Sunday, March 26, 2006
Message of the Day - A Book
Entitled, “Why Men Hate Going to Church,” this book is aimed at explaining why virtually every Christian church has more women than men attending and participating. The author argues that churches are designed to attract women, not men. Going to church not exciting. It is boring.
Relationships are emphasized in church. There are plenty of programs, but few projects. Things guys are good at are not are not needed at a church after it is built (assuming here that the men helped build the church).
My grandfather, Roy Skinner, helped build a church on the rural Eastern Shore of Maryland. I think it was a Holiness Church. (The Holiness Church is in the Wesleyan tradition, as is the Methodist Church.) That was in the 1940’s, when he and my grandmother, Addie Watling-Skinner, apparently decided that the Methodist Church had gotten off the right track. (I have no doubt what they would say today.)
This book makes suggestions of how to change churches so they can again attract the kind of bold, active leaders Jesus found for his disciples.
I’m not quite halfway through the book, so I can’t provide its prescription for re-engaging the men who find golfing, watching sports on TV or just sleeping in more exciting that church.
But, I can tell you that the least boring service at First United Methodist Church of Crystal Lake is the 11 o'clock one. I irreverently call it the "hip-hop" service, but that does not accurately describe it. For starters, there is no hip-hop music. It features a message, of course, but not delivered in one fell swoop. It is interrupted with video clips, a skit, sometimes modern dance, and often brassy music.
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bold active leaders..hmmm...like in Christ's day...hmmm. Let's see, did the early Christian church have videos, skits, coffee bars, singles mingles, or small groups? Did the men feel bored, or useless?
One of the trends I have noticed in churches today is the idea that somehow the Gospel of Christ has to somehow be "pumped up" or "changed to fit the times" in order to "attract more people". Jesus didn't seem to have any trouble attracting followers, especially ones who were even willing to claim His name when it was a death sentence to do so. It would seem to me that it shouldn't be about numbers or "pumping up the Gospel" but rather, it should be about really teaching His life, death, and resurrection and the Bible as a whole. Many ministers today plagarize their sermons from other ministers. They download Rick Warren's Purpose Driven this and that...and don't feed their flock the Word of God...but instead feed their flock spiritual junk food...it sounds nice and fluffy...and warm and fuzzy....has a nice psychology to it...but junk food never-the-less. This eventually malnourishes the spirit and brings no fruit in the believer's life. Many today do not want to hear sermons about sin or the consequences of it...they want to learn how to set boundaries with difficult people and pray magic prayers that will bring instant riches to their coffers...
The Bible says:'FOR THE TIME WILL COME WHEN THEY WILL NOT ENDURE THE SOUND DOCTRINE; BUT HAVING ITCHING EARS, WILL HEAP TO THEMSELVES TEACHERS AFTER THEIR OWN LUSTS; AND WILL TURN AWAY THEIR EARS FROM THE TRUTH, AND TURN ASIDE UNTO FABLES." 2Timothy 4:3
Seems to me that what the Body of Christ really needs is not another how to book, but rather a return to THE BOOK!
One of the trends I have noticed in churches today is the idea that somehow the Gospel of Christ has to somehow be "pumped up" or "changed to fit the times" in order to "attract more people". Jesus didn't seem to have any trouble attracting followers, especially ones who were even willing to claim His name when it was a death sentence to do so. It would seem to me that it shouldn't be about numbers or "pumping up the Gospel" but rather, it should be about really teaching His life, death, and resurrection and the Bible as a whole. Many ministers today plagarize their sermons from other ministers. They download Rick Warren's Purpose Driven this and that...and don't feed their flock the Word of God...but instead feed their flock spiritual junk food...it sounds nice and fluffy...and warm and fuzzy....has a nice psychology to it...but junk food never-the-less. This eventually malnourishes the spirit and brings no fruit in the believer's life. Many today do not want to hear sermons about sin or the consequences of it...they want to learn how to set boundaries with difficult people and pray magic prayers that will bring instant riches to their coffers...
The Bible says:'FOR THE TIME WILL COME WHEN THEY WILL NOT ENDURE THE SOUND DOCTRINE; BUT HAVING ITCHING EARS, WILL HEAP TO THEMSELVES TEACHERS AFTER THEIR OWN LUSTS; AND WILL TURN AWAY THEIR EARS FROM THE TRUTH, AND TURN ASIDE UNTO FABLES." 2Timothy 4:3
Seems to me that what the Body of Christ really needs is not another how to book, but rather a return to THE BOOK!
Not a lot of life threatening challenges for men in America's church, is there?
It's a variation of the need for men in today's church that the author attacks. He argues that the church is designed to create relationships, not challenges.
In no way is he suggesting the Bible'e teachings should be ignored.
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It's a variation of the need for men in today's church that the author attacks. He argues that the church is designed to create relationships, not challenges.
In no way is he suggesting the Bible'e teachings should be ignored.
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