Where Are The Men?

Where are the men? I remember a preacher asking that question once when I was much younger than I am now. I don’t remember many of the chapel speakers I heard over four years of Bible college but I do remember him and the reason I remember is because of his question—Where are the men?

His passion was that of recruiting missionaries for service with ABWE (Association of Baptists for World Evangelism). Specifically, on that day and on that particular college campus, he was looking for men—good men that would go to foreign lands and proclaim the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

I share his passion but also have another passion that I think is pretty important as well. Wow, what could be characterized as being as important as looking for men to be involved in world missions? How about Christian men acting like men instead of pansies? I’d say that is pretty important. How about those of the male gender whom also claim to be followers of Christ standing up and acting like Christ? I think that is a concern that warrants some tough talk and some tough questions, like, “Where are the men?”.

You see, I have a bone to pick with the church today and it is simply that men have been and are being allowed to act like less then men and no one calls them on it. I think there is a great need in our churches for men who have not been emasculated by the feminine dominated culture of our time and our churches to stand up and take charge. It is high time, our little boys and young men see our churches led, not by effeminate, limp-wristed, soft males who are afraid to get their noses bloodied, their hands dirty, their clothes soiled, and their feelings bent out of shape but by men who are strong, bold, courageous, and not afraid to stand up and take charge.

The Gospel is not proclaimed well by men who are sissies. Our Savior was not and is not a sissy. On earth as in Heaven, He was and is a man’s man. He was strong, bold, purposeful and compassionate, kind, and gentle all at the same time. Unlike many of those trying to minister to men today, He could enter a man’s world because He was one. Sure, he ministered to women but He didn’t hang out with them. He was very much comfortable relating to and enjoying the company of men—rough and tough men—and I think He preferred them that way for the simple reason that He created them that way.


Moreover, having said all this, I’d like to challenge parents of boys to not emasculate them. Moms don’t treat your boys like little girls. Don’t get in the way of dad trying to make them into men. In addition, dads, you had better be busy about the business of making your boys into men. Because if you’re not, there are plenty of influential people out there who have it in for your little fellas and are already busy trying to feminize them.

I’m glad I pastor a church where being a man still counts for something and where if you don’t act like a man—the kind of man that Jesus modeled for us in the Gospels—you’re probably gonna be called on it. Oh, we have a couple who could use a shot of testosterone but for the most part if you were to come to my church and ask the question, “Where are the men?”, you wouldn’t be disappointed.