Women Fleeing Churches Even As Men Return
The NOT THE BEE (NtB) social news site recently reported that Gen Z women are leaving Christian churches in record numbers, according to a surprising new poll.
But even more surprising is that the recent trend of men exiting the Church en masse, it is now reversing, so even as women are now leaving in record numbers, men are actually returning.
According to the pollsters:
Over the last two decades, which witnessed an explosion of religious disaffiliation, it was men more than women who were abandoning their faith commitments. In fact, for as long as we've conducted polls on religion, men have consistently demonstrated lower levels of religious engagement. But something has changed. A new survey reveals that the pattern has now reversed.
"Men, meanwhile," reports NtB, "seem to be growing into a greater devotion [to] religion in a way that has been unfamiliar to America since the 20th century began." This is evidenced by more findings from the study:
What's remarkable is how much larger the generational differences are among women than men. Gen Z men are only 11-points more religiously unaffiliated than Baby Boomer men, but the gap among women is almost two and a half times as large. Thirty-nine percent of Gen Z women are unaffiliated compared to only 14 percent of Baby Boomer women.
What's more, NtB reports,
This recent study [also] showed 57% of young men want to start a family compared with 45% of young women. It is far from normative for a society to raise such a large percentage of young ladies (who are the gatekeepers for sexual selection and procreation) who do not want to start families.
All of this, on the one hand, spells real trouble for American churches and American culture. As more and more women choose to not procreate, our population, and the rockbed of our society, the family, will continue to shrink or even die. And as women abandon our churches, many of the core functions of those bodies will go unfullfilled.
Volunteer ministries, for example, are largely spearheaded by women. With fewer women, the Church is likely to look different in how it relates to the culture.
Yet, there is a promising silver lining emerging, as young men return to the church, and return to their love for and desire for family.
Let us pray the Lord will use this generation of young men to hold the line, reassert themselves as strong husbands, fathers, and church leaders (even as they assume many of the volunteer positions traditionally held by women). And let's pray for this generation of young women, to rediscover their critical roles in our churches and families. Finally, pray for the Church as a whole, that it will likewise hold the line of truth and genuine spirituality, so these young men and women have someplace to come back to.
"And let us not neglect our meeting together, as some people do, but encourage one another, especially now that the day of his return is drawing near" (Hebrews 10:25, NLT).
Real Men ... Love
I Corinthians 16:13 says, "Be on the alert, stand firm in the faith, act like men, be strong." Such a manly verse! "Be on the alert!" Manly! "Stand firm!" Manly! I especially love the second half of the verse. "Act like men." Of course, that is manly. "Be strong" Manly! You can almost hear Tim "The Toolman Taylor" grunting!
So how did the inspired writer qualify his exhortation? This way: "Let all that you do be done in love" (I Cor. 16:14).
Wow! Act like men. Be strong, yes. Let all you do be done in love? Manly? You see, there are many who think of meekness and compassion as signs of weakness. The Bible suggests otherwise.
Men, do you want to be a manly husband? Show your wife you love her.
Do you want to be a manly father? Show your children you love them.
Do you want to be thought of as a manly man around town? Show your neighbors you love them.
Do you want to be considered a manly man at work? Show your co-workers you love them.
Do you want to be the big man on campus? Show your classmates you love them.
See, if we are going to really be a manly man, you have to be transformed into the image of the One who created you, and God is love.
A real man shows love.
"You then, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus" (2 Timothy 2:1).
Say It With Beef
Robin Shreeves with Mother Nature Network writes:
The lovely roses in the picture above are made with beef jerky, the brainchild of a company called Say It With Beef.
But what is it you're hoping to say, and to whom? I think that depends on the situation. This "broquet" as its creators are calling it, can say many things. It can say to your Valentine, "Flowers die quickly but beef jerky lasts for a really, really long time." It can say, "You're a dude and I had no idea what to buy you. Have some beef." Or perhaps they're just a way to congratulate a guy on a new job, bachelor pad or car.
These dozen beef roses could be perfect this Valentine's Day and on other occasions in which you need to remind the recipient that he's so manly that he deserves dried-out beef flowers in a beer mug.
We rightfully place an emphasis on the celebration of femininity in our society. In fact, we have an entire industry dedicated to that purpose. Flowers are a wonderful way to express appreciation for that special woman in your life. But what about the men? What about the masculine characteristics of strength, provision, protection and initiative that are often associate with men?
What is the appropriate way to celebrate masculinity? Is the answer really beef jerky flowers in a beer mug? Or, perhaps the better question might be, is masculinity even considered a positive trait in today's politically correct climate? Isn't it true that masculinity in general, and the masculine role in particular, have been disparaged in western society? Even acknowledging these as masculine traits can cause offense to some, as though such a thing somehow makes women less equal.
But here's the thing: God does not intend for our lives to be a competition. Rather, we are here to learn to love and appreciate one another. And that means both acknowledging and celebrating our differences.
Find a way to celebrate your man for the role of he plays in your life. It can be anything, even beef jerky flowers, if the message is that you are celebrating him for being him.
"This is my commandment: Love each other in the same way I have loved you" (John 15:12, NLT).