We live in a culture that celebrates femininity and criticizes manliness.

If you need proof, look no further than the drastic increase in popularity of cats over dogs.*

Cats, for the sake of argument, are the model of femininity. Soft. Dignified. They purr when you cuddle them. They keep their bathrooms neat. They plot against you if you ignore them for too long.

Dogs, specifically puppies, are the epitome of maleness. They’re full of energy and often fail to direct it appropriately. They pee on the floor and slobber all over things they want. They’re loyal and will sacrifice anything for you. I’ve never heard of a guard cat.**

Women are refined, emotionally superior, and elegant. There’s probably a reason we call some men ‘dogs.’

The differences between men and women are fodder for numerous sermon jokes, but it’s simply true. Men and women are different. That’s why the jokes are funny. They’d be stupid if we didn’t all know they were accurate.

For a better anecdote, why do you think we tell men that they “need to get in touch with their feminine side” while never saying the opposite to women?

Ask a psychologist someday why she doesn’t ask women to “get in touch with their masculine side.” I’m sure she’ll appreciate the joke.

The truth is, we are different. Not better, just different.

It’s how we were created. Men and women were created to be unique, complementary beings (see Genesis 1:27). I believe it’s because the fullness of God’s characteristics can’t exist in the limited nature of a single human being. We need both men and women to fully understand God.

So why does the church follow the culture and pretend we’re all the same? More importantly, why does the American church assume we’re all women?

In a time when movies like Gladiator, Braveheart, and Saving Private Ryan are in every guy’s top 5 list – we have reduced Christianity to inspirational quotes. We’ve turned the physical presence of the Gospel, the Church, into a Lifetime version of itself.***

No wonder men don’t want anything to do with it.

It’s dull and there’s nothing for us there. We think we’ll have to sit around and get in touch with our feelings. Our experience has taught us that, if we’re to fit in, we have to act more like our wives.

We were made for more than that.

We were made for adventure.

And we kill it so early.

We expect red-blooded boys to sit still and answer questions in Sunday School given by their female Sunday School teachers. If they don’t, they’re criticized or marginalized. Their female classmates often outshine them in this setting (due to their very nature and developmental patterns). Boys grow up equating church to school without recess (so really, what’s the point?)

If the kids last, youth group gives them another shot – and it’s usually better.**** But even then we’re never taught to take chances and step out in faith. We’re often taught to toe the company line – and whatever you do, don’t have sex. You might get an STD.

The Gospel is strong. It’s a story of sacrifice. It’s a story of a man who was God giving everything and igniting a movement that would last millennia. It appeals equally to the meekest, quietest woman to the loudest, roughest man. Why can’t we tell that story? Why do we insist on teaching men to be quiet, sit still, and wait their turn?

Now I’m not suggesting men be pigs. We’re taught to love our wives (because it’s unnatural for us) and that’s what they need. In the same passage, our wives are taught to respect their husbands (because it’s unnatural for them) and that’s what we need. In order to do that we need to both rise above our tendencies and be completely submitted to Christ and to each other.

It’s just that we’re in a love dominated culture – and the Church is no different.

If men are from mars, and women are from venus – the Church’s primary language is Venutian.

And that’s too bad for a lot of guys out there.

I long to see a the American church full of men who lead. A Church full of fathers, husbands, boyfriends, and friends who love, discipline, pray, study, A Church where the good women are equalled (or even outnumbered) by the good men. A Church where we can both proudly display our gender as an example of the God who sacrificed it all for us. THE Church.

*completely made up statistic
**only a scaredy cat
***ok, so some of the Lifetime stories would be perfectly suited for the New Testament church
****unless the cheese factor is too high. I once met a youth pastor who wore nothing but orange. He collected something new and orange on every youth trip. He looked ridiculous and I wanted to be nothing like him.
*****because I don't want to plagiarize, I was heavily influenced by this excellent article. You should read it. It's better than my little rant here.
******I feel the need to say that I'm really happy to be serving the church I'm serving. Rock Bridge gets it.

