LONDON – A new survey has suggested that men who go to church would like less hugging and holding hands and more singing of anthems and “proclamational” songs.
A survey of 400 readers of U.K’s Sorted, a Christian magazine for men, found that 60 percent of men did not like flowers and embroidered banners in church. Around 52 percent also said they were not too keen on dancing in church either.
The survey suggested that men were uncomfortable with physical contact such as holding hands and with activities such as sitting in circles to share their feelings.
Almost 60 percent of the respondents said they enjoyed singing in church, but many added comments saying they preferred anthemic or “proclamational” songs over emotional love songs.
Sermons and talks were popular with respondents, with 72 percent saying they were the best part of the service.
Sorted editor and publisher Steve Legg noted, “Jesus recruited a bunch of 12 ordinary blokes before He began his ministry proper. They spent three years together doing stuff. He sat down and ate with them and built relationships,” according to the Daily Mail.
“The comments at the end of the survey showed that what appeals to men is doing stuff together – sports teams, fishing, pub quizzes, paint-balling, DIY projects, curry nights, bowling, clay pigeon shooting and going out for a beer.”
The survey and its results will be discussed at next week’s Christian Resources Exhibition in Sandown Park.
Legg added, “I often walk into churches and they are like Laura Ashley showrooms with all these flowers and banners and tissues. Men just don’t feel comfortable with that.
“Certainly, with the singing, I am fed up with singing these sentimental lovey dovey songs. On the football terraces we are very passionate, chanting and cheering, and we want more songs like that. We want fewer girly songs.”
from the Christian Post
Intelligent, reverent, church-y….sounds like they’re looking for TRADITIONAL Lutheran services. Go figure…
Curious thought, based in recent conversations.
Is this desire for anthems and songs of proclamation based more in a desire for an active (and therefore “manly”) faith, than a desire to rejoice in a God who allows, and invites us to depend on Him? Or songs that admit our brokenness, and confess our need for Christ.
I think we have to be very very careful of a theology of glory creeping in under the edge of the tent here.
Often time, when secular or immature people are quoted by Church growth experts, us who are more… immune… to popularist agenda tend to dismiss the thoughts. So why would we choose the populist explanation of this survey? We don’t let them get away with surveys that talk of abandoning the liturgy, why should we get away with defining our mode and method as right, based on similar “proof”"
If these songs expressed our need for God as a fact, that would be one thing, but instead the songs seem designed to create a certain emotional state. They are more centered on our feelings about God’s glory than God’s glory itself, in my opinion.