Church Talk Makes Men Walk: What the Research Shows and What to Do

by Woody L. Davis, George G. Hunter III (Foreword by)

Overview

The mystery of the missing men can be answered in one sentence: The church has forgotten how to speak to men. While the church's language has excluded women in its use of nouns and pronouns, it has excluded men in everything else. Its content, character, and construction say, "You don't belong here." Church Talk Makes Men Walk: - Corrects the myth that men are innately non-religious or non-spiritual; - Demonstrates how the culture increasingly reflected in church talk has filtered action-oriented people out of the church in favor of relationally orientated ones; - Demonstrates that the same factors that have driven most men from the church have also driven like-minded women away; - Provides research-based and theologically informed solutions to the problem of the missing action-oriented men and women. Chapters presenting well-documented social science research alternate with chapters presenting practical steps that answer the question, "So what should the church do?" Written in a conversational, humorous, and sometimes confessional style, Church Talk bridges the gap between the academy and the local church. It shows how language that is inclusive of both women and men, relational and action-oriented, can create a church that is once again gender-balanced and missional.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781532602986
Publisher:	Wipf & Stock Publishers
Publication date:	07/13/2017
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	306
File size:	15 MB
Note:	This product may take a few minutes to download.

About the Author

Woody L. Davis writes as a communication scholar who has used both qualitative and quantitative methods to study the problem of the missing men for over thirty years. He is an ordained pastor who has evangelized and mentored men of all ages, served as a denominational leader and trainer of church leadership teams in evangelism and congregational development, and as a seminary professor of church leadership.


Woody L. Davis writes as a communication scholar who has used both qualitative and quantitative methods to study the problem of the missing men for over thirty years. He is an ordained pastor who has evangelized and mentored men of all ages, served as a denominational leader and trainer of church leadership teams in evangelism and congregational development, and as a seminary professor of church leadership.

Table of Contents

List of Images vii

List of Tables viii

List of Figures x

Permissions xiii

Foreword George G. Hunter, III xv

Preface xvii

1 The Missing Men 1

2 So What Should We Do? 20

3 The Words We Use 40

4 What Should We Do about the Words We Use? 68

5 The Topics We Choose 84

6 So What Do We Do about the Topics We Choose? 106

7 How We Talk 135

8 So Now What Do We Do? 160

9 Where Do We Go from Here? 179

Appendix A Research on Gender across the Cultures 211

Appendix B Perceptions of Christians 214

Appendix C Gender Schemas and Self-Schemas 228

Appendix D Detailed Comparison of Values Sought in Pastors vs. Industry Leaders 249

Appendix E Men, Gender Schemas and Responses to Christian Messages 251

Appendix F Responses of Men and Women to Masculine and Feminine Christian Message 266

Bibliography 271

Subject Index 281

Scripture Index 285

What People are Saying About This

From the Publisher

“It has been become a maxim that when the men of the house take the initiative in church attendance the family almost always worships together. That alone should underscore the importance of this remarkably researched and well-written book.”

—Robert G. Tuttle, Jr., emeritus professor of World Christianity, Asbury Theological Seminary



“Words matter. This entertaining and well-written book shows us how to involve more men and boys in our churches simply by changing the words we use.”

—David Murrow, director, Church for Men, author of Why Men Hate Going to Church

Editorial Reviews

It has been become a maxim that when the men of the house take the initiative in church attendance the family almost always worships together. That alone should underscore the importance of this remarkably researched and well-written book.”

—Robert G. Tuttle, Jr., emeritus professor of World Christianity, Asbury Theological Seminary



“Words matter. This entertaining and well-written book shows us how to involve more men and boys in our churches simply by changing the words we use.”

—David Murrow, director, Church for Men, author of Why Men Hate Going to Church

From the Publisher