Opening the first pages of Dangerous Good by Kenny Luck exposes you to the passion and vision of the author to change the culture of men during this time and especially to change Christian men into what he calls “dangerous good.”  This book explains through its ten chapters what that looks like and why it is so desperately needed today.

 

Consider some of the author’s own words about this:

 

“We know that reactions and protests address the evils of our times from the outside in, which, by its very nature, is doomed to failure and, in fact, has failed. Problems never exist only at the level at which you see them; but an “outside in” perspective will keep reacting to the symptoms while never addressing the roots of the dilemma. Neither will salvation come from the shallow waters of celebrity cult, overhyped media movements, and identity politics. They are all paper tigers without fangs that cannot stop a thing. Culture is recognizing it needs a movement of good men exactly because what’s out there now is noise, not real progress.”

 

 The book looks at the challenge facing men today through the lens of understanding how male culture has changed over time and across all cultures, but with one constant: “It has always been broken.”

 

 At the heart of the author’s premise is how men have either been enticed or wandered away from their identity that God gave them in the very beginning. Little boys have a certain innate desire to be the hero in their own story if we consider the play they are involved with from toddler to early teen.

 

In a previous generation they became their own version of John Wayne, Robin Hood, Luke Skywalker, Batman, Superman, and more. Little boys now may still play such roles, but more often they are experienced in video games of varying sorts.

 

Kenny Luck uses the metaphor of “lost lions” taken from the story of Simba in the popular Disney film, The Lion King.  He believes God is calling, reminding, and confronting men to remember who they truly are and His need of them for the Kingdom now.

 

The author repeatedly challenges the male reader. Two examples early in the book read as follows:

 

“It’s an exciting time as God gathers His own for a showdown with evil. It’s a risk-filled and faith-stretching time of loving confrontation over our identity. It’s time to take your place.”

 

“The King is calling a generation of sons to bear the family resemblance, understand the urgency of the hour, and act in awareness that tomorrow is not guaranteed.”

 

 Kenny Luck is not so much concerned about a program and words that grow stale over time, but is more passionate about a process where men step up and into their God-given roles as protectors, servers, givers, and leaders that come together to be agents of healing in their families, churches, neighborhoods, and beyond.

 

One of the powerful chapters in the book entitled “Powerfully Impacted Women” tells the Old Testament story of Deborah and Barak. Rather than “dangerous good” men seeking to be “alpha males,” he uses the story to admonish men of the point they may not see in their first reading of the story. He sums up that theme this way:

 

“Smart men honor, dignify, and partner with great women to achieve far more than they ever would by themselves.”

 

This book is targeted for men to read, but it is likely many women will read it as well and find good nuggets to consider. Hopefully, they will allow the men in their lives to discover the challenges of this book themselves rather than exhorting these men.

 

You may see some themes written in other books written for the male reader, but Kenny Luck uses his own passion, experience, and skill that left me busy with a highlighter because of power-packed sentences I didn’t want to forget.

 

To comply with new regulations introduced by the Federal Trade Commission, Tyndale House Publishers provided me with a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for my review.