Why Do Men Not Want To Go To Church PT 2

Welcome to Man Talk, brought to you by TAWCMN, talking and walking Christian men's ministry where they're devoted to breaking down the walls of race and denomination and challenging men to take their God-assigned role. Here's our hosts, Will Hardy and Roy Jones Jr., a black guy and a white guy.

And I'm Will Hardy. And my co-host, Roy Jones, couldn't be with me tonight. He's taking care of some personal matters. But we're here and we talked about on last time why men hate going to church. And we gave a bunch of reasons why men don't like going to church.

One could be the sermons are too long or announcements are too long. So we gave a lot of reasons as to why men don't go to church. And after I sat and thought about that for a while, I said, is that really a reason or is it an excuse? Because I think, you know, when we as men, we find ways to get out of things. And when it comes to the responsibility of the man, if you have fathered children and your desire is to be that role model for your children, then of course you need to take responsibility for them.

And that comes with all of the other things that surround with fatherhood. So today, when we look at the man and we look at all of the reasons or excuses, if you will, on why he doesn't want to come to church, we have to ask ourselves the question, are you willing and ready to take on that role that God has called you to become? And that's a citizen of the kingdom. That's what we are. We are warriors, not wimps. We are men who have come and through the fire and we have been tried.

And so if you want to shine as pure gold as that man, then you need to step up to the plate. So what we have now is we have men who simply don't want to take that responsibility and they don't want to be the man that God caused them to be. And that could be several reasons behind that, man. You may have come from a broken or fragmented home. It could be that you are not getting the right teaching at the fellowship that you're going, but if you're not going, then you're not even getting that fellowship. So you have to buckle down and understand that what you do and what you say is going to affect everyone around you.

Your family is going to affect your friends, coworkers, and the like. So when you stand for Jesus, anytime when you take a stand for Jesus, you're going to already be separated and ruled out of the normal crowd. So you can expect that when you give your life to Christ. Living the Christian life is not an easy life.

It's never been an easy life. And Jesus never said it would be an easy life. In fact, he said, you will suffer for my name's sake. So, and when he came, when Jesus came, he came and he said in Matthew chapter 10 verses 34 through 38 that he comes, he came to the earth not bringing peace, but he said, I'm bringing a sword. And see the sword is the word of God. And so the word of God is what he said later in those verses that will turn man against his father. It will turn the daughter against her mother and the daughter-in-law against the mother-in-law. And a man's enemies will be those of his own household.

So did you hear that? So if, if you are not serving God in the capacity in which you call, and men, if your wife is serving in a greater capacity because she's giving her life over to the Lord and letting the will of God be carried out in her life, and you are seeing this and you're not taking a stand, then the question is, is what kind of teaching, first of all, have you received? And secondly, are you, if you are getting the right teaching, have you been applying that in the correct way in which the Lord, your God, has called you? Separation of the household, anytime you talk about the word of God in any sense, especially in today's times, you're going to be signaled out and you're going to be divided. And that's what the word of God does.

It divides the truth from untruth. So when we come to the word of God and we look inside the word of God, we yield to the Holy Spirit of God. The Holy Spirit begins to teach us what we need to know concerning our lives and how we should present ourselves out in the public arena, out in our local churches and in our work environment so that people can see Jesus Christ in us because it's not, not about us.

It's about Christ. And so when we, when you come to God, you have to understand that God is not like your average Joe. That sometime I think that's how we treat God or how we look at God.

God is the supreme sovereign being of all creation. And that means that God does what he wants, when he wants and to whomever he wants to do it to. So you have to understand, man, that you have to fear God. And in the very first proverb. It talks about in verse number seven, the fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge.

But fools despise wisdom and instruction. So it's the beginning of knowing who God is, is to fear him. So we just can't come to God any kind of way. We have to come to God in a way that is reverent to him. And when we come, we have to come in a humble fashion because God is a God of reverence. And in that same proverb, it says, if you know wisdom, if you know instruction to perceive the words of understanding, to receive the instruction of wisdom, justice, judgment and equity. See, these are all characteristics of what a man who is coming, who fears the Lord understands. And we know the Book of Proverbs contains wisdom, knowledge and instruction. But if you are wise and you attend to the things that God has called you to be, then you will hear and you will increase the word of God says in learning. So an excuse for not coming to God's house to worship him for whatever reason, you might add, oh, I don't have any clothes to put on.

