Posted on 08/03/2020 1:11:21 PM PDT by CondoleezzaProtege
Why Men Hate Going to Church, by David Murrow, explores the elements of American church life that discourage attendance and engagement of men.
His conclusion? Churches have shifted toward a style that is comfortable for the stereotypical womanat the expense of the stereotypical man. And by men, Murrow is referring to masculine men: high achievers, alpha males, risk takers, visionaries...
Murrow points to four categories of church elements that clash with the temperament of most unchurched men.
1. Church makes men feel uncomfortable because it emphasizes feminine values
For example, sentimental songs that celebrate the intimacy of relationship with Jesus Christ bring a more feminine style of worship...
2. Church forces men to do things that they find uncomfortable
From asking men to sing in public, to sermons that are longer than the space between television commercials...
3. Men assume that church will require them to give up masculine traits
Murrow lists a number of mens misconceptions about what they must give up to become part of a church. They assume church will make them dorky and nerdythe equivalent of the evangelical Christian Ned Flanders from the Simpsons cartoon.
4. Church does not present a compelling model of leadership
One assumption that underlies much of Murrows thinking on leadership is that If men are to return to Christ, they need strong, godly laymen to help them in their walk . . . For too long we have asked men to follow our teaching, our methods, and our theology. Men do not follow these things. Ill say it again: men follow men. It is difficult to argue with the premise that visionary leaders are the source of much change in this world. As a result, Murrow castigates the church for its inability to inspire men to greatness.
(Excerpt) Read more at 9marks.org ...
Jesus was big on taking his disciples sailing, fishing, hiking in the wilderness, climbing up high mountains apart... all the outdoor guy stuff.
The Messiah just might get lost in... Cabela's!
You have a point. When I hear the pastor use phrases like racial inequality, I immediately think of solutions based rejoinders like, personal responsibility, instead, the sermon devolves into white guilt bromides ... and completely loses me.
And this is a fairly conservative church that has recently been highly influenced by Tim Keller.
Turning all the jobs in the church over to women gives men the idea that Church is Women’s Work and the wife should take care of the family religious participation. Worst is female pastors but in Catholic Churches with all the different ministers of this and that being now women, it works the same. Altar girls starts it early. “I don’t wanna do that, that’s for girls.”
Part of the problem is there is no Hell. Too many sermons and homilies are constructed around “Be nice.”
It was probably "Forward Through the Ages." The pastor at the Methodist church where I was baptized and confirmed liked this hymn. I found out later that he was a pacifist who had protested WWII, so he probably didn't care for "Onward, Christian Soldiers."
Exo 15:3 The LORD is a warrior; Yahweh is His name!
Psa_78:65 Then the Lord rose up as though waking from sleep, like a warrior aroused from a drunken stupor.
I find that to be very true.
While going through basic back in the early 80’s, our training company ran Sundays like this: You could go to church on Sunday morning or do chores around the barracks. But chores were going to get done whether you went or not. The guys who didn’t go would do most of them, but some would be left for those who did.
“Naw. Go to church if you want. We’ll be cleaning up sh*t here while you’re gone. We’ll save some for you, though.”
So I learned to stop going to church pretty quick. Three weeks in and no one was going to church any more. Peer pressure and their respect for you was a big thing in basic. Not saying it was right by God. But it was a fact of life in (my) basic training.
Give me an old fashioned hymn any day.
Check out the Old Fashioned Revival Hour. Their hour-long broadcasts include about 35 minutes of music and a 20-minute sermon. Most date from the 1950's. The music includes hymns by many of America's great hymn writers including Charles Gabriel, P. P. Bliss, Ira Sankey, George Stebbins, Fanny Crosby and Howard Doane. Incidentally, my mother is singing in the choir.
All the real men I know attend church.
The real intent of this article is to create the backthought, “Real men, masculine men, don’t go to church.”
A truly lame attempt at leftist psy-ops.
All of the men I know love going to church.
This sounds like liberal churches like the Congre-GAY-tional Church.
The church is lost. Thats why we cant stand it
The Bible. Jesus. Nothing more. Nothing less
Paul, John, Peter, Stephen, just among a few, got the tar kicked out of them.
Christianity isn't for sissies.
We listened to the Old Fashioned Revival Hour on the radio during breakfast on Sundays before church. Last summer we found some vinyl records of OFRH Quartet at Mom’s house. Some good music.
EXCELLENT!
“I could do without the loud rock concert atmosphere.”
I have to agree. Over the years, I have visited several evangelical churches and the music seemed to overwhelm the message.
I left several thinking I had gone to a concert rather than a church service.
What the author really meant: Men don’t like liberal churches.
And, RELATIONSHIP with Jesus Christ is for EVERYONE!
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.