I happened across a USA Today ‘Top 50’ Best Seller Books list a few months back. After scanning some of the current favorites, it was the cache of books that
were ‘below ‘ the Top 50 radar that caught my attention…some of them were ‘old friends’ from my junior high and high school days.
In pausing to reflect upon these past favorites, I made a few realizations.
We have popular books, music and culture that insults and enslaves, and:
We have a society anxiously pushing the church and the Bible into silence.
In further checking this list, I noted that there were more than a few ‘snack food’ books. There were woeful few books to challenge, uplift, or encourage men.
In short, many of the books I saw majored in fearfulness over courage.
I have been becoming more aware of the lack of fewer and fewer people coming along who are not featured in the mainstream press (MSM) speaking out against the
ills of our modern day. As a matter of fact, there are fewer and fewer men being raised up to do battle with the intellectual and spiritual forces of evil. We have folk who are more interested in taking less responsibility, and pushing the boundaries of victim hood as far as they can.
Then, in a local bookstore, I happened across a book entitled “Talks My Father Never Had With Me: Helping the Young Black Male make it to Adulthood.” by Rev. Harold Davis. The format of the book was simple, the message powerful, and the delivery encouraging and FEARLESS. The book had originally published in 1995.
You know I had to track down Dr. Davis and find out how men can get their voices back in a society not only hooked upon fear, but intent to create a new
generation of ‘fear junkies’ out of young men, thanks to the ‘smoke and mirrors’ philosophy of modern feminism.
Buckle up brothers. If you have ever had dream that you have wanted to ‘go for’, Dr. Davis provides hope and help for you to blast your fears into rubble, and do what you have been created to do: Being fear-less, instead of fear-addicted!
RISE OF KJAC PUBLISHING–ONE MAN AND ONE BOOK:
In our day of program after program, and book after book for this affliction and that problem, Davis’ writings are a refreshing standout. While many
authors seek to write books for thousands, (and even Christian authors have shunned KJV scripture for one of the PC modern versions), Davis sought to write a
book for a man in need of biblical teaching. “IF I can get my book to help ONE man,” said Davis in our telephone interview, “then I have done what the Lord has blessed me to do.”
Davis knew that he faced an uphill struggle to getting his books in print. Thus, he founded the Illinois-based KJAC Publishing, formed out of the first letters of the first names of his four children. He and his wife have been having a good laugh on other publishing houses ever since. “The church needs to rise up like never before,” said Davis, “and it is because it (the church) has become (so) female dominated that Black men have not been interested, nor attending church.”
“Talks My Father Never Had With Me” , is divided into seven sections with a total of 28 chapters. Each chapter has plenty of opportunity to highlight important points with a self-assessment test or quizat the end, plus the book has a section at the end ofits 236 pages for notes and observations.
“There is a lot of confusion among some young men today because of their being raised in a single parent (environment),” said Davis. “In order to get the
attention of these young men, older brothers will have to (lovingly) challenge them and be wise in talking with them about the issues of manhood.”
While this is not his first book, it has become a sought-after classic. It has spawned some sequels, one of them written by his wife, aimed at the need for women to address the issue of womanhood with their daughters and young women in their neighborhoods.
MEANWHILE, IN THE PUBLIC SCHOOLS:
Davis has expanded his teaching reach into his local community. He has written and coordinated a mentoring curriculum that has been used in the Champaign County,
Illinois school system. He has coordinated and helped to inspire, fire, and train more than 100 mentors in 21 different schools. “Everybody want ‘in’ to the
public schools, but church men are not (really) involved in the public schools in numbers they should be.” Davis noted. “While I had to re-write and expand the ‘Talks’ book to include all young men, and put the principles of scripture into a more visible manner, it is still the same timeless work attempting to address the issues of young men and the need for true manhood.”
Some of the highlights from the ‘Talks’ book center upon race relations, the twin terrors of gangs and drugs, the need for sexual responsibility by young men, the dangers of homosexuality, and one entire chapter dedicated to the issue of fear and how–if not acted upon–will cripple or kill the dreams of many a young man.
“I tend to write in a timeless manner,” Davis noted, while attempting to encourage future writers and publishers. “When I write a book, I put my heart into
it and ask the Lord to have it reach those to whom is it needed. He’s never failed to amaze me with the number of readers who have been blessed by what I’ve had to say.” By the way KJAC Publishing has its own website (www.kjac-publishing.com), and can be reached at P. O. Box 111, Champaign, Illinois, 61824. The website has six books pictured on the site.
What’s next for Davis? To encourage the older members of the brotherhood, in June 2005 his latest work hit the streets, entitled “Can I Call You
Solider?” This book is a 96 page shot in the arm, aimed at helping to build stronger, older men to help mentor those me in the church and society who may be drifting away from strong, traditional roots. It is intended to be a primer to get discussions started.
What are YOUR dream brothers? It may be time to blast the fear in your OWN life to make it happen. Why be fear-addicted when you can be blast the obstacles out of the way and put some traction on your actions and bring them to those who may be in need? Davis, among others, will be cheering you up the road of your success!
MIKE RAMEY is the author of THE MANHOOD LINE. A monthly column written for men from a biblical, business, and common sense perspective. This column
appears on fine websites around the world. Email, Bmail, and Pmail welcomed to the following: manhoodline@yahoo.com. ©2005 Mike Ramey/Barnstorm
Communications International.
Subscribe by RSS...