God says, come as you are. Well, I don't have any transportation. Call the church and let them get a van to pick you up. You know, go with call one of the brothering, the deacons in the church for transportation. Getting to the house of God should not be an excuse for you. Well, I'll get around to it. Well, today is the day for salvation.

When you hear God's voice as you hearing my voice right now, when you hear God's voice speak to you through his word, that should be the call to prick your heart, to drive you to God and to have you view God as that one who is able to give you everything you need when you need it. And so he's he's waiting for you to do that. So excuses, what are what are some of the other excuses?

OK, excuses, reasons, you know, tic tac, one for the other. It's all the same when it comes to a man who don't want to go to church. But you have to be able to bond with people. You just can't come to the church and then expect everyone because you are you are a new beginner or haven't been in church before. They just come up to you and start greeting. Yeah, that's part of the welcoming process.

But you have to be engaging to extend your hand before they extend their hand. Little things like this will bring men to you and see as a young convert, if you're out there or even some of the seasoned guys who are thinking of excuses not to go. That only adds to one shame because we don't want to be that guy who simply comes and occupies the pew and never realize that God wants more for my life. We don't want to be that guy. We don't want to be that guy who said, you know, I could have done a little better if I had more of an opportunity. Well, you all the opportunity, all of the life that God has given you now, you have an opportunity to take that life and to let God work in and through you so that his will can be carried out. And we hear we hear things like, oh, the message is too long. You know, I'm tired. Well, if you're out on the golf course, you don't get tired of playing golf. If you're going to play those nine holes, you're going to play through those nine holes because what you're thinking about is, hey, I paid all these green fees.

I paid, you know, all these things that I'm going to take advantage of it because I paid it. And so now God wants you to give your life to him so that he can carry out his will through you so that others can see God in you. And as a result of seeing God in you, then they would want the same thing that you have within your heart. And that's Jesus Christ, Jesus. He said he is the way Jesus said he is the truth. And Jesus said he is the life and the life we live. It has to mirror what he did for us as men. Everywhere Jesus went, he bonded with people. You know, he did nothing in secret.

Everything was out in the open. And so we thank God for that. What Jesus did and for what you're going to do. We have a break coming up and when we come back, we're going to continue talking about why men don't want to go to church.

I mean, get up off your rear end now. This is this is the truth. Chuck Swindoll, Bible teacher on Insight for Living. Ours is a day marked by looking out for number one.

How do I pull it off in a dog eat dog world where the dogs win? The focus on Christ and upon the sacrifice he paid will do wonders to attack our pride. Be listening when Chuck Swindoll describes the liberating impact of a selfless spirit on Insight for Living.

Welcome back to Man Talk. And we were talking about when we went to the break, we were talking about the example that Jesus was to us and how we need to be an example to the lost. And because when you come to Christ, man, you you have a citizenship in heaven. It's just like you have a citizenship to whatever city, state, county, country that you are part of.

You have all of the rights and you have all of the privileges of that particular country, state, county and city in which you dwell. So in order for you to gain access to all of these things as a citizen of the kingdom, you have to come to Christ. But not only that, you have to know how to access these things that God wants to give to you. I'm reminded in Philippians chapter three, verses 17 through 22, the apostle Paul talking to the Philippians, he talks about, he said, brothering, join in my example. And he said, and note those who so walk as you have us for pattern. See, the the apostles, they were examples to others who saw how to live a godly life. And so as the Philippians saw an example and of the the apostles, we have to be examples to those who are still wanting to come into the kingdom.

So you can't walk any type of way, talk any type of way and do whatever it is you think you want to do. But we should be doing the things we need to do for the sake of the kingdom. And then he goes on in verse number 18. He said, for many walk of whom I have told you often, now I tell you even weeping that they are enemies of the cross of Christ. So everybody, everybody is not going to walk according to the truth. They're going to disguise themselves or they're going to do those things to keep you from going to church. And so when you see men, someone living a life that is not godly, living a life that is not holy, don't let that be an excuse for you to stay away from the church. Now notice, I didn't say reason, I said excuse because you can see a person who says, I'm this and I'm that in Jesus Christ. And all of a sudden you see them living a completely different way. And then all of a sudden you say to yourself, well, you know, that was so and so Smith.

And they told me that, you know, they were this or that inside the church. And so you see that and now you said, OK, I have a reason not to come because look at Mr. Smith over here. You know, he's not worshiping. He's not praising. He's not giving God the glory like he should give him.

