Customer Reviews

The Christian Husband: God's Job Description for a Man's Most Challenging Assignment

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This is not a "lightweight" book. This book is not an attempt to make you "feel good" nor is it an attempt at some shortsighted pop psychology ploy about "love banks" and "love tanks". Thankfully, God has raised up men like Bob Lepine, whose first priority is to honor God--by obeying Him. That is what this book is all about: Biblical fidelity in the role of a Christian Husband.

This book is Bible-saturated and very approachable. The book is broke down into three sections: The Qualifications of a Christian Husband, The Model for Husbands--Jesus Christ, & The Task--How to Really Love Your Wife. In each of the sections Mr. Lepine tackles many of the task that we, as Christian Husbands, should be doing from a biblical perspective. I can't think of a more important book to read for any husband. As a newlywed husband myself, I have gleaned much from this book and wholeheartedly and enthusiastically commend The Christian Husband.

Overall, I found his perspective refreshing. As mentioned in other reviews, the point here is to emphasize the need for men to relate to their wives as Christ does the Church. God created man for a purpose and for woman to be the helper in that purpose so that man will not be alone. In that, each is equals but with different roles. The author then tries to define what that looks like and means. The book is heavy with bible references, and the author makes a valiant attempt to define the prophet, priest and king role of the husband to his wife and family. He tries to paint a picture of what that looks like.

For myself, being an analytical engineering type, that picture he paints leaves me wondering what exactly I'm to do. Many books of this type leave me that way. So it is either the authors are writing to a different audience than me, they are starting from a much deeper understanding of the bible relationships than I and don't adjust their writing to accommodate, I'm missing something in their message, or relationships are so complex they can't define it better. Since there are books that strike chord in me, I suspect it is either the authors or the nature of the subject.

I would recommend this book for people who are struggling to understand their role in a Christian marriage. It is good for others, to understand the design of man God intended, but the bible references may put some off.

This is a great book for those looking to be the Christian man that the Lord is calling all men to be. Without many good examples of that type of man in this world, there are not that many opportunities to "see" this in action.

The Bible is the ultimate source to find the answers and the author references scripture frequently, but Bob puts it all together in a way that is easily understood and applicable. If you are seeking to become a more of the man that the Lord and likely your wife wants you to be and you are willing to be open and honest, you will get a lot out of this book. I just wish I came across 'The Christian Husband' years ago!

I'm generally not the kind of guy who does stuff with our church's men's ministry, but when they were starting small groups going through this book, I decided to engage the opportunity to learn from one another, encourage each other, etc. The book was promoted well, so I came in with an open mind. I wondered, "What might be unique about this book? Why did Bob Lepine choose to write this book - does it have anything to offer that can't be found in other 'be a godly husband' books? What's with the pretentious-sounding title?"

Let me start with the last question - the title. It struck me as arrogant that Lepine would call his book "The Christian Husband." Did he think his book was the husband book to end all husband books for Christians? Did he think it would really speak to men across a wide variety of cultures and times? After getting into the book's argument, I discovered that wasn't his intent. You see, here is Lepine's main idea, in three points:
--Ephesians 5 says husbands should love their wives as Christ loves the church.
--As John Calvin taught, the role God gave Christ is threefold - he is Prophet, Priest, and King.
--Therefore, husbands should take on the role of prophet, priest, and king for their wives.
In that sense, the title is appropriate - Lepine wants us to be husbands after the model of Christ. That also answers my other questions: Bringing the categories of systematic theology about God the Son to bear on a husband's role is an approach I had never heard before, and I'm guessing that's what Lepine believes he is uniquely offering with this book.

The trouble is... I think he's wrong.

I agree with points one and two - husbands should love their wives as Christ loves the church, and Jesus is the great Prophet, Priest, and King. However, point three does not follow. All believers are royal priests (1 Peter 2:9-10), and we are all given the same Spirit with which to speak prophetically into one another's lives. I do desire to be a prophet, priest, and leader for my wife... but I find nothing in the Bible that would persuade me to believe she should not also be a prophet and priest to me. (I believe she will also be a leader to me, but there are Christians who disagree on this point, so I will leave that alone in this space.)

