This One's for the Guys (well, women can read it too!)

I've been doing some thinking recently, spurred on by some reading I've been doing.

Guys, the next time you're in church, take a look around and notice how many men (or how few, as the case may be) are in church with you. It's a problem that we as the church must deal with. Statistics show that women outnumber men in church almost 2 to 1. In some instances the ratio is even greater. The question then is: where are all the men, and why don't they come to church?

My thinking about this was inspired by a book I read a year or so ago: Why Men Hate Going to Church, by David Murrow. I've also read some books (one being Wild at Heart) by John Eldredge. These writers strive to help us rethink what it is to be a male follower of Jesus Christ.
Here's a couple of sites that I encountered today in which the authors state their opinions on the issue. Check them out:
http://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2008/april/27.48.html?start=3
http://eugenecho.wordpress.com/2008/04/22/ultimate-fighting-jesus/
I've also just started reading The Church Impotent: The Feminization of Christianity by Leon J. Podles. I'll keep you posted.

I want to be a church that helps men be real men; a church where change comes on the inside, but not necessarily on the outside; where we don't need to be ashamed of our masculinity.
Guys, think about the men you work with: would you be comfortable inviting them to your church? If not, what would need to change to make it easier to invite them?

I think we have created a picture of Jesus as meek and mild, loving and tame. There are those aspects to Jesus, but there's so much more. He challenged and confronted, used sarcasm and pointed jabs at his critics, and took a whip to clear out the temple courts. He still challenges today, but we often miss or omit that part of who Jesus is.

This year, we are planning something different for men at The Gathering Place on Father's Day - June 15, 2008. I challenge you to invite the men around you to be here with you!
And, I challenge you to respond to this post. I want to hear what you have to say! Leave a comment below for all to see. Come on, are you man enough?
God bless you,
David