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"New Christian Man Is Emerging in America" Says Author Derek Maul

(April 3, 2007, GBOD) -- Derek Maul has written a book about a new Christian man emerging in America in the twenty-first century.

Get Real: A Spiritual Journey for Men shares Maul’s deeply held beliefs, Christian values, and lessons learned throughout life and in his work with a men’s group aptly called “The Men’s Room.”

In Get Real: A Spiritual Journey for Men, which will be published in May 2007, Maul explains that “There is a new spiritual man emerging in America."

Mauls says of this new spiritual man, “He does not confuse faith with politics; he does not require exclusively sports-based metaphors to gain a spiritual yard or two; he is struggling hard to be authentically Christian and counter-cultural in the workplace; and he understands the language of servant-leadership in the home.

"This man is less confrontational than those who seek to effect change via condemnation and acrimony because he is learning to remember that Christ teaches us to overcome evil with good,” writes Maul.

Maul’s book about men’s spirituality is so much more than a book about men’s spirituality. The book explores the importance of choosing to follow Jesus Christ and what happens when “real” men follow a “man’s man.”

Derek Maul

Maul writes, “Jesus was a guy: uncomplicated and direct. When God chose to come to earth in human form, he decided to make the journey as a man. That’s great news!

"You see God understands us.

Indeed, he tailored his initial discipleship program with men in mind –flaws and all.

Like us, Jesus was fairly uncomplicated, and it is no coincidence that the gospel tells us repeatedly how children were naturally drawn to the Savior.

His way is the best model we have for what God has in mind for living out our faith as Christian men in a world that has lost its focus.”

In chapter one, Maul describes Jesus in this way. “Jesus, you see, was a man; Jesus was a man’s man. And that’s especially good news for men today.”

Realizing that referring to Jesus as a “guy” and a “man’s man” might be misconstrued as sexist and chauvinistic, as well as politically incorrect, Maul aptly crafts his message for men and the women who love them.

“Consequently, referring to Jesus as “a man’s man” might be considered controversial and dismissed as inappropriate in politically correct company. To be honest, I’m not sure God cares two hoots. We cannot deny that when God chose to take on human flesh he came to earth as a man. That fact adds up to exceptionally good news for us, because it means that God knows and understands me—as a man. God knows me from the inside out."

He goes on to say, “I want to know God that way. I want to know God man-to-man. I want to know that kind of Jesus. This is the context in which I am striving to live a spiritual life, and this is the context in which I want to understand what it means to be a Christian. Not just a Christian, but a real Christian man.”

Maul writes a weekly op-ed column for local editions of the Tampa Tribune. His column is read weekly by 300,000 people.

Maul’s commentary and features have appeared in Newsweek, USA Today, The Christian Science Monitor, Presbyterians Today, Guideposts, and many other print and online publications. .

Before becoming a full-time writer, Maul worked as a public school teacher in Florida for eighteen years. His teaching career includes cutting-edge work with autistic children. He holds bachelor's degrees in psychology and education from Stetson University and the University of West Florida.

Maul is an active teacher in his local church, where he serves in adult Sunday school, small-group ministry, and in a men's Bible study/spiritual formation group.

He enjoys the outdoors, traveling, photography, reading, cooking, playing guitar, and golf.

Derek is married to Rebekah, a Presbyterian pastor. They have two children, Andrew and Naomi.

Get Real: A Spiritual Journey for Men by Derek Maul ($14.00, 139 pp.) will be published by Upper Room Books in May 2007.

For additional information about the book, please contact Jill Ridenour, Author Relations,
1-877-899-2780, ext. 2780, or jridenour@gbod.org.

GBOD’s mission is to support annual conference and local church leaders for their task of equipping world-changing disciples. An agency of The United Methodist Church, GBOD is located at 1908 Grand Ave. in Nashville, Tenn. For more information, call the Media Relations Office toll free at (877) 899-2780, ext. 7017.