Florida 'Church for Men' Features Rock Band, One-Hour In-and-Out Guarantee

FoxNews ^ | 4/7/2007 | AP

[Terriergal]

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. — No hymnals. No pews. No steeple. No stained glass windows. And no women.

This ain't your grandma's church.

Organizers of the Church For Men say that guys are "bored stiff" in many churches today.

The Church For Men meets one Saturday evening a month, drawing about 70 guys dressed in everything but straight-laced shirts and neckties. The service features a rock band, a shot clock to time the preacher's message and a one-hour in-and-out guarantee.

[Terriergal]

Insanity.

What about ME? I want a church that does *guy* stuff for ladies!

[Terriergal]

ping!

[John 6.66=Mark of the Beast?]

Sorry you will have to start your own. By the way what will you call it?

[JoeSixPack1]

Hey, woman have “The View” !! :-)

[Quix]

I think churches and Christianity have been far too feminized but that it’s men’s fault, on the whole. Abdicating their PRIEST OF THE HOME role and avoiding much spiritual involvement leaves a vacuum which the women ahve thankfully—for the kids’ sake—filled overwhelmingly productively and faithfully.

But that has to change if the church is going to accomplish all it needs to in our era—as well as be ready for Christ’s return.

I don’t know that this effort is the ideal effort. But a lot of thought and prayer needs to go into changing things so that men are eager to take their proper roles in congregations.

Thankfully, our pastor is very keenly sensitive to such issues and experimenting in a host of ways that seem to be working.

Thanks for the article.

[uptoolate]

Organizers of the Church For Men say that guys are "bored stiff" in many churches today.

Stagehand approaches dressing room door with star on it...
Knock...Knock...Knock...
"Holy Spirit!? You're on in five...Remember to keep it short."
"Metallica takes the stage at 6:30 followed by NCAA Basketball...You know how the network execs hate it when we run late..."

[jobim]

Well, that's what you Protestants get for casting aside Christ's Church Service (aka Mass) for something man-made.

Just having a little fun with fellow Christians - a blessed Easter to all brothers in Christ! (And come home, please)

[steadfastconservative]

Having men act as “priests in the home” is quite a comedown from having them function as priests in the sanctuary. It looks as though Protestantism’s rejection of the ministerial priesthood has ultimately led to the feminazation of Protestantism. Just another good reason for the Catholic Church to retain its male priesthood.

[ItsOurTimeNow]

>>casting aside Christ’s Church Service (aka Mass) for something man-made.<<

The Mass IS man-made. Christ died once for all.

>>Just having a little fun with fellow Christians<<

Same here. Post Tenebras Lux, my FRiend - it’s more than a saying, it’s the truth! :-)

And a blessed Resurrection Sunday to you as well!

[Lee N. Field]

Maybe it's just me, but most of what I see that's pitched specifically to men falls completely flat. I'm not interested in Harleys in church, or fishing gear or loud clangy "music". Give me the Word, in large amounts.

[hiho hiho]

“The old cross slew men; the new cross entertains them. The old cross condemned; the new cross amuses. The old cross destroyed confidence in the flesh; the new cross encourages it.”

A. W. Tozer (1897-1963)

[ItsOurTimeNow]

This is disgraceful, but typical, by-product of the man-centered church ‘growth’ movement.

Evangelical Christianity has been hijacked by touchy-feely drippy nonsense. The Christian giants of old would be ashamed of what we’ve allowed to happen to the church that they suffered and died for.

The men who want their comforts met on Sundays are not the men who will go to prison for the faith. The men who make conditional demands on their worship of God are not the men who will suffer the loss of finances, shelter, family, etc in order to worship God. They are creating a god in their own image, they are putting comforts ahead of the one true God, they are dishonoring the Sabbath, and they treat His name recklessly. The first 4 commandments habitually broken - all for rock music and jeans.

