Wednesday, May 10, 2006

I've been letting this brew....

So my husband showed me this link the other day. The article is called "the feminization of the church". I found the article interesting, made me think. Some of the thoughts of the author I agree with, others I would question.

http://www.biola.edu/admin/connections/articles/06spring/feminization.cfm

Do I agree that the church is geared to women? For the most part, yes. We have bible studies, coffee hour, luncheons, Sunday school, and so forth. Things that women find easy and natural to do. What can I say, most women like to talk and they like to do things like cook and bake and clean for others. It's, in many ways, a natural for us.

BUT I do have some queries.

1. This comment made me wonder

But, interestingly, the gender gap is distinct to Christianity, according to Murrow and Podles. Other religions seem to have a gender balance or even more men than women — including Hinduism, Buddhism, Judaism and Islam, they said.


- Christianity is the one true religion. Is it so awful that we are different than all the other "religions" out there? Wouldn't one expect there to be a difference of some sort?

2. I read this article and it still sounds like men are blaming women for their own inaction. And I will freely grant that part of that could be a defensive "woman" part of me. But Adam did it in Genesis, and it still seems like it happens today. It's the fault of women that men don't want to serve as elders and deacons, it's the fault of women that men don't have their own ministries, it's the fault of women that churches are women-focused, it's the fault of women that (you fill in the blank).

Seriously I must ask... do women stop men from starting men's bible studies? Do women stop men from performing acts of services in ways that THEY feel comfortable? Do women stop men from having a men's version of coffee-break or ???? Seriously, do we as women do that? Quite frankly...I don't see it.

AND if women have NOT stopped men from forming their own ministries...then why haven't men done so? I read back in the past of things that men did in church and I have to wonder...why aren't they doing it now? What has changed? What stops them? In the past alot of Sunday school teachers, particularly for the older grades where men. Now it seems that it is mostly women at all age levels...why is that? Have men stopped volunteering or it is a lack of trust (due to societal influences) or ???

3. If more women than men are attending church, is it at all surprising that the audience is catered to? That's what happens. The market that is being reached is catered to UNLESS another market is desired. If more men are desired in church (and they are) THEN men need to cater to their own market. I, as a woman, will not stop them. Perhaps there are some women who would, but I have a hard time figuring out why they would.

Personally I think men are invaluable to the church, and they should be strongly encouraged to attend. For worship, for music, for service, for teaching, for the whole 9 yards. But I do have a problem with saying...it's the fault of women that they don't come. or maybe I"m missing something here....

Is it the whole Adam and Eve thing. You know, Adam was there while Eve was being deceived and Adam did nothing. He let Eve be deceived, he even took part in the sin after she took the first bite. Is it just that continuing? That men are standing by, seeing their women being deceived and just following along? Has this just continued to be an insidious work of the devil?

I don't know all the answers. It has raised lots of questions for me.

Perhaps you all might have some answers or even further clarifying questions.

2 comments:

Refreshment in Refuge said...

Annette, you make an excellent point. It is truly sad that men have slacked off participating actively in church. But, I think it is mostly the women's fault. No, not because we are more active, but because we have fallen down on the job of teaching our young sons the love of Christ. God gives us these babies and we should constantly and consistently be bringing them up in the Lord. Of course, we can't make the horse drink water, but we can at least make sure the horse knows what living water is, right?

Annette said...

I can see your point, about the need to really raise our children for the Lord. I can see in my own church where the previous generation has failed to do that. The daughters go to church, but the boys don't bother. And the daughters don't go because mom and dad talked about their faith with them, they go because they like their pastor and somehow God has become real to them.

I"ve asked different parents what they said to their children about their faith and the responses that I get are "well, they saw we went to church and they saw how we lived." Did you talk with them though about God and Jesus? "no, they saw how we lived. That should be enough shouldn't it?"

Boys I think, don't always see the behind the scenes stuff. That dad does stuff a certain way because their faith had something to do with it. Girls I think, might see that a bit more (because we do think differently).

I know that I plan with Justin to say we do this because God said we're to do it or we don't do that because it makes God sad. I want to be specific with him. I've seen the pain in parents eyes at their children not believing in God. I personally, hope never to experience that kind of pain.