Mark's Notebook

Men welcome here: Churches tackle persistent problem of low male attendance

Kansas City Star

by Helen T. Gray, The Kansas City Star

In his book, Why Men Hate Going to Church, author David Murrow says the one place you won’t find the majority of Christian men on Sunday morning is church.

“Women comprise more than 60 percent of the typical adult congregation on any given Sunday,” he says. “At least one-fifth of married women regularly attend worship without their husbands.”

Among Murrow’s conclusions:

• Many men see the church as “a ladies club.”

• Sermons, volunteer opportunities and ministries are geared more toward women. Many churches operate on a feminine model, such as nurturing, verbal expression and gentleness, which is a lot harder for most men to achieve.

• Churches are not challenging men to live out their faith.

• Churches need to recover the masculinity of Jesus, who was bold and aggressive, “but we have turned him into a wimp, and men don’t follow wimps. They follow leaders.”

Men don’t share very well, so it’s important to ask the right questions that focus on putting into action the things they have heard, said Deacon Monte Giddings, head of St. Michael’s men’s ministry. Then there are activities like a river trip that includes camping, being out in nature, a male-oriented way to create a band of brothers. Men also volunteer to take food and clothing to the homeless.

“Some churches are not challenging men to live out their faith boldly,” Giddings said. “Men need that call to action; that appeals to men. Most of us are not called to be contemplatives.”

If men believe Christianity is too submissive, he said, that’s because no one has explained it to them.

Some men may have a misconception of what a Christian man is supposed to be, said Chuck Wolfe. “They think, ‘If I come to church on a regular basis, I’m more apt to be more passive and less aggressive in what I do. I’m going to sit in church and behave and be a good boy.’?”

Men also want to be empowered to do something, such as teaching, working in the multimedia ministry, going on mission trips, evangelizing and working in the prison ministry and the street ministry.

http://www.kansascity.com/mld/kansascitystar/living/religion/14179176.htm

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Last updated Monday 3 August 2009