Secret Ingredient for Church Growth: Men
If your church has a lot of men, it's probably growing, according to a study from Hartford Seminary. Meanwhile, a surplus of women makes growth much less likely.
The study, reported in the Christian Science Monitor, finds congregations that draw more men than women are three times as likely to be growing as female-dominated churches.
The findings square with the National Congregations Study of 1998, which found that large, growing churches were those least likely to experience a gender gap.
The study also found that a reverent worship environment was associated with church decline, while a somewhat irreverent climate led to growth. This squares with men’s taste for parody and self-deprecating humor. A pastor who pokes fun at himself or the foibles of modern church life will score big points with men.
Multi-racial congregations and those that offer a "joyful" worship climate featuring drums are also likely to grow. The study confirmed four other growth factors experts have long known, including:
· Location in a fast-growing suburb
· Lots of young adults
· Conservative theology; evangelical bent
· Willingness to change
Many pastors and church leaders would like to do a better job reaching men, but don’t know how. Many have tried–and failed–to launch a men’s ministry. I’m convinced that a new program isn’t the answer. If you really want to reach your men, tweak your Sunday morning worship and Sunday school to make it more relevant to the guys.
I’ve posted a free guide on my web site called the Go for the Guys Sunday Action Plan. It leads you through the process of creating a special guy-oriented worship service. Churches around the country are trying these services and are finding an enthusiastic response from men and women alike. It’s a great first step to making every Sunday more compelling to our half of the human race.
David Murrow is the author of Why Men Hate Going to Church. For more than twenty years he has produced and written television documentaries, commercials, and specials. He has served as an elder in the Presbyterian Church (USA), and he and his wife have three children.
The study, reported in the Christian Science Monitor, finds congregations that draw more men than women are three times as likely to be growing as female-dominated churches.
The findings square with the National Congregations Study of 1998, which found that large, growing churches were those least likely to experience a gender gap.
The study also found that a reverent worship environment was associated with church decline, while a somewhat irreverent climate led to growth. This squares with men’s taste for parody and self-deprecating humor. A pastor who pokes fun at himself or the foibles of modern church life will score big points with men.
Multi-racial congregations and those that offer a "joyful" worship climate featuring drums are also likely to grow. The study confirmed four other growth factors experts have long known, including:
· Location in a fast-growing suburb
· Lots of young adults
· Conservative theology; evangelical bent
· Willingness to change
Many pastors and church leaders would like to do a better job reaching men, but don’t know how. Many have tried–and failed–to launch a men’s ministry. I’m convinced that a new program isn’t the answer. If you really want to reach your men, tweak your Sunday morning worship and Sunday school to make it more relevant to the guys.
I’ve posted a free guide on my web site called the Go for the Guys Sunday Action Plan. It leads you through the process of creating a special guy-oriented worship service. Churches around the country are trying these services and are finding an enthusiastic response from men and women alike. It’s a great first step to making every Sunday more compelling to our half of the human race.
David Murrow is the author of Why Men Hate Going to Church. For more than twenty years he has produced and written television documentaries, commercials, and specials. He has served as an elder in the Presbyterian Church (USA), and he and his wife have three children.
posted by Drew Dyck at 3:12 PM
4 Comments:
This article is a refreshing contrast to Lee Grady's recent rubbishing of a men's meeting in Florida. It is not men vs women like Lee made out, but rather how can both genders do well at church?
I think this thing about men not wanting to go to church because of the hugs, the singing, the crying because of the presence of God, is very "macho". I am from Mexico and things are different here in that respect. Although we are considered a macho culture, christian men here don't mind all of the stuff mentioned. To me, someone outside the U.S. this issue is totally cultural. And although we all want to be relevant to attract men to our churches, isn't there a limit? Isn't the macho attitude something worth changing? We have to remember that we don't have to adapt to everything the culture promotes, there have to be limits.
eddy64,
Well put. I think you're right that many components of a church service should be preserved. We need singing for worship and human contact for fellowship.
What I'm trying to get at is the passivity of a modern service. Men in any culture would rather be active participants. But I think that ever since the church adopted the stage and audience style of the theater, church has been something that happens to you, rather than something that you do. I realize that changing that can be difficult, but I think we must give it some thought.
Assistant Editor,
Drew Dyck
Good stuff - I have been involved in ministry for many years and have a burden to see men become active in their faith. It is so exciting to see men respond to the Lord and be willing to serve and lay down their lives for the cause of Christ.
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