{"id":36,"date":"2009-08-07T10:00:17","date_gmt":"2009-08-07T09:00:17","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.cvmen.org.uk\/blog\/?p=36"},"modified":"2009-08-07T10:00:17","modified_gmt":"2009-08-07T09:00:17","slug":"real-men-dont-do-church-part-one","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.cvm.org.uk\/blog\/carls-thoughts\/real-men-dont-do-church-part-one\/","title":{"rendered":"Real Men Don't Do Church – Part One"},"content":{"rendered":"
Men believe themselves to be self-sufficient, all-capable and in no need of a crutch, so why be a Christian? \u00a0That\u2019s for wimps and women isn\u2019t it? \u00a0And nothing at all happens in church that is of any relevance to men, does it? \u00a0And lets face it, frankly a church meeting on a Sunday is just boring and filled with romantic sentimentalism isn\u2019t it?<\/div>\n
By now, after just a few lines you are either outraged and want to email me to complain or you are starting to get excited.<\/div>\n
We need to face hard facts and ask tough questions! \u00a0We have all seen the statistics and we know there is a problem. \u00a0We are quite simply haemorrhaging men from the UK church at an alarming rate. In fact, according to Tear Fund research, 75% of men in the UK are either antagonistic or apathetic towards the Christian faith. \u00a0It\u2019s those men I have in mind as I write – the men who are way outside of our churches and don\u2019t even have it on their radar.<\/div>\n
In 2006, further Tear Fund research showed that the profile of most churches is typically about 35% male (after polling 7,000 British adults). \u00a0Anecdotally our own less scientific research backs that up. \u00a0We find that the percentage is often 30-35% male. \u00a0If you have more than 40% men in your church you are doing quite well!<\/div>\n
Most men completely by-pass church. \u00a0They see it as a place that according to a BBC radio survey is for wimps, women and irrelevant! \u00a0Let\u2019s not make the mistake of thinking that when the \u201cwheels come off\u201d in a man\u2019s life they look to the church. \u00a0A small minority might, but for the most part their perception of what\/who Jesus is and stands for will be quite the opposite of what they feel they need in a crisis. \u00a0So what are we going to do to put hairs back on the chest of the Gospel?<\/div>\n

Men believe themselves to be self-sufficient, all-capable and in no need of a crutch, so why be a Christian? \u00a0That\u2019s for wimps and women isn\u2019t it? \u00a0And nothing at all happens in church that is of any relevance to men, does it? \u00a0And lets face it, frankly a church meeting on a Sunday is just boring and filled with romantic sentimentalism isn\u2019t it?<\/p>\n

By now, after just a few lines you are either outraged and want to email me to complain or you are starting to get excited.<\/p>\n

We need to face hard facts and ask tough questions! \u00a0We have all seen the statistics and we know there is a problem. \u00a0We are quite simply haemorrhaging men from the UK church at an alarming rate. In fact, according to Tear Fund research, 75% of men in the UK are either antagonistic or apathetic towards the Christian faith<\/a>. \u00a0It\u2019s those men I have in mind as I write – the men who are way outside of our churches and don\u2019t even have it on their radar.<\/p>\n

In 2006, further Tear Fund research showed that the profile of most churches is typically about 35% male (after polling 7,000 British adults). \u00a0Anecdotally our own less scientific research backs that up. \u00a0We find that the percentage is often 30-35% male. \u00a0If you have more than 40% men in your church you are doing quite well.<\/p>\n

Most men completely by-pass church. \u00a0They see it as a place that according to a BBC radio survey is for wimps, women and irrelevant! \u00a0Let\u2019s not make the mistake of thinking that when the \u201cwheels come off\u201d in a man\u2019s life they look to the church. \u00a0A small minority might, but for the most part their perception of what\/who Jesus is and stands for will be quite the opposite of what they feel they need in a crisis. \u00a0So what are we going to do to put hairs back on the chest of the Gospel?<\/p>\n

Part Two will be published Monday 10th August.<\/em><\/p>\n

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