Men believe themselves to be self-sufficient, all-capable and in no need of a crutch, so why be a Christian? That’s for wimps and women isn’t it? And nothing at all happens in church that is of any relevance to men, does it? And lets face it, frankly a church meeting on a Sunday is just boring and filled with romantic sentimentalism isn’t it?
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.
We need to face hard facts and ask tough questions! We have all seen the statistics and we know there is a problem. We 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. It’s those men I have in mind as I write – the men who are way outside of our churches and don’t even have it on their radar.
In 2006, further Tear Fund research showed that the profile of most churches is typically about 35% male (after polling 7,000 British adults). Anecdotally our own less scientific research backs that up. We find that the percentage is often 30-35% male. If you have more than 40% men in your church you are doing quite well.
Most men completely by-pass church. They see it as a place that according to a BBC radio survey is for wimps, women and irrelevant! Let’s not make the mistake of thinking that when the “wheels come off” in a man’s life they look to the church. A 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. So what are we going to do to put hairs back on the chest of the Gospel?
Part Two will be published Monday 10th August.
