First of all my post is not directly aimed at our church or a church but the church.
I know that all this ranting seems odd coming from a metrosexual influenced male but...I still stand by my thoughts.
I don't doubt that many men have and will be ministered too by all kinds of music be it soft or gooey.
But I do think there needs to be some serious refection from the female side of the aisle concerning the feminization of church.
I am sure as women you most likely don't see that, but as a man I do. Now that is my opinion and you are free to not share it.
As a person with some influence I see it as my privilege to draw attention to subjects, issues and perspectives that often get overlooked.
I am not afraid to dig into the challenges that if we are honest, do have an impact on the reach of our ministries.
Heart issues and response to God are critical but so are the simple actions, patterns and practices that we do in church.
They both affect the person we are trying to reach or build up.
And I don't think it can be summed up as a style issue either.
Content, be it theological or emotive, are important issues when looking at the message or the way we are teaching people to approach or interact or view God.
Contrary to the female DJ on the Christian radio station Power 101.9...I don't think Jesus is my valentine...that is soooooo cheesy and sooooo girlie, and a prime example of how sissy this whole Christian world has become. In my opinion.
Let the pounding begin...I can take it.
5 comments:
Brother, I will stand with you and take the beating side by side.
If your church is anything like mine, you only need to look at your sunday service attendance (main services and student ministries) and look at the ratios of men to women. I think that the church, in a search to be "culturaly sensitive" has lost vision of rasing up Godly men. We are great at tying to stretch ourselves to make everyone feel ministered to and loved, welcome, comfortable, and catered to. But I too think we have stretched to far. In that we have forgotten some of the men (and future men) of our churches.
Why else are the men obviously absent on sunday mornings or in the acts of serving? It's not only becaue of Football on sundays...
National Coalition of Men's Ministries head, Daniel Erickson says, in most churches, "a man can't be a man," said Daniel Erickson.
"American churches are becoming feminized, and that is turning men off in droves, says the director of the National Coalition of Men's Ministries. ..
Only half of the men who say they have a relationship with Christ attend church, he said. Of the men who don't go to church and say they have no relationship with Christ, 85% were once in a church.
Pastors aren't helping draw and keep men in church, said Erickson, an ordained minister and former Promise Keepers executive. Men are "intimidated by pastors, and pastors don't know how to minister to them," he said.
Eighty percent of pastors are "more in tune to their feminine side" and are artistic, creative, and musical, Erickson said, citing a study done by The Navigators.
But "the problem is that 80% of men are not,
so 20% of pastors who are more in tune to their male side are trying to help 80% of men."
Church services generally are geared to women, Erickson said.
Men often are criticized in church, but not helped, Erickson said. Pastors point out the inadequacies of fathers, but "these men already realize they are bad fathers," he said. "Let's provide training and equipping."
The average church is not relevant to men, and is "answering questions they are not asking."
Men want to know God, Erickson said. About 97% of men believe in God, but they want a church
"where they can be real men and not have to play religious games,"
Okay...it's LeeElla, the wife here. (sigh) I told Eric he was going to beat a hornet's nest by posting the "Shemale" article - no surprise about the responses here.
While I am female, I live with an emerging Tarzan...so I think I understand part of the problem here.
T-E-S-T-O-S-T-E-R-O-N-E
The need of it, the lack of it, the over-production of it...and also the fear of it.
As a woman, I both LOVE and HATE that hormone! It offers me firey passion from one hand and hands me an apron with the other. (darn it!)
I do agree that "visible" Christiandom seems to be lacking in the "manly man" area - I am careful not to include ALL churches, because I haven't BEEN to all churches. Mostly I've gathered my assumptions from radio, TV and the like.
God has restored over the last decade - intimate worship...thank you, Jesus, for that!!! In my own life, God has used passionate worship to heal and restore me - he continues to use it...BUT in that process of this restoration, we may have lost the value of other things. Namely...the issues Eric was touching on.
Now we all know that "THERE IS NOTHING NEW UNDER THE SUN". From the beginning of time believers have re-discovered, forgot and re-discovered again, truths and attributes of God...you might be more familiar with the word "Movement". Usually these seasons of change start out with "radical leaders" who upset a lot of people. And you know what?? God uses that wind to bring change and further His Kingdom. Maybe it takes a bad attitude and a baseball bat to help us remember what we didn't know we forgot.
So, if are able to wade through the testosterone torrents...or the estrogen floods...I think TOGETHER we can paint a closer likeness of Jesus. And that is the end goal we ALL have. - LeeElla
My first reaction to the "Shemales" blog was "holy crap!" I am excited to see the fire in everyone's reactions. I relate to Kerry & LeeElla's response.
The question in my soul is “am I lovely” so being reminded that God is my friend, lover and romancer answers my question. Sometimes those passionate "fru-fru" songs facilitate that. Since men have a different question, I understand that they need to see God a different way. A battle partner and friend and comrade. I’m not saying women can’t feel like a warrioress or that men can’t worship God as their “lover of my soul,” But as we all know God created men to be passionate in different ways and that they should be encouraged to explore the ways they view Christ and be able to worship, act, "feel", etc. those views regardless if it's proper, pretty or pc.
I think men get womanized in so many ways. I want to see godly men taking the position at the head, being the warrior, the leader that most homes and churches lack. Men are required, far more often, to stretch their comforts and abilities than women are.
The people pleaser part of me wants to make clear that I am absolutely not saying there is something wrong with the worship songs that are out there or that men can’t enjoy the grace and beauty of Christ. I know men can simply worship no matter what is playing, but I believe those men are more mature, secure and whole in Christ than the majority. I believe getting men comfortable with who they are, willing to challenge themselves to participate in small groups and worship wholeheartedly, are more apt to get there through activities, music, etc. that lets them know God wants the warrior side of them, that it’s healthy and encouraged.
Wow Lisa...you get it.
All I have to say on the subject is:
I miss Byron.
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