It would be very easy to just fall back on the stereotypical answers. But I don’t want to do that, because getting men more involved goes beyond just having food and focusing on manly activities. That thinking is temporary, and while it may get men to show up to an event, it does not deepen their commitment or move them to get more involved.
Over the years, studies have shown that churches have more women attending and taking part than men. In every church I have ever attended, this trend has remained consistent. A logical question is – where are the men and what is it going to take to encourage more men to be involved in the life of the church?
It would be very easy to just fall back on the stereotypical answers. But I don’t want to do that, because getting men more involved goes beyond just having food and focusing on manly activities. That thinking is temporary, and while it may get men to show up to an event, it does not deepen their commitment or move them to get more involved.
The involvement of men in the church is really a heart issue. You solve that problem, and you solve the rest.
Jesus said in Matthew 6:21, where your heart is there your treasure will be. While he was using this analogy to talk about money, the principle applies to getting men involved in the life of a church. You must capture their hearts and when you do, they will become more engaged in church life.
The question becomes, how do you capture the heart of men? What are some things that will draw men to the church, keep them coming back, and ultimately get involved? As I thought about this, I came up with four key things that will help your church accomplish this.
Here then, are four things that will help capture the heart of a man, and lead him to become more involved.
1. They Must Connect with the Purpose and Vision of the Church
For men to be committed to a church, they must connect with the purpose and vision of that church. If they don’t like the direction it is going, they will either leave, their attendance will be sporadic, or they will come but won’t do anything beyond that. This in no way implies that you change your vision to suit men, because your vision should be in alignment with God’s purpose for your church. However, as a leader, it is important to articulate that vision clearly, so people know the goal and focus of the church.
When men connect with the vision, it will become easier for them to get involved. You won’t have to force them because you will have already won them over. On the flip side, if the church feels like it is wandering with no direction, it will be difficult for men – or anyone – to support that church.
To draw men in and have them get involved, you must clearly communicate the vision and purpose of the church. If they agree with it and buy into it, they will get involved. If they don’t, there is not really anything you can do to get men involved.
2. They Must Feel a Sense of Belonging
Men also connect to a church when they feel like they are part of something. Everyone wants to feel like they belong somewhere. When people have that sense of belonging, they think about their church in ownership terms. They will refer to the church as my church. When that happens, this sense of belonging becomes a standard of pride and ownership. As you know, people treat the things they own differently than the things they don’t. A sense of ownership will automatically include participation because you want what you own to be seen in the best light. If you can get men to feel as if the church is their church, then getting them to take part will be much easier.
3. You Must Allow Them to Develop and Use Their Gifts
I sincerely believe that everyone who becomes part of a church has something to offer that church. Your job as a leader is to find out what those gifts, talents, and passions are. I have yet to meet someone who does not have some area of interest or expertise that they are excited about and, if given the opportunity, would use their gift or talent to benefit the church. As a leader, you need to identify those gifts and find ways for people to use them. This is another way of building ownership in the heart of men.
I have a friend who was a young believer when he started attending church. It just so happened that he was also an incredible bass player. He had never attended church consistently, but he discovered the church needed a bass player and he offered to help. He was excited to use his talent for the Lord and instantly he became more committed to the church. What this also did was to allow for times of discipleship since he was a young Christian. Because of this, his family also started attending as well.
People who have gifts and talents they are passionate about want to use them. When you have gifts, but no opportunity to use them, it can lead to frustration. That does not endear you to that church. If you want men to get more involved, find out what their gifts are and create opportunities to use them and help them grow them.
4. You Must Ensure They Are Growing in Their Relationship with Jesus
Aside from everything else, this is the most important reason men will get involved in the church's life. You can have all the sports outings you want, bring in any well-known speaker or artist, or even have food at every service. These things will not get men involved or keep them coming back. The most important thing that will keep them coming back is they must have a growing relationship with Jesus.
If their love for Christ is growing, they are going to be committed to the church and the reason why is simple. When you love Jesus, you will love what he loves. As your love for him grows, you will want to be around others who are growing in their relationship with Jesus as well. Any church that wants men to be involved must make their relationship with Jesus a top priority and focus of their ministry. After all, isn’t that why the church exists in the first place? If your church is a place of fellowship, discipleship, and worship, then stewardship, the use of your time, talent, and treasure, will follow.
Growth, Not Gimmicks
We don’t need competition gimmicks to get more men involved, even though they are a nice compliment. We don’t need tricks to get men in the building. What we need is a church that cares about the issues men face and that creates a space for them to grow in their walk with Jesus. When that happens, you will not have to worry about getting men more involved.
Ultimately, the involvement of men in the church reflects their personal relationship with Jesus. When that changes, develops, and grows, then so will the involvement of men in the church. For all the years I have been in church, the thing that keeps me coming back is my love for Christ. Help men grow in their love for Jesus and you will never have to worry about involvement. As Jesus said, where your heart is there, your treasure will be.
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