Rise of the Servant Kings
SERVANT KINGS
Ken Harrison believes that the Bible is the blueprint for true masculinity. He understands the struggles that men face trying to be better husbands, fathers, friends, and servants of God. Jesus taught that “Whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant” (
). Ken explains, “A man who is in love with God is a man who is in love with other people… A real man is proactive, courageous, and humble, but our sinful nature pulls us toward passivity, cowardice, and arrogance.” A servant king is a man who has the heart of the Father. He worships God, serves others, is generous, and humble. He is also a man who is strong and courageous; willing to fight for the truth. After reading his book, Ken wants men to draw closer to God and learn the importance of their calling and purpose.
Ken also wants men to understand the battle that they’re in. He explains, “We are in a fight. If you don’t feel like you’re in a fight, then you aren’t paying attention. There is misery and need all around us, and God has called us—like men who have received His gift of grace—to fight for His suffering people.” The Apostle Paul said “Our battle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the word of powers of the darkness, against spiritual forces of evil in the heavens. This is why we take up the full armor of God, so that you may be able to resist the evil day, and having prepared everything, to take a stand.” ( ). As Christians, we must stand against the lies being portrayed in today’s culture—multiple genders, abortion, etc. He shares, “Satan has been attacking gender, gender roles, and especially masculinity with a vengeance over the last few years, and even Christians have been deceived.” Ken explains the four stages of the destruction of masculinity found in : Passivity (cowards and unbelievers), macho man (vile and murderers), sexual perversion and greed (sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters), and complacency (liars). Ken says, “If these describe you, get on your knees, have an honest conversation with Jesus about who you are, and ask for forgiveness.”
When Ken was in the LAPD, his police partner, Juan, was a good example of a man that thought in order to be truly masculine he had to be a ladies man. Juan cheated on his wife and assumed he was a good Catholic boy if he just felt guilty enough. He struggled to find peace. Sadly, Juan took his life and the life of one of his mistresses. Ken shares, “We see in Juan a man dominated by lust and pride, which are the opposite of the humility, courage, and generosity that marks a servant king. There is a lot of bad information about what masculinity is in our society today.”
KEN’S CAREER
Ken’s father was a police officer who got shot on duty. His dad moved the family to Oregon when he was five years old. His dad soon became a Christian and Ken also asked Jesus into his heart. Following in his father’s footsteps, Ken started his career as a Los Angeles Police Officer in the infamous 77th Division of South-Central Los Angeles. He received numerous commendations and awards.
After leaving the LAPD in the 1990s, Ken went into a business where he took over a small company and expanded it into twenty-eight offices with over 250 employees in less than six years. During the Great Recession, as other companies decreased their workforces or closed their doors, his company doubled revenues and tripled profits. Under Ken’s leadership, Colliers International Valuation became the biggest commercial real estate valuation company in the world.
Today, Ken is the CEO of Promise Keepers, an author, and an entrepreneur. He believes that it is the job of older men to teach younger men what Godly masculinity looks like.