I keep having this recurring daydream where the entire United States economy collapses onto itself and I can no longer afford to buy diapers.

Call it a daymare perhaps.

I know it’s based in fear. It’s certainly not based in trust and commitment to God’s goodness and love. It’s a fear that my security will be ripped from me leaving me powerless to support and care for my family.

Many of our fellow Americans are already living this nightmare.

For them, the nightmare is a reality. Everyday they must wonder how they’re going to make it to the next. Stumbling from one place to another searching for jobs…

Powerless.
Impotent.
Without hope.

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Ok. So have you ever looked back on college and laughed? I just did that. This is my Senior Research Project for my Electronic Media degree. I entitled it:

The Revolution will be visualized: a research study of media in church worship.

Although, I didn’t write well (probably still don’t), the content in there is really interesting…especially for you visual worship guys. Enjoy. (more…)

Originally posted at www.mattevans.cc

When I was in high school I worked sales at RadioShack in Xenia, Ohio. Although it wasn’t that long ago, I remember how easy it was to sell mobile phones. Very few people had them, but everyone wanted them. Fast forward a decade and I can’t find anyone without a mobile phone.

Technology in the church hasn’t been any different. I remember growing up in church using hymnals and overhead projectors. Church websites, video and lighting wasn’t even in our vocabulary, much less a church hiring a *gasp* full-time Technical Director. Why in the world would a church waste money on that? And what would he or she do for the rest of the week?! But looking at the Church in America now, it’s not uncommon at all to find churches using all sorts of technology, and (thankfully for me) it’s not uncommon to find full-time staff members devoted to managing that technology. But that question is still a good one to ask: Why spend the money on technology?

The answer is easy. Technology (specifically electronic technology) allows the Church to reach people in a way that it never could before. It gives us an opportunity and reach that don’t exist without it. Here are just a few examples:

1. Technology lets us expand geographically. We can expand geographically (through multisite) while still allowing for strong shared leadership and vision. In much the same way the early church leaders sent letters to be read aloud by the local “pastors”, we are able to send video to multiple campuses. This is a very effective way to expand the reach of God’s Word. Here’s why:

It’s economical. The cost of a portable facility is a mere fraction of what it would cost to build a larger auditorium even with the investment in technical equipment.

It’s more effective. People may drive a long way to go to church, but if they do they won’t bring their friends. Expanding geographically with technology means that we’re going to them, rather than them coming to us. Sounds kind of like the Great Commission to me.

2. Technology lets us create an environment that reaches a person holistically. I could talk for hours on this alone. Growing up, church was mostly an intellectual task. Show up. Listen. Learn. Grow. Not a bad equation to be sure, but it left something out. Where was the emotional connection? Where was the artistry that inspired me to be in awe of the God who created all? Those things were missing. Technology allows us to create an environment that allows for those things through the use of creative lighting, video elements and moving music. All of these are based in the truth of God’s Word and support the message of the weekend, but communicate that truth in new and different ways. We can take the weekly message and expand how it’s communicate much like taking an object and looking at it from a different angle. It’s the same object, but we see it in a different way. Sometimes seeing something from a different angle helps us understand it – and helps us connect with it.

But where technology is an incredible tool that can be used to expand the reach of God’s Word to be sure; its use is limited. There are things that technology can do well and things it simply cannot. Technology can’t comfort you when you’re hurting. Technology cannot hold you accountable or help you grow through a tough situation.

None of these technologies work without a physical presence. This is why we have campus pastors to love the people in a way that a video can’t. This is why we encourage people to live life in groups, not just watch the message on our podcast. Technology can present truth, but it can never LIVE truth. That’s what you’re for.

I’ve lived most of my professional career operating under the following guideline:

‘Our methods may change, but our message never will.’

It really sounds good doesn’t it? Being able to say with conviction that we’ll use exciting new methods while keeping our theological heritage intact. It’s a great way to say something we all think.

Unfortunately, that doesn’t make it true.

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