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Man Church

Posted February 19th, 2008 by Bill Kennedy

Man Church - the name says it all. They are starting to spring up all over. Here are my thoughts about how to welcome more men into your congregation. I think this issue needs more than a man-themed liturgy. Personally, I don't want to sit around and talk. I would rather DO! For me, there is nothing more spiritual than having a bunch of guys work together building a house for a charity group like Habitat for Humanity. For me, that's how you really get to know the other guys. At lunch or dinner you can introduce topics for thought or conversation, but I think it's so important to establish a relationship with the other guys first. I really have to know somebody before I'll open up to them. Whenever we have one of "those" talks on serious issues, my teenaged son has to be doing something with his hands. This isn't too surprising because I am that way too. A friend at work told me that if she says, "Honey, we have to talk" her husband gets very defensive, but if she just raises the same issue while he's driving the car, he's fine. Let's recognize that the standard model of "talking" to men doesn't work for all men. Then let's look at a new model for communicating with me. If a few more houses get built for the poor in the process, so much the better! Bill

Comments

April 1, 2008 - 10:27pm - campbellton

man church

over the years the church i attend has tried many ways to
get the men together in a group which usually results in
the property committee convincing those in attendance
that the only purpose to get together would be to work
on things to be done on the church property. my suggestion
was for everyone to throw in the their pet project
ie go work as a group at a food bank, help out an elderly
neighbour, participate in habitant for humanity. with a group
of15 people the ideas could be 15 ideas
Make a monthly draw and the idea chosen would be next months
project with the idea originator as coordinator and everyone
committing to make it happen because you rub my back i'll
rub yours .cut out the politics and stretch because its the
right thing to do.
with the organizer of the mens group also being the
chair of the property committee the whole agenda and purpose
of the mens group was {in my mind} pre determined and
attendance enthusiasm fell off.the mens group was not democratic and slowly disbanded or meets sporadically.