance with my greatest values, life is good. When I don’t, trouble is nearby.”  

For the married man, he says a top priority, of course, needs to be his marriage. “No ‘happily ever after’ happens accidentally. The world worships vocational success far more than a vibrant, growing marriage; but only one of those will contribute to long-term fulfillment. The same goes for children. I want my kids to know me and want to spend lots of time making memories with me. Children emulate what we show them, so if I consistently demonstrate that a career is more important than family, what do you think they are going to reflect back to me as they get older?”  

John sums up his thoughts on goodness this way: “Every man who is living for something greater than himself is oriented toward the future. We all need something to look forward to. Give up your own greatness for the hope of being good, and you’ll reap rewards in this life and the next.”  

Find out more about John Lovell and purchase The Warrior Poet Way now.