Where Are The Men in The Church?

I was attending a church service, recently, where the pastor invited all the volunteers who were involved in Sunday School teaching to come to the front, in order to recognize them before the congregation and thank them for their service and dedication.

As the folks responded to the call and made their way to the front, it became in view that “all” were women. It always hits me hard in the core of my being when I see how few men get involved in Church. Yet, when I looked around, there were many men sitting in the pews.

In another Church, twenty people came forward of which two were men.

You might say, yes but this is Sunday School. That’s not for men. Well, I beg you to differ. Men have more impact on children then women. Women bring a fundamental nurture and love but men bring the other side of life’s equation. Children need the example and teaching of both male and female — always, whether in Church or at home or school.

When studies show that the majority of church employees and volunteer workers are women (except for ordained clergy, who are overwhelmingly male), no wonder that over 70 percent of the boys who are being raised in church will abandon it during their teens and twenties. Many of the them will never return.

Men will be accountable to God for this lack of responsibility to the call of God.

Many children who attend Sunday School are from broken or dysfunctional families where the male presence or strength and leadership is lacking. Men’s presence in Sunday School would give that missing masculine balance in a lot of youngsters to make a lifetime difference.

How important is the men’s presence in a Church? A study from Hartford Seminary found that the presence of involved men was statistically correlated with church growth, health, and harmony. Meanwhile, a lack of male participation is strongly associated with congregational decline.

A Barna’s research study reports that the typical American congregation draws an adult crowd that’s 61% female and 39% male.

On any given Sunday almost 25 percent of married, church going, women will worship without their husbands. Midweek activities often draw 70 to 80 percent female participants.

On the men side, only two out of six attend church on a given Sunday. Yet most American men believe in God and call themselves Christians. The average man accepts the reality of Jesus Christ, but fails to see any value in going to church nor in taking their God-given responsibility and leadership.

(I think this is the same kind of thing that happened in the Garden of Eden! Adam did not take leadership and responsibility for what God had told them not to do!)

Why is this? Some experts feel that Churches do not make church relevant enough to men. It is said that fewer than 10% of U.S. churches are able to establish or maintain a vibrant men’s ministry.

Outside the Sunday morning local Church service, overseas Churches report gender gaps of up to 9 women for every adult man in attendance; the typical Christian college in the U.S. enrolls almost 2 women for every 1 man…

These are US statistics but I’m sure Canada follows pretty closely or may be even worse. Open any Christian magazine in Canada today and you will find pictures of young women on many, if not most, of the Christian Colleges advertisements.

In light of the fact that the presence of men in the Church directly affects the fundamental family life, stability and happiness, the involvement of men in the Church affects the growth and health of the Church.

And the leadership of men in the Church affects the relationship of children with both parents and the Church. Isn’t this enough facts to drive men to their knees in repentance to serve in their God-given leadership roles?

God will hold all of us accountable after this life is over, in each our bestowed Christian authority./dmh