The Hard Corps

I much appreciated Dai's book reflecting on these little-considered characters. The lessons for manly, godly living, are reinforced from elsewhere in Scripture, exemplified in Jesus and rammed home in personal study with good questions. Unlike many character studies Dai keeps pointing away from the character qualities of the people under scrutiny to the God who created them and us too. A great short book with refreshing and direct honesty.

Over the last few years I have watched with a great deal of joy God raise up young men and churches in the UK.  Dai is an example of the type of men God is raising up.  Faithful to the scriptures, missional in his approach and passionate about the call of God to make disciples of all nations.  Pick up "The Hard Corps" and let the Spirit of God encourage and challenge you.

This book will make you want you to go punch somebody in the head. Hopefully, it'll be the world, the flesh, or the devil...your three most formidable foes.  Dai Hankey delivers a barefisted beatdown by taking to the field of battle with the toughest hombres in the pages of scripture.  This book will cause you to come out swinging, and keep you there till the fight's over and your knuckles are bloody in your war against sin.

Dai Hankey is a man's man. I mean he is an attentive husband and a doting father but he's not big into hugs from blokes, is not a fan of the power ballad and has Never eaten quiche. This book is not just one of his customary rants - it's so much more. It's a biblical manifesto of what it means to be a man of God. I loved this book and was challenged by it. However for me it represented more. Over the years I have know him, Dai and I have shared a journey together as we have met at events, conferences and coffee shops. We discussed not only the white knuckle warriors in the book but men who we knew that were being taken out by the roaring lion. I think this book should become essential reading for Christian men. Then not only will less be devoured by the sneaky beast but more often he will get the kicking he deserves from the newly empowered army flexing the Kingdom muscles they exercised as a result of treating this as a training manual that it truly is. Buy one for yourself and then one for every bloke you are doing life with.

I know Dai! I have watched him, listened to him, prayed with him and commissioned him to the frontline of ministry. So I know that this book is written from the trenches of his personal experience as  a Welsh Valleys Church Planter, husband and Father of four. It is loud, direct and not for the feint - hearted. It is a man's book, hard core, but it's spiritual, biblical, practical dope. And if you find that word as foreign as I once did then you need to understand that Dai's world is a world the Church too often avoids, preferring instead the middle class comforts of suburbia.  So if you want the same old as a Christian , then don't bother with the Hard Corps. But if you want to fess up, man up, step up and sign up , this may well be just the job ! The King needs warriors - wimps need not apply.

Pulling no punches and with humour, honesty and heart, Dai Hankey unpacks the lives of “David's Mighty Men. Importantly, what Dai does well is nail what a few men back then can teach a man now. It makes this book an easy read but a challenge to live. But then who wants a life with no challenges - definitely not the hard corps.

To be honest, when I saw the title of this book, my heart sank as I thought, “Oh no, not another one of these gung-ho let’s all be bare chested Christian, male, super heroes” type of books that seem to be all the rage in certain circles these days. I am glad to say, however, that in this case I was happy to be very wrong. This is a warm, witty and practical book that could be used significantly as a study guide with young male believers in our churches. Based on king David’s ‘Mighty Men’ each of the 7 chapters offers us some insight into how to live the Christian life boldly, confidently and adventurously for the glory of Jesus. The language is decidedly quirky, simple and yet warmly engaging as the author challenges men to stand up and be counted as disciples of Jesus Christ. Each chapter is followed by a set of questions to help us think through the issues discussed and to consider relevant scriptures to the topic at hand. As the author so eloquently puts it: “Let’s be men who leave behind us a legacy of grace-changed lives. And may Christ the King get all the glory for it.” A good tool for young men and warmly recommended.

The stories of David’s Mighty Men provide me with some of my favourite speaking material.  Dai has captured the heart beat and the grit behind their exploits.  Its an action packed, no punches  pulled read for men. Get it, read it, live it.

Punchy, direct, blunt with a genuine desire to challenge and help his target audience, this Bible study is vintage Dai. Rarely hesitant to go boldly where few have gone before Dai has every chance of presenting hope to many young men through this work.