You know the global Christian landscape as well as I do: It is overwhelmingly and richly populated
with faithful women of all ages. Who has not seen that men are far fewer and often very late at sitting down at God's banquet supper in the Kingdom of God? Now picture the global Muslim landscape: overwhelmingly and richly populated with devout men of all ages praying daily in the mosque.
Now ask yourself: why are 90% of Muslim worshippers men, while some 80% of Christians in, say, China are women; or again, an estimated 70% of boys raised in the North American churches will abandon Christianity? It would seem the worlds largest religion (Christianity) is increasingly more female, while the world's second largest religion (Islam) is over is overwhelmingly male.
Men in the kingdom of God need to be discipled into responsibility or they “walk off the reservation” and abdicate one duty after another. It is very unhealthy, as I see it, for Christian men to sit in pews as spectators, watching the more willing gender as they volunteer. (Benjamin Hegeman)
Have done with lesser things
Give hear and mind and soul an strength
To serve the King of kings
I sought for a man among them, that should stand in the gap before me for the land, that I should not destroy it; but I found none. (Ezekiel 22:30)
He rebuked the church at Laodicea for doing all they could. (Revelation 3:15-17)
In the parable of the talents (Matthew 25) one servant takes the gift given to him by his master and hid it in the ground; he did nothing with it. When the Master returned he condemns the servant, calling him a wicked, lazy servant! (Matthew 25:26). The Master of the gift has given us much, He expects us to do something!
In Luke 10, Jesus tells of a traveler who was robbed, beaten and left for dead. The Priest and Levite pased by and did nothing; fortunately for the traveler there was one man, a Samaritan, who was willing to get involved, to stand up and do the right thing. (Luke 10:31-36).
Men of Valley, this is our time to stand up and do the right thing! Do not allow evil to triumph by sitting idly on the sidelines! For the sake of our own spiritual, well-being and for the sake of those who follow behind us, let's get in the game!
In the words of my friend Benjamin: I am not so alarmed for my ‘sisters’ in Christ; they seem to seek help, volunteer, share and serve almost instinctively. They get it. As I see it, men don’t. They need to be discipled into becoming strong men of conviction.
The Church for you doth wait
Her strength unequal to her task
Rise up, and make her great!