Jump directly to the Content

Getting Men into Church

Insight from "How Women Can Help Men Find God"

"Guys will spend more time and money in a hair salon that looks like a locker room," David Murrow says. "What's the lesson for the local church?"

Butch up the service, apparently.

Murrow, whose first book told us Why Men Hate Going to Church, has a new volume on the man/church conundrum. Men favor larger, multi-ethnic congregations with strong pastoral leadership and characteristic excellence.

And they don't like overly feminine worship services. He calls these men "praise skippers," the ones who intentionally arrive late and miss the music. Murrow advises:

  • Get out the hymnal and sing "guy" songs: Rise Up O Men of God, Onward Christian Soldiers, and such—with the original, non-PC language.

  • Choose "respect" songs about God over breathy "love" songs about "embracing."

  • Lower the key. Guys can't reach the castrati heights of today's music, and don't want to.

  • Give men a goal in worship: "Today we're talking about the sin of pride," for example.

April
Support Our Work

Subscribe to CT for less than $4.25/month

Homepage Subscription Panel

Read These Next

From the Magazine
I Wanted a Bigger God Than My Hindu Guru Offered
I Wanted a Bigger God Than My Hindu Guru Offered
As my doubts about his teachings grew, so did a secret fascination with Jesus.
Editor's Pick
What Christians Miss When They Dismiss Imagination
What Christians Miss When They Dismiss Imagination
Understanding God and our world needs more than bare reason and experience.
close