{"id":32115,"date":"2022-09-10T15:56:56","date_gmt":"2022-09-10T20:56:56","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/sermons\/3-ways-to-engage-men-in-congregational-life\/"},"modified":"2022-09-10T15:56:56","modified_gmt":"2022-09-10T20:56:56","slug":"3-ways-to-engage-men-in-congregational-life","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/sermons\/3-ways-to-engage-men-in-congregational-life\/","title":{"rendered":"3 Ways to Engage Men In Congregational Life"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Freely photo<\/div>\n

By Ryan Sanders<\/em><\/p>\n

For generations, American women have outpaced men when it comes to church attendance.<\/p>\n

According to Pew Research’s most recent Religious Landscape Study, the percentage of women who attend religious services at least once a week is nine points higher than that of men.<\/p>\n

Other American religious groups don’t seem to have this problem. Among Muslims, 65% are male and 62% of Hindus are male. But only 45% of Evangelicals are male.<\/p>\n

But in many ways men are just as spiritual as women. When asked how often they feel a deep sense of wonder about the universe, 46% of men answered at least once a week, along with 45% of women.<\/p>\n

So if men are just as spiritual, and just as active in other faiths, why don\u2019t they come to church?<\/p>\n

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Nat Pugh, men\u2019s pastor at Irving Bible Church in Irving, Texas, says a lot of it has to do with the way churches compete for men\u2019s time.<\/p>\n

\u201cMen\u2019s ministry used to be all about guy stuff like softball leagues and camping trips,\u201d Pugh said. \u201cBut the church is poor competition there. Men can get those things somewhere else. What we need to do is ask what it is that they can\u2019t get anywhere else.\u201d<\/p>\n

Pugh\u2019s ministry has launched three events that illustrate that approach.<\/p>\n

1. It\u2019s about fathering, not paddling. <\/strong><\/h3>\n

Once a year, Pugh takes about 100 dads and their sons on a weekend canoe trip, but the emphasis is not on paddling or outdoor skills. It\u2019s about parenting. On Saturday night, the men build a bonfire and each father affirms his son in the presence of other men.<\/p>\n

\u201cIf we just signed people up for a canoe trip, it would be much smaller,\u201d Pugh said. \u201cBut when we ask them, \u2018Would you like to have this moment when you can encourage your son and build him up?\u2019 Guys are like, \u2018Yes, of course! I would love to do that.\u2019 It\u2019s helping them do something they already want to do.\u201d<\/p>\n

2. It\u2019s about connections, not content.<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Four years ago, Pugh started a small group for men facing the unique family and career challenges of middle age. He called it a halftime group and he expected it to last six months.<\/p>\n

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See also  8 Ways to Persevere in Ministry<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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Four years later, they still meet regularly. They encourage one another with prayers, scripture, and friendship. But they have never done a Bible study.<\/p>\n

\u201cBible study is important, and we have one once a week,\u201d Pugh said. \u201cBut guys can get good Bible teaching lots of places. What they can\u2019t get lots of places is real connections with other men facing the same challenges they face. That\u2019s why the halftime group has been valuable to these guys.\u201d<\/p>\n

3. It\u2019s about mentoring, not controlling. <\/strong><\/h3>\n

Mentoring has been a challenging topic for Pugh and hundreds of pastors like him. Churches know they have a wealth of wisdom among their older members, but the question is how to connect those sages with younger men in a way that\u2019s not forced or awkward.<\/p>\n

Rather than formal lessons or assigned pairings, Pugh gave them a forum\u2014a place to connect socially. And he did it late on a weeknight.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe young guys are all busy with work and family and kids\u2019 sports. It\u2019s hard to schedule them. So we said, \u2018What if we did a social hour after the kids go to bed? Like at 9?\u201d<\/p>\n

Those events have become some of the most popular on Pugh\u2019s calendar.<\/p>\n

\u201cMany of these young men are professionals with graduate degrees and positions of influence. They know how to learn and how to ask for advice. They just need a place where they can get to know and trust people who might have that advice.\u201d<\/p>\n

For Pugh, the secret to engaging men in congregational life is not to sell big, fun, flashy events. It\u2019s to give men tools and opportunities they can\u2019t get anywhere else.<\/p>\n

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RYAN SANDERS<\/strong><\/h2>\n

@theryansanders<\/strong><\/p>\n

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Ryan is a writer and previously served as a pastor. He writes for the Dallas Morning News and other outlets. You can find more at theryansanders.com.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n