Category Archives: Church

by | January 10, 2012 · 7:18 pm

Hypocrite?

hypocriteAs a pastor, I  have probably heard every kind of excuse of why people don’t go to church.  Probably one of the more common excuses is that the church is full of hypocrites, to which I immediately say, “Join us, there’s always room for one more.  Almost three-quarters of Americans who haven’t darkened the door of a church in the last six months think it is “full of hypocrites.”

One clergyman using that same logic gave a list of reasons why he does not go anymore to athletic events.

  1. Every time I went they asked me for money.
  2. People that I have to sit next to didn’t seem too friendly.
  3. The seats were too hard and uncomfortable.
  4. The coach never called on me personally.
  5. The referee made a decision that I did not agree.
  6. Some games went into overtime and I was late getting home.
  7. The band played some numbers I had never heard of before.
  8. Some of those games are scheduled when I want to do other things.
  9. My parents took me to too many games when I was growing up.
  10. Since I read a book on sports I feel that I know more than the coaches anyway.
  11. I don’t to take my children because I want them to choose for themselves what sport they like best.

Excuses are for wimps!  I’m not saying that we (as Christians) don’t need to be intentionally about avoiding all pretenses of hypocrisy,  (1 Thessalonians 5:22) but too often hypocrisy is just an excuse people throw out for not being involved in church and  If you don’t want to do something, one excuse is as good as another.  (Yiddish Proverb)

I heard of one church coming up with NO EXCUSE SUNDAY:

  • Cots will be placed in the foyer for those who say, “Sunday is my only day to sleep.”
  • We will have steel helmets for those who say, “the roof will cave in if I ever come to church.”
  • Blankets will be furnished for those who think the church is too cold and fans for those who think the church is too hot.
  • We will have hearing aids for those who think the preacher speaks too softly and cotton for those who think he preaches too loudly.
  • Scorecards will be available for those who wish to list the hypocrites present.
  • Some relatives will be in attendance for those who like to go visiting on Sunday.
  • There will be T.V. dinners for those who can’t go to church and cook dinner also.
  • One section will be devoted to trees and grass for those who like to see God in nature.
  • Finally, the sanctuary will be decorated with both Christmas poinsettias and Easter lilies for those who have never seen the church without them.

In Luke 14:16-24 Jesus tells the parable of the Great Supper.
“A certain man gave a great supper and invited many, and sent his servant at supper time to say to those who were invited, ‘Come, for all things are now ready.’ But they all with one accord began to make excuses. The first said to him, ‘I have bought a piece of ground, and I must go and see it. I ask you to have me excused.’ And another said, ‘I have bought five yoke of oxen, and I am going to test them. I ask you to have me excused.’ Still another said, ‘I have married a wife, and therefore I cannot come.’ So that servant came and reported these things to his master. Then the master of the house, being angry, said to his servant, ‘Go out quickly into the streets and lanes of the city, and bring in here the poor and the maimed and the lame and the blind.’ And the servant said, ‘Master, it is done as you commanded, and still there is room.’ Then the master said to the servant, ‘Go out into the highways and hedges, and compel them to come in, that my house may be filled. For I say to you that none of those men who were invited shall taste my supper.’ ””

When you boil it all down excuses are nothing more than a wimpy way of trying to escape responsibility.  Yet Jesus tells us in Matthew 12:36-37 that we will be held accountable for every idle word on the day of judgement.

Survey: ‘Unchurched’ Americans say church is ‘full of hypocrites’

Excuses, Excuses, Excuses, What’s Yours?

Comments Off on Hypocrite?

Filed under Church, Uncategorized

by | November 8, 2011 · 7:58 pm

“Why Men Hate Going To Church”

I just got a reality check by reading David Murrow’s, “Why Men Hate Going To Church.”  I originally thought that the book would provide a superficial look at how to attract more men to church.  What I did not expect was for Murrow to pain such a graphic picture of not only why men hate going to church, but also the importance of men in church.  The book gave me a lot to think about and has definitely caused me to rethink how I do church.

