News Details
Posted date: 29 Jan 2015
YOUGOV SURVEY REVEALS LACK OF WORKING CLASS MEN IN CHURCH
Middle class people go to church more than the working classes
And YouGov survey reveals that church attendance by men is lower than for women
More than 60% of people who regularly attend church are middle class, according to a new YouGov survey which reveals that the attendance figure drops to 38% among working class people.
And those attending are more likely to be women than men – with single men attending less than those with partners.
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The survey, commissioned by Single Christians and Christian Vision for Men in partnership with Premier Christian Radio, shows that the unpartnered society attend places of worship less regularly – in particular the unpartnered men.
YouGov survey findings:
- 62% of regular attendees are ABC1 (middle class) and only 38% C2DE (working class)
- Percentage of married men in GB who NEVER attend church
Working class (C2DE): 17.4% (Over 55s 20.8%) Middle class (ABC1): 9.3%
- Percentage of men who DO attend church at least once a month
Partnered: 10.4% Unpartnered: 7.0%
- Over 40 and the men stop attending.
This appears to be when there are no longer dependent children present in their household.
The ‘MEN PRACTICING CHRISTIAN WORSHIP’ survey report did not, sadly, contain any major surprises for Christian Vision for Men.
“The church has singularly failed to engage with working class men, and men of all social classes particularly when they don’t feel a reason to attend once their children are no longer dependent.
Particularly painful is the statistical reality that a huge number of Christian women currently won’t be able to have a Christian marriage in the current UK church.
This is an urgent wake up call.â€
- Carl Beech, Christian Vision for Men
Solution
CVM believes that the more adventurous aspects of the male personality can often be completely starved in some church environments. An environment needs to be created that makes the Christian faith accessible to the average UK man and church a place worth hauling themselves out of bed for.
To make Christianity more appealing the organisation is working closely with Premier Christian Radio, Britain’s largest Christian broadcaster, to set up ‘Sheds’ – men’s groups that engage in masculine pass-times and ‘introduce
their mates to Jesus’.
Peter Kerridge, CEO of Premier, said; “The church has been systematically losing men from their ranks for years but Premier aims to lead the church in reintroducing faith to a million men over the next decade and, in so doing, bring a halt to the steady decline.â€
Chris's Story
We were introduced to a guy called Chris just over a year ago. Chris’s had a long history in the Extreme Right Wing and his life was dominated by hate, anger and violence since childhood.
He had lost everything and was in hospital following a breakdown and thoughts of suicide.
One of CVM’s guys in the Midlands, Paul ‘Gasky’ Gask befriended him and over a few months they shared their lives, both realising that were just two ordinary blokes trying to make their way in the world.
Over the following few months their relationship was forged. One night Gasky took Chris to a CVM curry night organised by a local 'Shed' group. While he was there, Chris gave his life to Christ. He is now an active member of his church and is using his experiences to lead many other people to Christ.
He had lost everything and was in hospital following a breakdown and thoughts of suicide.
One of CVM’s guys in the Midlands, Paul ‘Gasky’ Gask befriended him and over a few months they shared their lives, both realising that were just two ordinary blokes trying to make their way in the world.
Over the following few months their relationship was forged. One night Gasky took Chris to a CVM curry night organised by a local 'Shed' group. While he was there, Chris gave his life to Christ. He is now an active member of his church and is using his experiences to lead many other people to Christ.
Our Work
CVM encourage men’s groups to start up in order to eat food, play sport, watch movies, build stuff, forge relationships, have fun and become a comfortable environment for any man to feel welcome in.
We are working hard to equip the church with tools and resources that will make it a great place for husbands, future husbands, sons and friends. Simple as that. Not a church dominated by men or male characteristics neither a ‘men’s club’. Just a place where men can be gripped and excited by Jesus.
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However 30% of the UK population still consider themselves to be practicing Christians and men go to where they feel they belong, are comfortable, are inspired and can have fun.
The church has a window of opportunity to engage with men, while they attend, even if they're there because of dependent children.
"I’ve done some work with CVM and they’re doing great things with men and church.
They get men to start up groups that do stuff together and build friendships.
I’m often invited to speak at men’s breakfasts or curry nights run by these groups, across the country, and see many guys encounter God for the first time in this alternative setting with men they've learnt to trust."
- Linvoy Primus, former Premiership footballer
The full report can be downloaded here in PDF format
