I received in the mail last week the latest edition of The Witness (SWTX Conference Newspaper). It was like getting a letter from home.

There was an article entitled Why Do Men Avoid Going to Church Today? The article raised many of the same issues you find in most relating articles. I thought I would share with you the reasons for lack of male worshipers (men in church?). These were a part of an article from Dean McIntyre, director of music resources for the UM Board of Discipleship. Here is the list:

* Men must watch their language, mind their manners and be extra polite.
* Sunday school teachers are mostly women
* Other than serving on a committee or ushering, there aren’t many “manly” things about church.
* Church expects men to be religious rather than real
* Churches today proclaim a faith consisting of “having an unconditional love relationship” with Jesus, an idea that appeals to women more than men
* Feminization of the church can be traced back to the twelfth century and the rise of the female orders, and when the “Mystic Bernard of Clairvaux popularized the metaphor of the Church as the Bride of Christ.”
* Holding hands and praying, small-group sharing and emotional displays seem more like a “ladies club” than worship that might appeal to a man.
* There are few opportunities for men to hear and talk about life isseus that matter to them: the workplace, responsibilities to wives and families, sports.
* There are very few service opportunities involving activieits such as fixing cars, building and repairing houses, landscaping or maintenance.
* There are more opportunities for giftrs of nurturing and community than for building.
* Male pastoral leaders are diminishing in numbers.
* There is lack of adventure, challenge and “in-your-face” sermons
* Pastors more often develop themes of Jesus’ tender and empathetic side than his strong, confrontational, challenging side.
* Pastors tend to preach long, boring sermons rather than a sermon of shorter segments, punctuated with a song, drama or video clip
* Feminine terminology prevails, talking about the lost and the saved. We talk about he need to have a personal relationship with Jesus rather than a call to hear and take up Christ’s command to “follow me.”

Oak Haven has the highest percentage of active men in church that I have experienced. It's an active, growing group. By the way, the hams will be here before you know it, and they'll be bringing turkeys with them.

What do you think? Why don't more men participate in church and church activities? Stay blessed...john