Christian Fellowship Community Group
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I feel disturbed by the little impact men make in the church. It has been very noticiable that many men either don't attend church because they feel disconnected or they only attend and not get connected and make an impact. I'm talking about most men, not all.
The women seem to be much more involved in church activities--everything from Sunday School teachers to groups and outings. Usually by a ratio of 3 to 1, women have an advantage in these categories.
In my church, it is really no different. Yes, we have Mens Roundup every year and if enough men are interested, then we have Men's breakfast. However, our church has many, many women activities such as Woman's camp, Woman's cooking class, Woman's etc. Is there anything wrong with that? No. The problem isn't that too many women are getting involved. In fact, women are VERY interested in fellowship and activities. The problem is that men aren't. I don't know if it's a "tradition" thing, but I do know it's happening in many churches. If tradition is an excuse, then it's preventing men from doing what God wants us to do.
Children and other ministries (except women's and men's) need to be balanced. Christian men need to increase their presence. There desperately needs to be a balance of men and women. Men for the strength and women for the comfort.
Please, this is a serious topic. Our churches can grow stronger with more men participating and stepping out of our comfort zones. I highly encourage men to not use excuses and listen to where the Lord leads them.
As of now, besides Pastors and Elders, I only see men in the majority in being an Usher.
The women seem to be much more involved in church activities--everything from Sunday School teachers to groups and outings. Usually by a ratio of 3 to 1, women have an advantage in these categories.
In my church, it is really no different. Yes, we have Mens Roundup every year and if enough men are interested, then we have Men's breakfast. However, our church has many, many women activities such as Woman's camp, Woman's cooking class, Woman's etc. Is there anything wrong with that? No. The problem isn't that too many women are getting involved. In fact, women are VERY interested in fellowship and activities. The problem is that men aren't. I don't know if it's a "tradition" thing, but I do know it's happening in many churches. If tradition is an excuse, then it's preventing men from doing what God wants us to do.
Children and other ministries (except women's and men's) need to be balanced. Christian men need to increase their presence. There desperately needs to be a balance of men and women. Men for the strength and women for the comfort.
Please, this is a serious topic. Our churches can grow stronger with more men participating and stepping out of our comfort zones. I highly encourage men to not use excuses and listen to where the Lord leads them.
As of now, besides Pastors and Elders, I only see men in the majority in being an Usher.
I'm not implying either Stephano has the 'true' reasons of low male church involvement either.. but they sound pretty reasonable.
It's not only important for men to be involved in church and in families, but, as far as what I've read that the Bible says..it's a command! ..HELLO??? I'm sure God grieves too that men aren't as involved with spiritual activities and getting involved with the leadership and church activities..etc. It's just too bad..
MEN ARE ROUGH AROUND THE EDGES AND CAN'T STAND TO BE FENCED IN BY A BUNCH OF RULES AND REGULATIONS. YOU CAN DO THIS, BUT YOU MUST NOT DO THIS.
AND THERE IS SO MUCH BEURACRACY(SP?) AND POLITICS IN THE CHURCH TODAY THAT IT JUST CHOKES REAL MEN OUT ENOUGH TO SAY IT'S JUST NOT WORTH IT.
IF THE CHURCH COULD LOOSEN UP THEIR COLLERS A BIT AND LET MEN BE MEN, THEN I TRULY KNOW THAT MEN WOULD BE MUCH MORE INTERESTED IN BEING INVOLVED WITH CHURCH ACTIVITIES AND FUNCTIONS.
in a Survey i recently read of Christian families that come to the Lord, ranked by the first member to come to the lord the results are roughly as follows (i couldn't find the article):
Child is first to come to the Lord = ~25% of these families come to the lord
Mother is first to come to the Lord = ~40% of these families come to the Lord
Father is the first to come to the Lord = ~90% of these families come to the Lord
Now... temper that thought with the following info. It generally takes about 8X more effort, funds and support to save a Man and bring him into communion with the Lord than it does to get a child into the church and "saved". Unfortunately Children are biased and coloured by their learning environment. A child will spend about 1-5 hours a week in church (depending on denomination and extracurricular programs) but that child will spend much more time with their families where they will be taught in the ways of their family. the average child conversion that "sticks" through Adolescence?? less than 1% of all children in this day and age that are saved and have non christian families will be living a life for christ when they graduate from college. the stats for those from a christian family are not much better unfortunately, probably sitting at about 15%.
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Another stat... look at your church finances... where do the ministry funds go (not salaries or facilities maintainance but funds specifically set aside for ministry activities) ? Childrens ministries and/or Outreach/missions ministries, depending on the denomination, generally get the Lions share at approximately 50% of the ministry budget , Youth/Young Adult/College Age ministries generally get about 30%, Womens ministries generally get approximately 20% of the ministry budget. Mens Ministry scraoe the barrel at approximately 5% of the ministry budget, if they get any budget.
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While Mens ministries are difficult to manage, and they are expensive to get going, it is my firm belief that if you bring up and support a strong men's ministry within a church, those men will reach out to other men and those men will reach to their families and those families will be born strong for Him.
Mens' ministries have been left to fend for themselves for the most part, left to para church organizations such as Promise Keepers or other "outside" organization, and then the church body will criticize that there are no men In the church...
Can't have it both ways, support your men's ministry and see the men of the church Rise UP for Christ, or let them fade into darkness and keep your mouth shut... but don't complain when an underfunded and undersupported ministry doesn't work.
Me.