October 2008
Understanding Men by David Murrow 
(excerpts from the book "Why Men Hate Going to Church")
Teaching and the Masculine Spirit - Part 1
There's a lot of teaching going on in church, but not much learning. Men realize this. It's one reason men feel church is a futile endeavor. If we are going to reach men with the gospel, we must be more effective in how we communicate. If you teach men, here are some great ways to bring the masculine spirit to your teaching.
Let Men Learn Through Personal Discovery
Why did Jesus ask Peter to step out of the boat and walk on water? Peter had heard Jesus' teaching on faith. But that stormy evening, Peter personally discovered what faith really was. When teaching men, ask them great questions; don't just give them the answers. Let men discover truth for themselves. Make men think! Like toddlers, men want to do it themselves.
Let Men Learn by Hands-On Experience
This advice goes for women as well. You learn cooking by cooking, to play guitar by playing guitar. Use active learning techniques whenever poosible. Put something in men's hands. Use props, scents, visual aids, anything that helps men experience the lesson. Why do major corporations spend millions to send their mostly male executives to play team-building games or walk across hot coals? There are certain leassons a man cannot learn from a lecture or book. Men are changed by personal experiences.
Let Men Learn Through Object Lessons
Try this: after church next Sunday, ask a man what the sermon was about. Then ask him what the children's sermon was about. Typically, he will remember the latter more easily than the former. Why? Children's sermons are brief, less verbal, and built around an object. Teachers, if you want to reach men, take note. Jesus' most powerful messages were His parables: brief, punchy, and built around a little story or an object at hand - lessons that survive to this day because men remembered them.
Teachers, there's no excuse. C'mon, you're creative. Thnk outside the box! Object lessons are readily available in books and on the Internet. In my opinion, you should never teach men without at least one object lesson, unless you're content to have your words forgotten.
Let Men be Real, Not Religious
When a man walks into church, he may feel like Tom Sawyer in Aunt Polly's parlor. He must watch his language, mind his manners, and be extrapolite. But if church was a place where men could be real and not religious, you'd see a lot more of them. One of the best ways to foster this environment is to...
Let Men Ask Questions and Challenge the Party Line
Some Christians feel we offend God with honest questions that challenge widely held beliefs. Yet Jesus did this all the time. He often taught, "You have heard it said...but I say to you..." Whenever the disciples heard this, their ears perked up because another sacred cow was about to be slaughtered! Let men ask tough questions, especially those that challenge the accepted wisdom.
Next month we'll cover how to meet men's needs in teaching.
Read the other articles in this issue:
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