So we look for excuses sometimes when I think there is none for us. So keep yourself in a position to where you can always call on God and he will hear you. And then he goes on to say, whose end is destruction, whose God is in their belly and whose glory is in their shame, who set their mind on earthly things. See, earthly versus spiritual and heavenly.

That's a direct contrast. You don't want to continue to walk the way you are walking, but you have to first get in the church so you understand what you need to do in order to walk. As the old King James Version says, circumspectly walking in a way that's pleasing to the Lord God. And then he finishes up this verse, he says, for our citizenship is in heaven and we we eagerly wait for the savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, who will transform our lowly body that it may be conform to his glorious body, according to the working by which he is able even to subdue all things unto himself. See, that's wonderful. And this confirms that we're going to have a body one day just like Jesus Christ.

Men, don't you want that body? Don't you want to be able to be a shining example to that son who's coming up and looking at dad and says, I want to be like my dad when I grow up. I want to because he was a model for me in the church. But sadly, as Roy and I have talked about in in past broadcasts that because the home is such such in a fragmented state, that men are not present to see their children grow up or to have them witness what a godly man should be, because if they're living a godly life, then they're going to be at home with their children and they're going to be instilling in them the right way. Because that that man who comes to Jesus Christ, he is the pastor of that family. He needs to be ministering to his family the way of truth. After you go to the church and you hear a a message being ministered out. It is the responsibility of that man to take that message, bring it back home, talk about it when you're in the car.

And when you get at home, talk about it some more. If the children have questions, if the wife have questions in reference to what something something that was said in the message, you as the head and leader of that home needs to be able to communicate that godly message or explanation to the family so that they will instill it. And if you don't know it, because man, I know you don't know everything.

None of us do. But go back to the pastor and find that answer of the question that that wife or that child may have asked, because we should never overlook the young and we should never overlook the eagerness that a person may have within their spirit in order to find the truth so that they communicated in a way that that God would be pleased in. Because in the end, what we have to do is we have to fulfill the Great Commission. And we know what Mark 16, 15 says, you know, go unto all the world, preach the gospel to every creature. So how can you preach the gospel, man, to every creature? And you're the pastor of your home if you're not in there to listen to what the messages that God wants to communicate through the pastor to you.

And as much as we think being a pastor myself, we are not perfect. We need prayer just like everybody else. We need the word of God just like everybody else. Someone come to us and give us a a word from the Lord.

We are open to receive it. And we in the body of Jesus Christ, there's no big eyes and there's no little use. So when Jesus said go and and preach the gospel unto every creature, that's everybody. We should we should always have a word on our lips to be able to share with someone the gospel in a very humble and loving way.

In Philippians Chapter two, verses one through four, God blessed to Paul to write these words. Therefore, if there is any consolation in Christ, oh, I love it. If any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any affection and mercy fulfill my joy by being like minded.

In other words, do the things that I have done exemplify Christ through your life. Be on one accord, he goes on to say, and be of one mind. Don't allow denominationalism to fragment you. Don't let religion fragment you, because, see, that's what religion does. It keeps you bound by whatever doctrine that man has communicated. And see, there's only one doctrine. There's the doctrine of Jesus Christ.

Any other doctrine is is the truth is not the truth. And we should shun it just because of what Jesus said. So let let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, he says.

But in lowliness of mind, let's let each one extreme the other better than themselves. Let another man praise you. Don't praise yourself. Let God work in you so that you can have that confidence. Because he said in John, this is the confidence that we have in him, that if we ask anything according to his will, he'll do it.

And so, man, he'll do that today. Just just depend on Jesus Christ, depend on his word. Let the word of God minister to you.

And there may be someone out there hurting who needs the Lord Jesus Christ in their life. Just just pray and say, God, I'm a sinner. I've forsaken you. I've done my own thing.

And I'm tired of doing my own thing because my own thing is not working anymore. So I want you to forgive me of my sins. You died on the cross. You are the one who gave your life for me. You are the one who who is all my all in all. And so I receive you in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ. So we thank God for your men and we say praise him, love him and worship and cherish him. And this is Man Talk Radio.

I'm Will Hardy and we'll see you next time. As we wrap up today's show, be assured that TAWCMM talking and walking Christian men's ministry is building a community of men that are Christ followers with the desire to be servant leaders in their homes, communities, churches and work environments. Check out our website for upcoming events and regularly scheduled meetings. Drop us a note for topics that you would like to have us visit in the future. Thank you for joining us on Man Talk today. Visit us at www.tawcmm.com. Men walking the talk.