Where Are the Men?

Where are the men? We are not just imagining it, Christianity is short on men. Here are the facts. The typical U.S. congregation draws an adult crowd that’s 61% female, 39% male.

On any given Sunday there are 13 million more adult women than men in America’s churches. This Sunday almost 25 percent of married, churchgoing women will worship without their husbands. Midweek activities often draw 70 to 80 percent female participants. The majority of church employees are women (except for ordained clergy, who are still mostly male). As many as 90 percent of the boys who are being raised in church will abandon it by their 20th birthday. Many of these boys will never return. Most men in America believe in God but only two out of six attend church on a given Sunday. The average man accepts the reality of Jesus Christ, but fails to see any value in going to church must less making Him the Lord of their lives.

Piechart
Average Adult Attendance in U.S. Churches

It’s not just a lack of presence; most of the men who do attend our worship services just aren’t “getting it.” Every week the principles of Scripture bounces off their souls like bullets off Superman’s chest.

Do you want to hear some more painful statistics? A significant number of churchgoing men attend out of habit, unaffected by what they hear. Quite a few men go to church simply to keep their wives/mothers/girlfriends happy. The majority of men who attend church do nothing during the week to grow their faith. And very few churches are able to establish or maintain a vibrant men’s ministry.

This gender gap is not just a U.S. phenomenon; churches around the world are short on men. No other major religion suffers such a large, chronic shortage of males. In the Islamic world men are publicly and unashamedly religious and often more so than women. Of the world’s great religions, only Christianity has a consistent, nagging shortage of male participants.

Jesus had no trouble captivating men. Fishermen dropped nets full of fish to follow Him, but today’s church can’t convince men to drop their TV remote controls for a couple of hours a week.

What is it about modern Christianity that is driving men away? Jesus was a magnet to men, but our churches repel them. What’s changed? Why do rival faiths inspire male allegiance, while ours breeds male indifference? What can we do about it?

Oh, for men to have the guts to be the spiritual leader of their homes.

Josh 24:15 15 And if it seem evil unto you to serve the LORD, choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD. KJV

I will look forward to you sharing your thoughts and comments with me. Let’s work on the answer together.

Posted on 7/14/2006 under Pastor Cornett's Blog. Comments RSS feed.
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2 Comments

  1. Pastor,

    It’s sobering to think of these statistics. I myself was one of these numbers until the Holy Spirit convicted me that my priorities were wrong 8 years ago. It is, “And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment.” Mark 12:30. Not; my job, my family, the Lord. Until we men put our Lord & Savior first, we are unable to even to, “…love thy neighbor as thyself…” Mark 12:31

    For me, it boils down to here and now (the world) vs. eternity. Satan gets our eyes on the “here & now” with, “the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life” 1 Jo 2:16. When we get deceived we don’t even know what right is any more. If we are not in God’s Word DAILY, in fellowship with the Holy Spirit, and in fellowship with like believers getting strengthened (Heb 10:25), we are just helping to contribute to these statistics.

    9/19/06 by Mark Viezbicke

  2. My Precious Son,
    This spoke loudly to my heart tonight,I kow it was straight from God. Keep up the good work for our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.
    Your Loving Mother,

    9/12/07 by Mom Cornett

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