This fluffy bunny garbage needs to stop. This may sound defeatest - but I actually hope for Christian persecution in this country. By and large, Americans take their faith for granted, and it’s about time we’re put to some purging tests to remove the dross. The wheat needs to be separated from the tare in a big way.

[Condor 63]

The men who want their comforts met on Sundays are not the men who will go to prison for the faith. The men who make conditional demands on their worship of God are not the men who will suffer the loss of finances, shelter, family, etc in order to worship God. They are creating a god in their own image

Well said.

It is not the feminization of the Church it is the liberalization of the Church.

More of the same I'm OK - You're OK crap from the 60's & 70's that seems to be infecting everything else in American life these days. IMO too many Churches have taken the focus away from salvation and moved it to making everyone feel good about themselves and others.

Clearly love and brotherhood of man is a critical part of the Christian experience but many have taken them and completely replaced the teaching against sin.

Men react to this instinctively since everyone knows we tend be geared more to problem solving than discussions of love and feelings.

[uptoolate]

This may sound defeatest - but I actually hope for Christian persecution in this country.

I agree with you in a sense. I pray, first, for a moving of the Holy Spirit to convict the church of her sins and give her an opportunity to repent, then secondly, for sifting to separate the true followers from the false, which will more than likely come through persecution.

[ItsOurTimeNow]

Amen to that!

It’s an easy-sell because there’s no conviction. Osteen sells out 50,000 seat stadiums to preach on the powers of positive thought and prosperity, and subsequently deludes those 50,000 into a false belief.

We need STRONG G O D L Y MEN, not just in the church, but leading their FAMILIES in holiness and obedience to God’s Word. The man who defaults to the church to teach godliness to his children is going against Scripture.

>>Clearly love and brotherhood of man is a critical part of the Christian experience but many have taken them and completely replaced the teaching against sin.<<

Amen again. The difference is that many believe they go to church to be served. The truth is, we go to church to SERVE. To serve God, and to serve the brethren.

God’s commands are, at their root, simple. It’s the man-centered, seeker-friendly motives that complicate things.

[Tribune7]

You’d appreciate this.

[P-Marlowe]

The Founder of this Movement makes some legitimate points:

Lovey-dovey songs push erotic envelope

Some of the latest worship songs border on the erotic. I was standing in church a couple of weeks ago when these lyrics popped up on the screen:

Your love is extravagant

Your friendship, it is intimate

I feel I’m moving to the rhythm of Your grace

Your fragrance is intoxicating in our secret place

Your love is extravagant

Spread wide in the arms of Christ is the love that covers sin

No greater love have I ever known

You considered me a friend

Capture my heart again

When I saw the phrases “moving to the rhythm” and “spread wide” I just about fainted. Lyrics like these leave little doubt: today’s praise music targets love-starved women. (Gals buy about 75% of the praise and worship CDs) I don't know any man who follows Christ for his "intoxicating fragrance."

Meanwhile, the masculine hymns of a generation ago have been banned in most churches. We no longer sing of battle, blood or sacrifice. Onward, Christian Soldiers is forbidden. Rise Up O Men of God has been gender neutralized. We've retired the action songs and replaced them with relationship songs.

There's nothing wrong with worship songs that evoke strong emotion. I'm not afraid to admit that just last Sunday I was moved to tears by a worship song I heard in church. But we cross the line when we imagine Jesus as our lover rather than our leader.

[Larry Lucido]

Hmm, not much info in the story. I guess one could go here if they want to investigate whether there is any Word being taught there.

http://www.churchformen.com/

[Condor 63]

Onward, Christian Soldiers is forbidden.

Not in my neighborhood. ;0)

I only live three blocks away from my Church and the bells toll that song every Sunday at 10 AM for the call to worship. You can hear it for miles around and it is quite inspirational.

[Calvinist_Dark_Lord]

What about ME?~snip!~

That's just the whole point. The whole concept is What about me, and not a thing to do with 'What about GOD?'

