Review: Like Father, Like Son

Like Father, Like Son
By Pete Alwinson
New Growth Press, 2015


Summary

What do men need in the twenty-first century? There are so many opinions---some think the answer is a masculine to-do list. Others give detailed directions on how to become a "real" man. Those things can be helpful, but do they get to the core of the identity issues that men are facing today? You can't know who you are and who you are meant to be without knowing the love of your Father---that is, your Father in heaven. Without knowing the Father's love and acceptance, men are adrift looking for identity in imperfect relationships or cultural norms about manhood. But knowing God's fatherly love changes everything. A man who is forgiven and accepted by his heavenly Father is free to become like him. Living out of the love of God the Father changes everything for his sons.

Instead of telling men how to recover and reclaim their masculinity, Pete Alwinson invites men to recover and reclaim an intimate, growing relationship with their heavenly Father and live out of that identity in their particular calling as sons, fathers, brothers, friends. Using personal stories and anecdotes from his many years of men's ministry, Pete shows men that the way forward in life and relationships is through their growing relationship with their heavenly Father.


My thoughts

Like Father, Like Son is a book any man will benefit from reading – whether you had a great relationship with your dad or a less-then-perfect one. This is not a “how to” book with guidelines or goals that many men would struggle to live up to, but rather flows in a conversational style and draws from Pete’s experience in men’s ministry.

God’s Father/son relationship with us is found throughout Scripture – yet I suspect there are many men out there who, based on personal experience, have a hard time relating to God as Father, believing that He truly loves them. Like Father, Like Son is easy to read and a book that encourage all men as they learn more of God’s Father nature and are able to be all that God intended for their children.

Each chapter focuses on God’s father/son nature and character – welcoming, approval giving, guiding, wisdom giving, grace giving, etc. – and concludes with a “take it to heart” section for personal reflection. I especially enjoyed the chapter entitled “The Guiding Father,” which begins with this quote by Steve Brown: “God is not in the business of keeping his will from us!” So good to be reminded of this truth.

I believe Like Father, Like Son is a book that all men will find beneficial. It would also be great for men’s ministry and Bible study/accountability groups.

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Pete Alwinson has been a youth pastor, solo pastor, church-planting pastor, and senior pastor for 30 years. He has also served as an adjunct professor at Reformed Theological Seminary, Orlando, teaching Communication and Theology of Ministry, and has written and spoken nationally for Man in the Mirror and Key Life Network. He has been married to Caron for 34 years, has two married sons and one college-aged daughter.

Connect with Pete at www.keylife.org, Facebook, and Twitter.

Thank you to Litfuse Publicity for providing a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Litfuse landing page:

http://litfusegroup.com/author/palwinson