Why Men Still Hate Going to Church
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How have women responded to what you're saying?
I get more pushback from men who are well-established in the church than I do from women. Women sense the need. Women see their husbands bored. They see their sons dropping out. They see their brothers irreligious. They sit on the pew with nine other women. They know the situation on the ground.
The men who are already in the church and comfortable with the church and, quite frankly, for many of them church is their power area, they are the ones who push back. They are the ones who say things like, "Well, men should just learn to sing those songs," or "Men need to be comfortable holding hands or hugging." They have all these pious-sounding phrases.
But it reveals that they really don't have a missionary mindset. They are comfortable, and more concerned with protecting their own power in the current structure.
Copyright © 2012 by the author or Christianity Today/Leadership Journal.
Click here for reprint information on Leadership Journal.
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Drew Dyck is managing editor of Leadership Journal
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Displaying 1–5 of 84 comments
B Koehler
As a woman, I find these kind of descriptions of how the church needs to change for men a little bizarre. Because I also find sermons boring. I also would like some kind of tangible service in the church (and no, setting out the coffee and donuts doesn't count--building a house for a family in need would). And yes, i also don't like physical contact with people thqt i'm not close to, which is mostly everyone who's not a member of my family. Yes,, there are things in the church that need to change. But they don't need to change for men. They need to change for all people.
Brian
Interesting article and more so I am confused that it is under the missional section of Leadership Journal. Sounds like we are trying to attract men to church then keep them. Hmmm, so what are they there for in the first place? More importantly why are we concerned whether our program is working? Do we sell a service? Perhaps....and this is a long shot...maybe we are doing church wrong in the first place. Ever wonder what it would be like if everyone participated in church?
Bruce
All I ever wanted in a church was to bow my head and worship God quietly in my seat, confess my sins to Him and have a men's Bible study and prayer time to grow spiritually in. I don't need endless choruses or hymns, just a quiet time to study and meditate on His word as it's being preached or taught. And I can't stand tearful men.
Jake T
Ugh. I found this guy's original book to be extremely insulting--he has a preconcieved notion of what "manliness" is and if you don't fit into it, you're a girly wanna be who probably deserves to be made fun of and picked last on the playground. I've never come closer to throwing a book across the room mid-paragraph. Funny how Jesus taught that the last should be first. Somehow that just doesn't come up very much. Mostly because "men" wouldn't like the idea.
danallison
The article doesn't even start to answer the question. I STILL don't know why men hate going to church. Get a headline writer, okay?
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