Excuse me, but is anyone out there even attempting to outreach to men?

Captain Sensible writes: I know, it's a novel idea, right? Outreaching to men? Who'd have thought of it?
At this Christmas time, it's great to put on family carol services, nativity productions and Christingle services. And there are lots of fantastic children's ministries and mother and toddler groups that are open to the community and run throughout the year that attract -- well, mothers and children.
But aren't we missing something here?
Something like...testosterone?
Aside from the occasional "men's breakfast" -- usually run at some ungodly hour by a stern-looking, retired businessman -- is anyone even trying to bring more men into our churches? I mean, it's not like our churches are exactly groaning under the weight of biceps and triceps, now is it?
Well, I am sure there are more, but there is one church in particular, that I personally am aware of, that is attempting to address this.
Watford Community Church, situated just north of London, took a radical step this year.
It was decided that with a community surrounding it that didn't know the Lord, it was inexcusable to sit around drinking tea and being awfully nice to each other week after week, instead of reaching out to the lost, living just outside of their own front doors.
So the brave step was taken to disband all homegroups, or LifeGroups as they call them, and instead create interest-based groups, which actually take the congregation out into the community.
Currently, the programme includes a sports night, where men from the church engage in a variety of sports that bring them into contact with non church-based teams and individuals; a Munch-a-Movie night, where members are encouraged to invite a not-yet Christian friend along to watch a popular film and then discuss it afterwards; a pub quiz, where a team hosts a weekly quiz in a local pub in an attempt to build friendships; and the Street Angels ministry, overseen by the town centre chaplain and run in conjunction with other churches in the area and with the support of the local Police, where teams wearing branded visibility jackets walk the streets on a Friday or Saturday night and are available to the young people that flock to the town's pubs and clubs, whether just to have a chat, ensure people get home safely if they are a bit worse for wear, or of course answer any questions about what the Street Angels are doing and why they are doing it -- especially at 3am on a Sunday morning.
All of these have one major factor in common: They are bringing the congregation into contact with men that would have big problems with stepping inside a church.
How we have allowed the situation to develop where men are so lacking in our churches is a complex one.
Over-emphasis on the traditionally feminine traits such as gentleness, empathy and compassion, and not enough on the traditionally male ones such as leadership, boldness and courage might have something to do with it.
And is it any wonder we struggle to make an impact into society when the Body of Christ is trying to operate without the strengths that a full component of men would bring to it?
Sadly, all too often, the young single men of the church in their 20s and 30s are not involved in any form of outreach to their peers. (Another bonus for the enemy that comes with promoting protracted singleness amongst Christians?)
Instead they appear to be highly self-involved, spending far too long at their computers doing who knows what, and trying to stave off the loneliness that comes with being single by surrounding themselves with legions of female "friends".
It's surely not an accident that God drives home the message in Scripture that it is "not good for man to be alone" and that "he who finds a wife finds and good thing, and receives favour from the Lord."
Maybe the New Year will give us the opportunity to challenge our church leaders about this very issue -- and for all of us, male and female, to be willing to give up our time to invest in it.
Reports from Watford Community Church seem to indicate something is happening.
One female Street Angel was heard to remark recently: "Why is it always the guys that come up to us? I would really like to minister to a woman!"
I firmly believe a harvest of men is out there, ripe for the picking.
But is anyone willing to bring it in?