As a result, I find the book wanting. Lepine also uses a few silly illustrations; he implicitly equates "biblical" views with his own views even when his views are cultural; he brings up viewpoints dissenting from his own without accurately refuting them; at times, his reactionary tone seems more concerned with attacking feminist ideology than building a practical picture of Christian marriage. In the small group I was a part of, the result was distraction in our conversations. It was encouraging to hear many men who were willing to dissent from the author's opinions rather than follow them blindly, but a book where we could have agreed with more of the material would have led to more constructive discussion.

There is a great redeeming exception to all this: "Part Three: The Task - How to Really Love Your Wife." This section of the book really is solid. It is the most directly dependent on the Bible, the most practical, the most challenging, and the section which sparked the most educational, stimulating, encouraging conversations in our small group. I am glad this is how we got to finish our many weeks of meeting together.

If I were to recommend a different book instead of this one, I would point you to Sacred Marriage, by Gary Thomas. That book would work well in a variety of settings - for individuals, couples, single-gender small groups, or couples small groups. It is thoughtful, practical, empowering, and encouraging. Like Lepine, Thomas does not reject the perspective that husbands are to be leaders in the home, but unlike Lepine, he does not load the marital relationship with unnecessary patriarchal baggage.

"The Christian Husband" challenges us as men to be the kind of husbands God wants us to be. The book is Biblically-saturated, Christ-exalting, and God-glorifying. I recommend it for all husbands, no matter how long or short you have been married.

This book answered the exact question I had... How do I go beyond being a provider and protector and spiritually lead a marriage? My fiance was raised in the church and, while I am a Christian, I was not raised in the church. She is expecting me to lead us spiritually from day one and it is a scary thought. This book has helped me out tremendously. I suggest every husband and potential husband read this book. Prepare for your Christian wife now. It will make it easier later.

If you're already a husband or you're thinking of becoming one someday (even if you don't have anyone picked out yet), this is a book you need to read. You can never be perfect, but The Christian Husband provides some useful principles worth following to counter the cultural forces resisting a happy, biblically based marriage.

To be an effective leader of the household, a husband is to be a prophet, priest, and a king. What does this mean? Read the book to find out. It probably isn't what it would seem to the world.

I freely admit my struggles and failures as a husband, but this book helped me identify some of the reasons I've been experiencing them, as well as some principles and approaches to fixing them.

I can't recommend this highly enough.

I ordered this book and received it on time and it was in excellent condition and, even with the shipping cost, was less expensive than buying at my local bookstore.

This book is pretty lame, only read half way through and started reading different book. This book starts out with how he was being interviewed for his first job at a radio station, and then through the chapters he still talks about it. I don't need to know how his first interview went, and if he got the job or not, in order for me to become a Christian husband that God has created me to be. Then he has this cheesy simple points that are common sense. Over all if you are having hard time falling a sleep this book is perfect with helping you to over come your insomnia. I suggest don't waste you time and money on this one, rather get a book from Dr. Myles Munroe - Understanding the Purpose and Power of Men.

The author is quite well meaning with this book, but the content is nothing that you can't easily figure out on your own. If you learn anything from this book, it is probably because you have not read the bible. I would suggest saving the money and the trees and read your bible instead. There is nothing new in here and the author makes points that are a stretch from what should be said, meaning that the author tried to pick a "plot" to the book and then made the content fit.

Another problem with this book is that the author should not be writing this book. From people that have met him, he treats his own wife as a second class citizen in public, for example, always walking in front of her instead of beside her.

The bible lessons are not taken from marriage in the bible for the most part, but rather from how Jesus relates to the church and then the author contorts this contextual information way out of context and tries to apply it to marriage.

Over all, the book should not hurt any marriage, but I don't see it helping that much. If you are a good Christian husband, read the bible, or at least the new testament, and try to apply its lessons to your life. You will get much more out of it for the time spent.