I recently ran across a comment that rattled my cage.
"To do them justice, the people who crucified Jesus did not do so because he was a bore. Quite the contrary; he was too dynamic to be safe. It is has been left for later generations to muffle up that shattering personality and surround him with an atmosphere of tedium. We have declawed the Lion of Judah and made him a housecat for pale priests and pious old ladies." - Dorothy Sayers
I have said in the past that "the church should be the safest place in the world!" I still think it should be a safe place for young adults starting families, a safe place for single parents, and a safe place for the hurt, broken, and bruised. However, I am now convinced that the "center of God's will" for your life is the most dangerous place in the world! It may seem paradoxical, but let's take this discussion one step further.
Men and young adults are drawn to adventure and reckless behavior at times. They love taking risks! Think about this...these things are actually frowned on in the local church. Most congregations offer a safe, nurturing community--an oasis of stability and predictability. Studies show that women and seniors gravitate toward these things. What happens to the "risk taking" man?
Most men readily acknowledge the goodness of the Christian faith, but they are not swept up in it because church life is so soft and sweet. The secure womb that is today's church fails to match the adventurous spirit found in most men. I ran across the following statistic (can't remember where) that illuminates the plight of men in the church. On any given Sunday there are 13 million more adult women than men in America's churches, and 6 million married women are worshiping without their husbands--that's one out of five. As many as 90 percent of the boys who are being raised in church will abandon it by their 20th birthdays--some never to return.
So men and women readers, I need your help. How are we going to create a local church that "dangerous men" will connect to? I look forward to hearing from you. Let's discuss how we can reposition men of God for impact in the local church. How will ministry to men evolve?