That said: With all due respect to your gender, sit back and quietly watch what happens when men in any particular congregation try to have some sort of men only event.

99 out of 100 times there will be some woman who just has to poke her nose into the matter. A couple of times, i've had to tell "Ms. Nosy Parker" to P!$$ off and go home. ...a single man can get away with that, not recommended for married men.

[Calvinist_Dark_Lord]

I think churches and Christianity have been far too feminized but that it’s men’s fault ~snip!~

Think about that a bit old friend. i don't know that it's necessarily true. We, that is to say You and i have accepted that statement as if it were true at times, but we've never actually proven it true.

i begin to have my doubts about that these days. Interested on your thoughts about this subject though.

[napscoordinator]

You would still have to attend another service in order to fulfill your weekly obligation. This is just a way to ensure that people sin (not attending a real mass). Terrible.

[Sloth]

a one-hour in-and-out guarantee.

For men who can't be bothered to devote more than one 168th of their lives to that whole 'God' business.

[jude24]

You have hit the nail on the head. Too many worship songs aren't just "bordering" on the erotic; they are as erotic as any "secular" song. There's an old Simpsons line, where a Christian artist remarked that "You change "Baby" to "Jesus," and you have a perfectly good Christian song."

I'm not against some of the newer Christian music. There's some good stuff out there - but there's way too much of this sentimental nonsense.

Just to be fair, there are some hymns that do that too. My old church seemed to sing a lot of them.

[Larry Lucido]

Go to the site, though. It intimates that this is supplemental to, not supplanting of, weekly service obligations.

Again, I have no idea whether the Word is being taught there, since I don’t see a statement of beliefs. Just not enough information in the excerpt for any serious criticism, but that never stops anyone I guess.

I wonder if this is supposed to be a mini version of Promise Keepers?

Either way, none of this is for me.

[P-Marlowe]

I'm not against some of the newer Christian music. There's some good stuff out there -

Not to promote My Church or anything, but our worship band just put together the most incredible album of worship music ever assembled on one disc.

My favorite song is "Righteous Man" which contains the seven statements of Jesus from the cross.

FWIW Steve Wiggins (Big Tent Revival)(Choose Life) is one of the three co-songwriters and lead singers on the album. So if you like Big Tent Revival, you will love this album.

If you love worship music, you'll love this album.

[jude24]

My tastes in worship music run more in this direction. This is through Reformed University Fellowship. A lot of their songs were covered on this Jars of Clay album.

[WhiteGuy]

Florida ‘Church for Men’ Features Rock Band, One-Hour In-and-Out Guarantee

men only?

in and out?

Brokeback Mountain Church?

Not that there’s anything wrong with that......

No, not at all.

[P-Marlowe]

That is really good music. Your taste in music is much better than your taste in political candidates. :-)

If you like indellible grace, you will like the Praiseworthy album. Trust me. If you buy it and don't like it, I'll buy it back from you.

[jude24]

Your taste in music is much better than your taste in political candidates. :-)

It's rooted in realpolitik. The war on terror and the war in Iraq are the two biggest issues. All others are secondary.

[P-Marlowe]

The war on terror and the war in Iraq are the two biggest issues.

Trusting God is the most important issue. I trust God that he will do our country right if we strive to elect people who most clearly represent the values that we as Christians hold dear. Specifically the issue of life.

"Providence has given to our people the choice of their rulers, and it is the duty, as well as the privilege and interest of our Christian nation to select and prefer Christians for their rulers." John Jay 1816

Choose life that you might live.

If we start to elect immoral men on the basis that we think they will be the guardians of our safety, then we have no faith in God.

I would rather lose the next election and trust that God will keep me safe, than to abandon principle and support a leader who believes in a culture of death because we don't trust in God.

Rudy has said he doesn't even want the Christian vote. How can you support such a candidate simply because you think he can handle the war on terror better than.... Better than Whom?

What military experience does he have that the other candidates don't?

