In 2022 Andrew Tate became one of the most Googled people. He gained hero status among millions of men, especially young men. Whilst I fundamentally disagree with his worldview and do not advocate his lifestyle, in this post I want to share with you 3 things I learned from him.
Andrew Tate first appeared in my YouTube algorithm mid 2022. He instantly stuck out to me as a macho figure who did not shy away from speaking his views. He is eloquent and clever, albeit very lost and misguided.
Project Communitas exists to challenge and empower men within the church to step up and step in. With this in mind, the lessons I learned from Andrew Tate are not things he taught me, but things I have observed in men who have engaged with him on whatever level.
These observations should spark a response from us as Christian men!
#1 - Young men are hungry for masculinity
You take one look at Andrew Tate and he strikes you as a mans man. He is a world class kick boxer who smokes cuban cigars surrounded by supermodels. He has an insane collection of cars, owns casinos and can beat most people in the world at chess! It is not surprising that young men are drawn to him as a man. On the surface level he is the picture of masculinity.
I think the rapid rise of Andrew Tate reveals a longing and a hunger in young men to embrace their masculinity.
I believe that masculinity is bestowed from one man to another. This is why Fathers play such a key role in society. If there is no one intentionally bestowing masculinity onto a young man, he will learn it from someone else accidentally.
I recently heard a young 16 year old giving a speech at his school. He grew up without a dad and, whilst very honouring of his mum, he concluded by saying 'I need a man to show me what it is to be a man'.
"Even if you had ten thousand guardians in Christ, you do not have many fathers.." - 1 Corinthians 4:15a
This is a longing I think Andrew Tate has met, either intentionally or unintentionally. Young men are hungry for masculinity and it is time that we begin to intentionally bestow a Godly and biblical masculinity on the upcoming generation, not leave it to TikTok and influencers to do the discipling!
#2 - Young men are hungry for truth
I have listened to a lot of what Andrew Tate has to say and if you really listen you can pick up seeds of truth in some of the things that he says. Please don't read into this what I am not saying, he is not someone that I would ever recommend listening to and learning from. However, can we be mature enough to admit that truth, no matter where it has come from, is still truth? Truth is appealing, we want to know the truth.
This is one appeal, and a dangerous one, that he has to young men. He speaks on topics such as gender roles and may take a seed of truth. Take the principle of the male being the head of the household for instance. This is biblical and true, yet he will then distort and twist it, resulting in him teaching that a man owns a woman, which is simply false!
The outcome in the lives of young men reminds me of Genesis 3, when the devil doesn't deny the truth of God speaking, but he twists it...
"Now the serpent was more crafty than any of the wild animals the Lord God had made. He said to the woman, “Did God really say, ‘You must not eat from any tree in the garden’?” - Genesis 3:1
The result? Eve ends up deceived and confused, led away from God and into sin. I do not want to sit back and watch millions of men, especially young men, being led away from God and into sin by distorted seeds of truth from someone. I want point and lead young men to the way, THE TRUTH, and the life.
"Jesus said, “If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” - John 8:31-32
#3 - Young men are hungry to make their mark
The final thing I have learned from Andrew Tate is that young men are hungry to make their mark in the world. They want to know purpose, they want to have an impact in some way, shape or form. Some of his most famous quotes include the following...
- "Absolutely every single one of my actions is intentional. Divine purpose. If your day is full of mindless action, you act without thought.”
- “The temporary satisfaction of quitting is outweighed by the eternal suffering of being a nobody.”
At the core of a lot of what he says is the challenge to step up and make a mark on the world, which again is not entirely wrong. The problem is 'making a mark' on the world should be about glorifying God and not myself. Purpose is about PEOPLE not self.
Millions of young men are chomping at the bit to live a life of purpose, inspired by Andrew Tate. It is up to us as Christians men to lead and guide them to real purpose.
"Many are the plans in a person’s heart, but it is the Lord's purpose that prevails." - Proverbs 19:21
What does this mean to me?
These 3 things should challenge us as Christian men into action. If Christian men do not step up into their God-given roles as disciples, Father figures and role models in their local church we will lose millions of young men who will be led away by this kind of teaching. This is why Project Communitas exists, to help local churches and the men in them, to step up.
One of the ways that we do this is through running the Communitas Experience. Enquire about running one in your church today!
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