Stu Weber - Four Pillars of a Mans Heart: Bringing Strength into Balance

A mans man is a godly man, and a godly man reflects the heart of his Father in who he is and what he does. With the conviction of a man who knows the Word of God, the courage of a leader, and the compassion of a shepherd, Stu addresses the core issues of how to become a man after Gods own heart in ways that ordinary guys like you and me can understand and apply. You will be nourished by its sound Biblical teaching, refreshed by its clarity, and encouraged by its practicality.

G ARY J. O LIVER , P H. D. P SYCHOLOGIST , S EMINARY P ROFESSOR , AND A UTHOR OF R EAL M EN H AVE F EELINGS T OO AND H OW TO G ET I T R IGHT A FTER Y OU VE G OTTEN I T W RONG
L ITTLETON , C OLORADO

Stu Weber has done it again, in providing a vital, urgent message to men and couples who desire an impacting, fruitful, and joyful life following the Lord. In Four Pillars of a Mans Heart, Stu uses riveting life stories, underpinned with Gods Word to illuminate critical aspects of living the successful Christian life. I highly recommend this book to men and couples who want to make their lives count for Christ.

P HIL D OWNER
C HRISTIAN B USINESS M EN S C OMMITTEE OF USA
C HATTANOOGA , T ENNESSEE

Stu Weber speaks a mans language. This book, like the best-selling Tender Warrior before it, will help a man look up from the fog of everyday circumstances and catch a glimpse of the sun shining on distant mountain peaks. And then he inspires us and energizes us to stay on the trail and reach for Gods very best. Lots of books talk about what a man should do. This book shows us what a man can be.

G ARY S MALLEY
P RESIDENT , T ODAY S F AMILY
B RANSON , M ISSOURI

Want a breathtaking, eye-popping tour of real manhood? Theres no better tour guide anywhere than Stu Weber. Insightful, inspirational, practical, and passionate. Four Pillars of a Mans Heart offers you the masculine ride of your life!

R OBERT L EWIS
P ASTOR , F ELLOWSHIP B IBLE C HURCH
L ITTLE R OCK , A RKANSAS

Stu tells us that you never really love someone until you sacrifice for that person. Thats one truth Im committed to driving deep into my heart. If youre looking for a blueprint for building leadership and love in your home, then read Four Pillars of a Mans Heart.

R ON M EHL
A UTHOR , M EETING G OD AT A D EAD E ND
P ASTOR , B EAVERTON F OURSQUARE C HURCH
B EAVERTON , O REGON

Stu Weber has a knack for getting to the nub of what we men need to become manly without becoming manish. The former is the Creators targetthe latter ultimately everything but true manhood.

J ACK H AYFORD
P ASTOR , T HE C HURCH ON THE W AY
V AN N UYS , C ALIFORNIA

FOUR PILLARS OF A MANS HEART
published by Multnomah Books

1997 by Stu Weber

ISBN 978-1-57673-450-6

Most Scripture quotations are from: New American Standard Bible (NASB) 1960, 1977 by the Lockman Foundation

Also quoted: The Holy Bible, New International Version (NIV) 1973, 1984 by International Bible Society, used by permission of Zondervan Publishing House

Scripture quotations marked (NLT) are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, 1996. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton, Illinois 60189. All rights reserved.

The New English Bible (NEB) 1970 by Oxford University Press and Cambridge University Press

ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwisewithout prior written permission.

Published in the United States by WaterBrook Multnomah, an imprint of the Crown Publishing Group, a division of Random House, Inc., New York.

M ULTNOMAH and its mountain colophon are registered trademarks of Random House, Inc.

For information:
Multnomah Books
12265 Oracle Boulevard, Suite 200
Colorado Springs, CO 80921

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-publication Data

Weber, Stu.
The four pillars of a mans heart: bringing strength into balance by Stu Weber.
p. cm.
Includes bibliographical references.
ISBN 978-1-57673-450-6
eBook ISBN: 978-0-307-83372-3
MenReligious Life. 2. Men (Christian theology) I. Title.
BV4528.2.W42 1997
248.842-dc21

v3.1

To all those good men
determined to become
the Tender Warriors
God intended them to be
when He made them men

No man is an island. And no ministry is a solo. I am fortunate to be surrounded by some of the most competent people in the world, both in my family and my church. Like climbers roped together, we are constantly adjusting to one anotherproviding a little slack when needed, carrying additional weight when necessary.

Im particularly grateful to my wife, Linda, and to the ministry and support staffs at Good Shepherd Community Church. Kathy Norquist, Theda Hlavka, and Joan Petersen have been especially helpful.

And the same goes for the great team at Multnomah. But Larry Libby, you excel them all.

Rick Taylor and I have been brothers for a long time.

More than twenty-five years ago we married sisters. My Linda and his Judy are the wives of our youth, and the mothers of our childrenthree sons in my case, three sons and a daughter in his. But our commitment to each other as brothers goes far beyond the fact that we are in-laws. We dont even like that term. But we do like each other. A lot. And over the years we have consulted each other on everything from parenting to duck hunting to ministry.

Rick and I have both served as pastors for most of our adult lives: Ive pastored in Oregon; Rick has served in the Midwest and, most recently, in Oregon. He is the senior pastor of Grace Community Fellowship in Eugene, Oregon. No book is the product of a single individual. This one less so than many. Rick has been with me every step of the way on this project. We work well together. I tend to bring the passion and the big picture. Rick is the more analytical thinker, and more practically minded. Not to mention more patient. (And gracious.) He has been my collaborator on the thinking, outlining, writing, and editing. This book would not have been done without Rick. He is one of those treasures that every man needsa brother and a friend for life.

Rick graduated from the University of Texas (at Arlington), finished his graduate training in counseling at Emporia State University in Kansas, and received his Th.M. and Doctor of Ministry degrees from Dallas Seminary. Hes enjoyed many years of kingdom-impacting, people-growing ministry.

Thanks, Rick.

I m one of those fortunate souls who gets to live in country he loves. Number me among those Oregonians who cant stop bragging about their state. To be sure, the climate isnt always fun. Neither climatethe meteorological nor the political one. Yes, there is the rain in the western valleysmore than even the moss-backed natives can bear some years. And yes, there are the predictable liberal politicsgray and hopeless as the leaden skies in December.

But the country. Oh, the country!

I could show you some places. Mountains that stretch to and beyond the blue sky. Rivers that run clear and free. Wildlife that still spooks at the sight of a human. And canyons that stop you in your tracks and force you to take a breath. You come up over a rise and look down into a perfect little valleygrass blowing, aspens whispering, and a stream winding through the meadow, catching the sun.