Just wondering...
Remind me again why churches virtually shut down over the school summer holidays? (Barring "urgent pastoral matters" and the weekly service. How good of them!)
There has got to be a good reason.
After all, the Christian faith itself is an "urgent" matter here in the UK. It's not a time to take a month or two off, is it?
Let's revisit that analogy with the terrorist threat. The situation is regarded as critical. Therefore the Police and Intelligence Service decide they are going to follow the example of school children, and give themselves a nice extended summer break?
Is the spiritual crisis affecting the UK not even more serious?
Something like 6.5% of the population only go to church.
Nearly 70% of them are women, and most of them probably fairly elderly.
The church is widely regarded as a laughing stock, or full of hypocrites or a social club for little old ladies.
So what are we doing about it?
All together now:
"We're all going on a summer holiday/No more worries for a week or two..."
(Ooops, better make that "a month or two".)
There has got to be a good reason.
After all, the Christian faith itself is an "urgent" matter here in the UK. It's not a time to take a month or two off, is it?
Let's revisit that analogy with the terrorist threat. The situation is regarded as critical. Therefore the Police and Intelligence Service decide they are going to follow the example of school children, and give themselves a nice extended summer break?
Is the spiritual crisis affecting the UK not even more serious?
Something like 6.5% of the population only go to church.
Nearly 70% of them are women, and most of them probably fairly elderly.
The church is widely regarded as a laughing stock, or full of hypocrites or a social club for little old ladies.
So what are we doing about it?
All together now:
"We're all going on a summer holiday/No more worries for a week or two..."
(Ooops, better make that "a month or two".)
posted by Captain Sensible at 11:04 AM
7 Comments:
Well, it's not exactly urgent is it?
The world doesn't give a toss.
The congregation will do as they are told.
The women that run the ministries like the fact they can stay at home with their kids.
The men don't care much either way as long as they are not asked to do anything.
And the single women...well, they can be a bit of a problem, but we've solved that by just telling them they have to be content, and they can like it or lump it.
The crucial thing is, the single women must NOT be told that there are not enough single men in the church to go around.
That way, the world tells them "oh, someone will come along soon", and in the church we'll tell them "oh, God will bring your spouse to you in his perfect time, if it's his will", so it will keep them in a state of perpetually waiting and not causing any nasty ructions.
Then, if the problematic biological clock rears its ugly head, we'll just scold them and tell them they aren't trusting God, so they will then feel bad and it will shut them up for a while longer while they ask God for forgiveness for their "sin".
Genius!
That way, we will never have to do any real work like outreaching to MEN! We can just keep things ticking over until the school holidays and half terms come around again!
And then we can retire with accolades for our "service to the community" - hehe!
This is just an observation that is anecdotal, so I guess it shouldn't be taken too seriously, but are a lot of say, mid-30s onwards women, leaving the church?
I am finding it a real struggle, to be honest, and I know my friends are too.
As has been said before, church is very pro-marriage and pro-family FOR THOSE ALREADY IN FAMILIES.
This morning, I actually left the service before the end.
Reason:
I am finding it increasingly difficult to be around heavily pregnant women, babies and young children.
In my everyday life, I rarely come into contact with them.
The workplace doesn't include them and they are not there in the places where I go out socialising.
Obviously at home it is just me (plus child substitute cat!).
So it's really only at church that it hits me hardest.
This morning, I had to leave before the service was over.
There were a couple of pregnant women around me, then the minister called a family up to the front who had just had a baby a week ago. He asked how they were and the woman said "tired" with a smile, and everyone laughed, and then we all prayed for them and for God to be with them in this time when they weren't getting much sleep etc.
Oh, and then I learnt it was to be one of those "all-age" services. It was at that point that I had to leave!
I am just not sure I can face church at the moment.
I know it's wrong of me, but are prayers ever said when a woman reaches the menopause still barren? Will the congregation be asked to pray for her in this difficult time, when she doesn't even have a husband to comfort her, and has to face a life of childlessness alone? Of course not! That is the one pain that is never, ever, acknowledged.
Instead, she is supposed to be joyfully content at all times!
Is it me, or is this a little bit, sick? A woman that is facing the most difficult, most painful time of her life, is not given any sympathy, but instead made to feel guilty about being sad, and like she has to put a smile on her face regardless of how she feels inside?
Sorry for this rambling comment. I just got home and needed to say this, but of course, there was no one to say it to!
I appreciate church because it forces me to praise God through an act of sheer will and determination, and I am glad that I was there for the worship at the beginning. Even just singing the words must be a tonic for my soul.
But pleasurable and joyful? For me at the moment, church at is anything but that. And I have a couple of friends that feel the same, one of whom has stopped going to church, but instead watches a service on TV on her own.
Anonymous - This is another unholy side effect of the "gift of singleness" nonsense.
I believe God would like to encourage you by reminding you of what He said in Genesis: God said it was not good for man to be alone and so he created a suitable helper for him and for that reason will people join together in marriage.
You don't need to convince God!
So don't let the ignorance of contemporary Christians, put you off God's house.
God understands the pains of loneliness and barrenness.
So - go and worship Him. It is a tonic for your soul, so don't let anyone or anything come between you and God's house.
(It belongs to God after all, not the minister!)
Great to see single women being courageous enough to post on here about how difficult it is to be long-term single as a Christian woman.
We should be forming local prayer groups about this issue and forming a UK-wide network. I am willing to start up a Yahoo group to this end, and also shall be talking to a friend of mine who lives in the same city as me, who having found a man is to her credit still very concerned for the church regarding this issue.
Anonymous - Well done. That sounds like a very good idea.
Good on your friend too.
But we still desperately need strong and courageous men that are willing to take a bold stance on this issue.
Where are they all?
Has the devil destroyed masculinity from the Body of Christ already?
If he has, we're going to claim it right back from him!
The devil is a thief.
Part of the remit of these local groups would be to pray for, seek out and encourage strong men to make a stance on this issue. We would probably need to pray for repentance on the part of Christian men for frankly ignoring the issues, for the fact of the matter is that they know very well that there is a lack of men.
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