The Macho Approach to Christ

Sitting at LAX on Thursday, July 24th and waiting for my flight to depart, I picked up a copy of USA Today. What quickly caught my attention was the Life Section article; "Guys Are Few In The Pews: Churches Change To Attract Men." The article by Cathy Lynn Grossman stated that churches nationwide are worried about attracting men to their services on Sundays. It seems that women outnumber men in attendance in every major Christian denomination and that they are 20% to 25% more likely to attend worship at least weekly.

In reaction to what is really not new in Christianity but has now surfaced as a new trend, is what Christianity Today calls the "evolution of the chest-thumping evangelism." This trend (yes, we see them come and go), has some evangelical churches designing and building their worship facilities with stone floors, hunter-green and amber decor and rustic-beam ceilings to woodsy scenes on church websites. No pastels. No flowers. No sweet music. No sitting with your hands-folded prayer postures in these "guy churches".

These congregations, especially across the Sun-Belt, are even holding "Beast Feasts" as ways to attract and evangelize unchurched men. The pastor of one of these churches stated: "We wanted it to feel like some guy's really, really cool home."

I put the paper down and didn't know whether I should smile, thinking of the number of Saturday Night-Live skits that could be spawned by this "new" phenomenon, or just shake my head in cynical disbelief of the "trendy shenanigans" that pass for contemporary Christianity. No wonder, I thought, that so many unbelievers and critics of evangelical Christianity roll their eyes with mocking gestures when they see religion being marketed as just another product reaching a targeted audience to increase market share.

I don't want to sound self-righteous but as a Greek Orthodox priest who comes from a 2000-year-old unbroken Christian liturgical and sacramental tradition, I cringe when I see what seems to me to be superficial "botoxed theology" lacking in the transcendent feeling and anesthetized to the full message of the gospel of Jesus Christ. It is a message that is not always comfortable or color coordinated to individual egos who have forgotten our Lord saying; "Whoever desires to come after Me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me!" Mk. 8:34. God respects our freedom of choice. That is why Jesus says: "Whoever desires." I believe the desire for God in one form or another is in every human being. Gender has nothing to do with it. I also believe that the search for God and some personal revelation of Him is the only true meaning in the life of humans. Without this heart search and revelation we live only as animals without comfort and wisdom. Life becomes futile, no matter of our station or power or birth.

Eminent scholar Joseph Campbell noted for his writings on religion and mythology states: "The problem for and the function of religion in this age is to awaken the heart. When the clergy do not or cannot awaken the heart, that tells us that they are unable to interpret the symbols through which they are supposed to enlighten and spiritually nourish their people." The psalmist cries out: "My soul longs, yes, even faints for the courts of the Lord; My heart and flesh cry out for the living God." Ps. 84:2

Trendy pastors, trendy issues, trendy marketing schemes are not new in the church. The challenges for the Christian Church, regardless of denomination is to touch the human heart and let Christ transform it through to inimitable power of the cross. The heart is the battleground of our search for God. Gender plays a very minor role in our conceits, lusts, intemperance and the like. We can be comforted in the Lord's words: "Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me." In my Father's house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to myself; that where I am, there you may be also." Jn.14:1-3

Comments

[InformedSources]

When Jesus said "Whoever desires to come after Me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me!" he was urging direct involvement and experience, not planning the launch of a "2000-year-old unbroken Christian liturgical and sacramental tradition." The Church got so bogged down in empty rituals, obscure symbols, and hairsplitting interpretation that it lost the true meaning and experience of the Divine. That's why so many in the West are so attracted to Buddhism, Tantrism, Taoism, and the like. They are based on direct personal experience rather than dogma.

[Diogenis]

You are indeed "uninformed"

[mamacat]

In the Renaissance, the Church hired painters to paint nudes on the ceilings. Maybe they should try that again?

[kanya21]

Fr. John - interesting how this "macho movement" has become so prominent in the Protestant church, but on the same note, disappointing. Media, advertising and our digital age has changed our world forever affecting not only the church but everything around us. It doesn't surprise me that these churches have turned to tactics like this to try and increase market share...whether it's to appeal to more men or some other audience. It's actually a smart strategy...but like any strategy, if you don't have the right objective from the beginning, everything falls apart.

These progressive, religious "marketers" should re-focus their energy back to something more meaningful, like teaching Christians to "search for God and some personal revelation of Him..." and to "awaken their hearts". At least then they would have their objectives in order.

I guess as Orthodox Christians, you and I are lucky....our "2000-year-old unbroken Christian liturgical and sacramental tradition" doesn't need a marketing strategy to increase it's market share. It just needs a few more focused "marketing managers of the faith" like you.

God bless.

[Prism]

Thank you, father. The Orthodox faith offers a 2000 year-old symbology that is beautiful and powerful to the faithful. The simplicity of the original message of love and respect is as beautiful and relevant as ever. Love thy neighbor as tyself is as revolutionary as it was when uttered in biblical times. Thanks for the refresher!

[Pacific231]

I read the well-meaning article and all posts to date. All I can do is suggest to those who (like me ) are long since fed up with Christianity, look into Buddhist meditation. Just try it, realize there is no "belief" involved (Buddhists do not worship the Buddha) and no need to "commit intellectual suicide."

