Where are the men?

                                                                           
The numbers are staggering!
Out of all the people who attend church, the percentage of those attending who are men is something like 32%.  Or is it 45%?  Other sources show the percentage to be closer to only 29% of congregations are men.  No matter what numbers you use, all it takes is a closer look within your own church to see that the women out number the men.  Sometimes by a two to one ratio!

Teen girls seem to out number the teen boys by the same ratio!

Why are men and boys not going to church?
The answer is pretty obvious.  You will find books and books with plenty of explanations.  They all have a solution to the problem.

Look at these numbers...
58% of men who claim to be Christians say the number one reason they don't attend church is because the music is too mushy feeling.  Too happy-clappy!
16% of teen boys say they don't understand a word the pastor is saying.
41% of men say that "fellowship" just isn't there cup o' tea!
74% of men ages 21-35, say that there are not enough single women in church.
43% of men ages 36-55, say there are single women but that they all come with baggage. (kids, divorce, anger towards men, etc)
But here is the kicker...
89% of all men regardless of age say that the message being preached is too much geared towards women.  It is too much of "story telling" and not enough of biblical truths being preached!

When a man is confronted with the truth of God's Holy Word, he will respond.  If all he is hearing is a feel-good story, he will just think it is nothing more than watching a soap-opera!  He would rather stay home and watch the football game.

77% of college students never step foot in a church again after leaving home.
Why?  Most likely it is because they have never been told the real reason WHY they should be a Christian.  They have heard years and years of stories but have never been told the real reason they need to put their trust and faith in Jesus.
What does it mean to "BE" the church?

I dare you to ask any man if he feels he is a good person.  Go ahead!  Do it!
I would venture that 96% of all men will say that "yes" they are good.  Where would they get that idea?  Well, all we have to do is realize who it is that is telling them they are good.  The one telling them is the great deceiver,  his name is Satan.  You see, when preachers and pastors are not telling people the truth of God's Word, it is easy to be confused.  They hear feel good messages and they leave church feeling good about themselves.  Why go back to church the next week?  They sat through a mushy, happy clappy service and they stayed awake through the feel good stories.  Can they even imagine why they should come back for more torture?

87% of men would much rather hear the Truth spoken.  If that means stepping on their toes, then so be it.  Let's call sin what it is.  SIN!  No sugar-coating God's Word.  God HATES sin!  He HATES it!  He cannot look upon it!  Jesus cried out while on the cross -- "Why have you forsaken me?  God hates sin.  Enough with the story telling and enough with the feel good messages.

Let's tell it like it is.
If you want to go to heaven, if you sincerely want to know what it takes to go to heaven, then here is what you need to do...
1.  Put your faith and trust in Jesus.  Believe in Him.  Not just an intellectual belief, but a belief that is filled with action.
2.  Repent of your sins.  Without repentance there is no salvation.  Why is this part of the message totally ignored in many of today's churches?
3.  Be obedient to His Word.  He who keeps His commands is loved by the Father.  He who does not keep His commands, the love of the Father is not in him!

It is all very easy and it is all very hard!
But it is all very necessary for us to go to heaven.  Without any of these, there is no salvation.

Have you ever told a lie?  Then you are a liar.  The bible tells us that ALL liars will have their part in the Lake of Fire.  Not just some liars, but ALL liars.  Still don't think it is necessary to repent of your sins?
Do you covet things?  1 Corinthians 6:9-10 says that no covetous person will inherit the kingdom of God.  No adulterer, no thief, no homosexual, no liar, no murderer, none of them will inherit the kingdom of God.  NONE!  Still don't feel you need to repent of your sins?

See, we all claim to be good people.  But in God's eyes, we are all wretched.  All sinners who have fallen short of the glory of God.  We all need a Savior.  Without a Savior, there is no hope of us going to heaven.  Without a Savior, there is nothing WE can do to be saved.

Why should men come to church?
Because they have offended God.  Just like the women have. Just like the kids have.  We have all sinned.  Sin is transgression of the Law.  We are all guilty!  Without repentance, we are all still under the Law and are condemned.  It is when we are saved that we are no longer under condemnation.  The Law has done its job.  It pointed us to the Savior.  It put us on our knee's before our heavenly Father crying out for forgiveness!

100% of all men are in need of a Savior and in need of forgiveness.
Why O' Pastor's and O' Preachers, are you still denying the cross of Jesus.  He died for OUR SINS!  If you don't tell people what SIN IS, then why will they cling to the cross?  Why would they even understand WHY Jesus died on the cross?

Where are the men in the church?
Where are the women in the church?
Where are the children in the church?
Where are the pastor's in the church?
Where is God in your church?

Is He hidden in some kind of soap-opera story.  Or is it all in real life, detailed, explanation of what He did for us?  He sent His Son to die for us.
Men, it is time to stand up and acknowledge our sinfulness.  It is time to humble ourselves to the Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, and begin following Him, instead of our own ways!

Where are you?
I pray that the final answer is not this...
Where are you?
Lost!  and Hell-bound.

Repent of your sins, be obedient to His Word and put your faith and trust in Jesus Christ alone to save you!  May God bless each of you today with the Truth of His Word.