Interestingly enough: many of the observations charicatured by people like Mark Driscoll about men in the Church, appear to be pretty spot on.
I wrote about my thoughts back in December here.
Looks like some research backs up many of the statements made, as published by the Telegraph here.
All they needed to do was mention football and it would be spot on.
No, of course I don't mean "all men". Just lots of them.
Interestingly it feels like sometimes it is people who get very upset about much evangelical thought regarding homosexuality for the sake of "inclusivity" in the Church, who then get offended by churches seeking to "include" men who have other preferences, in areas like worship style and decor.
7 comments:
Digging a bit deeper it was a strange sort of survey. 400 readers of Sorted magazine - a magazine for a certain type of man - who likes their Christinaity with 'blokey' language and presentation. So the results aren't that suprising.
The simple fact of doing stuff together - building comunity is important though.
EXCEPT that:
40% of men like flowers in church
48 men of men like dancing in church
40% of men like emtional love songs in church
Whew! A strange conclusion that is! He he.
Good points Ian.
I was a bit surprised it was "Sorted" readers. Kind of makes you wonder doesn't it?
Are you infering those results as opposites of the figures quoted by the telegraph? Or have you seen the original article.
Do we know if it included "No preference" as well? That would make it a bit more interesting.
The simple fact of doing stuff together - building comunity is important though.yes you have that spot on. I think that sis why the "Hunting, fishing, shooting" kind of male activities from America get put forward as the kind of things "men" want to do. As always, it is only "some" men.
Whereas my Dad is in the Philetalic society, loves it and has made some great friends, and is looking to be a real witness amongst local stamp collectors.
I think it often depends on the 'man'. Most 'church' men in the UK are typically either from christian families or were saved at school / university and have a good education they are typically NOT working class.
Therefore a lot of them will like the sentimental / flower / hold hands / sharing stuff as that is what they ahve been brought up with and have excepted.
The difficulty is when someone is saved who is either older or from a different social class and finds these things very 'pansy' for want of a better phrase.
For example I was saved at 19. I was a punk, uneducated past school CSE's came from a council estate, had been in trouble with the coppers, set teachers on fire etc etc. When i was saved I was saved into a middle class charismatic church where the women wore laura ashly and the men were mostly a bit limp and in my eyes soft. I found things very hard as i was not and still am not good at sharing my emotions. The things I liked to do and still do were frowned upon (things like following Sunderland AFC, hunting, shooting, shouting, laughing very loudly, boxing, punk / skin / psychobilly music, the pub etc)
It is a very hard environment for someone from 'outside' to come into. Especially if they are a working class man, who likes his football, the pub and alternative music.
There is a good book on this called "Why men dont go to church" its worth a read a review is on my blog at www.beatthedrum.wordpress.com
Hey!
Most 'church' men in the UK are typically either from christian families or were saved at school / university and have a good education...Therefore a lot of them will like the sentimental / flower / hold hands / sharing stuff as that is what they ahve been brought up with and have excepted.How patronising is that inverse snobbery? I grew up in church and I have a good education and I most definitely do NOT like flowers, holding hands or the pukeworthy homoerotic 'come lie with me Jesus' songs. I cringe when people get flags out in church. (WHAT is that about?)
Please don't presume that just because some people are fortunate enough to grow up in church and lucky enough to go to university they automatically become some sort of evangelical wet nelly, simpering over the girly stuff that goes on in most churches.
Not all but there is a high perpensity towards it. At least that is my experience. The new generations do however seem to be different
beatthedrum
Don't assume that unless a man is 'blokey', or that just because he may enjoy certain forms of culture, art, or other forms of expression, that he is some sort of 'pansy' to use your phrase.
Your culture is not THE culture, and whereas church should be made up of people who 'become all things to all people that some may be saved', it is not a self-service cafeteria where people can just pick and choose what they like in a consumeristic way. Neither should the church create this expectation with gimmicky initiatives.
beatthedrum
I think you meant propensity.
Here's a tip - it's always good to spell your words right if you're going to try to be patronising.
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