He describes men as the “Miracle Grow,” of the church and backs it all up with hardcore data.  He writes, “Put men in a church and it will grow!”   You look at church history and you will find that there is no significant move of God without men.  However, whenever a church has a higher proportion of women, it is associated with decline rather than growth.  On the flip side, churches that draw a majority of men are three times more likely to be growing than those that are majority female.  In fact, once a church’s adult attendance is 70 percent female, you can almost write the church’s obituary.

David Murrow really shows how the today’s church system is engineered to reach women.  He writes, “Men are the church’s largest unreached people group.  Men have a unique culture, language and way of life.  They respond differently than women.”

David Murrow describes that there are really two Jesuses afoot in the world today.  They are both based on a partial understanding of Christ.  He calls one, “The Lamb of God,” and the other, “The Lion of Judah.”

The Lamb of God is extremely popular in the church today.   People who never rad the Bible (but think they know a lot about God) endorse this Jesus.

The Lion of Judah (a.k.a. the King of kings) is the one you don’t hear much about.  He’s the one who seemed to revel in conflict.  He’s the Christ who declared, “I did not come to bring peace, but a sword.”  This Jesus even used physical violence to advance His kingdom.  The sad truth is that most churches have locked the Lion of Judah out of the church and in the process have feminized Jesus.  It’s no wonder there’s a gender gap in church!

Some thinking points that grabbed my attention were:

  • Decision-making in the present day church is frustrating for a man because the current model of decision-making is so geared toward women preventing a man leading like a man.  Instead he must be careful, sentimental, and thrifty; make ever decision by consensus; talk everything to death.  Decisions take months or years to make, and if someone’s feelings might be hurt, we don’t move forward.
  • Men are hard-wired for risk taking and congregation that do not take risks atrophy.
  • Perhaps one of the reason why so many effeminate and gay men attend church is that the church is one of the few institutions in society where there’s no pressure to act like a man.
  • A lot of men feel that church is for women, weirdoes, and wimps.  They think to themselves, Christianity is for little old ladies of both sexes.
  • According to many studies, a long, uninterrupted monologue is the least effective way to teach people anything… especially men!
  • Removing masculine pronouns from hymns, liturgy, and even Scripture, in an effort to make women feel more comfortable may be working, but it’s working at the expense of driving the men away.
  • Many churches (especially the established ones) are decorated more like an old-fashioned ladies’ beauty parlor.  Quilted banners and silk flower arrangements adorn church lobbies.  More quilts, banners, and ribbons cover the sanctuary walls, complemented with fresh flowers on the altar, a lace doily on the Communion table, and boxes of Kleenex under every pew.  And don’t forget the framed Thomas Kinkade prints, pastel carpets, and paisley furniture.  This femme décor sends a powerful subconscious message to men: you are out of place.  (p.101)
  • Men are visual creatures.  Unfortunately, the Jesus they see in church is warping their impression of God.  Traditional holy pictures portray Jesus as thin, pale, and soft with long, flowing tresses caressing an androgynous face.  This Jesus bears little resemblance to the rugged Judean carpenter who possessed the strength to drive out the moneychangers with a whip.

The book is divided up into three parts.  Part one deals with the question, “Where are the Men?”  Part two deals with, “Church Culture vs. Man Culture.”  While part three deals with, “Calling the Church Back To Men.”   I really like the fact that there is a chapter-by-chapter discussion guide as well as other free resources at the website: www.churchformen.com

The last section, “Calling the Church Back to Men,” offers up clear and simple suggestions that any church can do to call back men and make them feel more a part of church.  I feel really challenged and encouraged to make an effort to reach more men for the Gospel.

People might criticize the book and call it sexist, but if telling the truth about men and women is sexist… I’m sexist as well; but much more significant… Jesus was sexist.  He did not recruit a diverse group of men, women, and children… instead he went after the men and then narrowed it down to twelve guys. The facts are that men are not likely to follow the women into church, but women will and do follow men into church!

This is a MUST READ for anyone interested in helping the church grow and thrive and I unreservedly give it 5 STARS.

*** I received this book from Thomas Nelson in exchange for a non-biased and honest review.

Comments Off on “Why Men Hate Going To Church”

Filed under Book Review, Church