Act Like a Man: Biblical Masculinity with Matthew Adams

In this episode of Christ the Center, Camden Bucey welcomes Matthew Adams, senior pastor of First Presbyterian Church in Dillon, South Carolina, to discuss his book Act Like a Man: Understanding the Biblical Call to Masculinity, published by Christian Focus. Adams argues for a vision of manhood grounded in Scripture and formed by the Holy Spirit rather than by cultural capitulation, reactionary posturing, or online personality-driven models of masculinity. The conversation considers why the doctrine of Scripture and the work of the Spirit must come before any faithful account of biblical masculinity. Adams unfolds five marks of manhood—righteous living, sacrificial love, dependent leadership, courageous zeal, and humble servanthood—using David’s life as both a positive and negative example that ultimately points to Christ. The episode also addresses contemporary challenges in the church, the need for fathers and elders to disciple younger men, and the importance of presence, faithfulness, and generational responsibility in the home and covenant community. Chapters 0:00 Introduction 1:15 Matthew Adams, First Presbyterian Church Dillon, and PCA General Assembly 6:27 Reformed Forum events and the Christ the Center 1000 summit 9:31 Act Like a Man and the biblical call to masculinity 11:24 Why write a book on biblical masculinity? 15:50 “Act Like a Man,” Latimer, Ridley, and courage under trial 19:35 Beginning with the Holy Spirit and the sufficiency of Scripture 22:07 John Owen, perspicuity, and the Spirit’s testimony 27:20 David as a case study in manhood 29:09 Righteous living and sacrificial love 32:34 Dependent leadership and David’s example 36:40 Generational effects of fathers’ failures 37:23 Courageous zeal rightly directed 40:21 Humble servanthood 42:05 Contemporary challenges: egalitarian compromise and immature reaction 51:04 Discipling younger men in the church 54:10 Fathers, daughters, presence, and covenant children 59:04 A final charge: go forth, live righteously, love sacrificially 1:05:28 Closing and Reformed Forum resources