Monday, August 08, 2005
Men's Worship: kick the women (and children) out
Thought for the day: true men's worship (the kind that will attrack sports-TV loving men to join like moths attracted to light) would have to be something so masculine that most women should feel uncomfortable. I'm not saying it should be made to exclude women but I believe that church has become so feminized (to attract women and children) over the years that men have been thrown out with things that make men interested.
I believe that, if I recall correctly, during industrialization (or before) women were more available (i.e., not working in factories) so the church focused on recruiting women and children rather than the husband/fathers. As the church became more feminized, more men were turned off and in effect have kicked them out. The church focus was on numbers converted or baptized -- and things haven't changed much since the 19th century -- so counting the women and children were easier than trying to get men and having them counted. In the process, I believe, true discipleship got thrown out the door with the men -- and churches today still believe, delusionary, that they are discipling their people!
The question is how to turn couch potatos (who experiences manhood vicariously) into empowered men who is at most alive at church? Or turning men who high-fives over touch downs into high-fiving over a spiritual victory? The church needs to mentally kick out the women and children first and bring back in the men. The rest of the family (if he's turned into a real leader, not a dictator) will follow.
I believe that, if I recall correctly, during industrialization (or before) women were more available (i.e., not working in factories) so the church focused on recruiting women and children rather than the husband/fathers. As the church became more feminized, more men were turned off and in effect have kicked them out. The church focus was on numbers converted or baptized -- and things haven't changed much since the 19th century -- so counting the women and children were easier than trying to get men and having them counted. In the process, I believe, true discipleship got thrown out the door with the men -- and churches today still believe, delusionary, that they are discipling their people!
The question is how to turn couch potatos (who experiences manhood vicariously) into empowered men who is at most alive at church? Or turning men who high-fives over touch downs into high-fiving over a spiritual victory? The church needs to mentally kick out the women and children first and bring back in the men. The rest of the family (if he's turned into a real leader, not a dictator) will follow.