Jude, don't fear the terrorists. Fear God.

[PAR35]

So this is going to turn into a bashing thread?

[stainlessbanner]

It appears you have to buy the book in order to get answers on "masculinizing" your church. Lots of questions posed on the website, no answers.

Besides these types of things have already been done, Daytona Beach has the drive-in church :)

[Quix]

I disagree.

1. Protestantism has plenty of ecclesiastical Priesthood. Far too much, for my sense of things.

2. There’s no higher calling in a list of respects, than to be a quality priest over one’s home—rearing children in the fear and admonition of The Lord.

3. Political offices amongst priests do not carry accordingly greater anointing. Actually, it seems to usually run in the reverse. The higher the political priestly office, the LESS annointing. Sad, that.

[bobjam]

Um, I don’t know about you, but from what I’ve seen, Catholic churches in this country aren’t exactly overflowing with male leadership either. Aside from the priest (I won’t go there), the only place for men seems to be the Knights of Columbus fundraising/drinking club. Everything else is run little church ladies.

The Evangelicals have really done the best work on bring real men back into the church, and we can all certainly learn from them.

[KingRonnie9]

...none of this ‘bread and juice’ stuff, WE do Beer and Pretzels for communion! ARRRRRRRGHH!!!

[MarkBsnr]

Why not go all the way to Filet Mignon (medium rare) and VSOP Cognac (65 F)?

Fridays during Lent, we could have fish and chips and Guinness.

[uptoolate]

...many believe they go to church to be served. The truth is, we go to church to SERVE. To serve God, and to serve the brethren.

AMEN! Todays liberal churches have turned Romans 12 upside down.

[uptoolate]

Trusting God is the most important issue. I trust God that he will do our country right if we strive to elect people who most clearly represent the values that we as Christians hold dear. Specifically the issue of life.
"Providence has given to our people the choice of their rulers, and it is the duty, as well as the privilege and interest of our Christian nation to select and prefer Christians for their rulers." John Jay 1816
Choose life that you might live.
If we start to elect immoral men on the basis that we think they will be the guardians of our safety, then we have no faith in God.
I would rather lose the next election and trust that God will keep me safe, than to abandon principle and support a leader who believes in a culture of death because we don't trust in God.
Rudy has said he doesn't even want the Christian vote. How can you support such a candidate simply because you think he can handle the war on terror better than.... Better than Whom?
What military experience does he have that the other candidates don't?
Jude, don't fear the terrorists. Fear God.

Post of the decade.

Thank You.

[uptoolate]

When a woman gets saved, the woman gets saved.

Save a man, the whole family gets saved.

Just my experience.

[P-Marlowe]

Thank you. I am humbled.

[blue-duncan]

“Thank you. I am humbled.”

You should be or you will be. (Uriah 14:10 et seq,)

[Larry Lucido]

Uriah?

[Terriergal]

I’m glad you said it and not me! But I must admit that phrase did make it cross my mind. :-(

[Terriergal]

wait a minute — what if someone wants honey roasted peanuts instead? Maybe they should have a ‘communion menu’ since they’re into giving people what they want.

[Terriergal]

Again, I have no idea whether the Word is being taught there, since I don’t see a statement of beliefs. Just not enough information in the excerpt for any serious criticism, but that never stops anyone I guess.

I've found that sites that don't post what they teach/believe are usually hiding it for a reason. There's all these 'consultant' firms your church can hire for seminars etc. But you can't find out what they teach until they're there in front of your church, at which point they count on you being too polite to boot them out. I've seen it happen too many times.

[Old_Mil]

Merely another step advancing “Jesus is my boyfriend” theology.

[WhiteGuy]

I know.......

I’m so ashamed...........

But it IS funny

[Terriergal]

exactly.

[Terriergal]

I agree. Though I’m not sure just attending a real worship service necessarily means the individual isn’t sinning (by just putting in the time without it coming from his or her heart by faith).