Not intended to be a commercial for Buddhism...just the facts :-)

[wm1066]

Well check out Pure Land Buddhism in Japan, they believe that the Amida Buddha will save you if you say his name over and over in mantra form and you will be reborn in the Pure land.
Sounds alot like christianity to me!

[joebiz]

As a former Roman Catholic, and now a practicing atheist, both the Catholic and Orthodox Churches have failed to transition into the 21st century.

I have attended these feel good, "christian-lite" mega churches found in and throughout Southern California. These playgrounds for lost souls are grotesque examples of post modernism. This is what you get when you combine medieval fables with the MTV/Internet generation.

These bizarre rituals of community combine business marketing and spiritual salvation. Among some of the ways they market the services (religions is a business) is targeting a particular demographic. One such church attracts macho ex-gang members, former pimps, and prostitutes by offering a bookstore with a café, a men"s retreat, and for the kiddies, a balloon making clown.

It"s a broad example of a disgusting promotion of god with the commercially profane world popular culture. This is "savior in the collective," while the church just collects and collect.

This is what you get with the softening of the Catholic and Orthodox Churches. Boy, did I miss liturgy and mass in Latin.

If the Catholic and Orthodox churches want more men, then speak their language of courage, strength, discipline, fidelity, and so on. The messages found in most masses are about sacrifice, about turning the other cheek, about the meek, about getting beat-up and forgiving your aggressors.

Who wants to hear and or live that?

What worked in Judea 2000 years ago is no longer relevant because it make men feeble and weak.

[MajorKong]

"The messages found in most masses are about sacrifice, about turning the other cheek, about the meek, about getting beat-up and forgiving your aggressors. Who wants to hear and or live that?"

It's not what I WANT to hear, it's what Jesus SAID that matters. He never said following him would be easy.

[YouDisgustMe]

you lost me at the "some guy's really, really cool home" line.....

i mean...you never really had me per se...i'm agnostic

[OtayPanky]

Father Bakas: These congregations, especially across the Sun-Belt, are even holding "Beast Feasts" as ways to attract and evangelize unchurched men. The pastor of one of these churches stated: "We wanted it to feel like some guy's really, really cool home."

===

Thanks for sharing. That's the funniest thing I've read on PuffHo all day!

Imagine, a church holding a BEAST FEAST in "some guy's really, really cool home."

All we need to do is find us a cool BEAST (check out the number of his name) with a really cool home.

I nominate Larry Flynt.

And if he's not available, Hugh Hefner.

[dctackett]

maybe it's due more to it being a social club about a mediocre work of fiction... I sure as hell, pun intended, wouldn't waste my time hanging out at that kind of gathering. Not only is the writing a bit of a mess, but it's boring to read, contradicts itself, promotes medieval lifestyles, does little to actually help one improve one's life and one is actually threated into attendance... who needs that?

[Nishnabe]

Father Bakas, you almost had me there until you put that phrase in about the "two thousand year unbroken liturgical and sacramental tradition." I was raised Roman Catholic and we were taught you folks (Greek Orthodox) were heretics. I left the church long ago but stil hunger for something, anything, that indicates Christianity will own up to its past. Then those old liturgies and rituals really could have meaning to me and millions of other tribal people (I am American Indian) who have suffered on the cross of Christian dogma. From my perch outside Christianity, now for decades, and with degrees in religious studies (that false hope again) , what I see is different brands of soap, the same soap that washed our beautiful language off the tongues of my grandparents. "New and improved" Christianity is the same soap as the "two thousand" year old soap you are selling. Nice article though. And I leave you with the words of Chief Seattle, You "may be brothers after all," he said in reference to the looming environmental crisis he saw 160 years ago.

[dctackett]

it's quite sad, I'd rather people energize towards making THIS life better for themselves and everyone else... "but, if they just go to church..." this reality is HERE and NOW.

[ah2323]

It seems---after a look at some of the articles and materials the article refers to--that the proponents of this are assuming that all men are rednecks or mainstream meatheads with IQs hovering in the double digits.

[dctackett]

I think it's probably somewhat of an even mix... sure there are rednecks and meatheads who couldn't care less, but there's probably just as many intelligent men that think it's a bunch of BS...

[KillgoreTrout43]

Unchurched men? This implies that they were "churched," to begin with. Maybe men ARE smarter than women, if attendence at a church is any guideline.

[anon004]

"I believe the desire for God in one form or another is in every human being. Gender has nothing to do with it. I also believe that the search for God and some personal revelation of Him is the only true meaning in the life of humans. Without this heart search and revelation we live only as animals without comfort and wisdom. Life becomes futile, no matter of our station or power or birth"

After years of spiritual search, I became an atheist. Not only on an intellectual level (let's face it, biblical miracles can be tough to believe), but also on an emotional level (I found that as much as I may have wanted to believe, I just couldn't do it -- the feeling just wasn't there). I'm not a powerful person, just living my life and trying to be a good spuse, and raising my kids to the best of my ability. And I don't live my life as an animal, and I know my my life is not futile.