15 of 15 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Great Book, but very similar to his last one... don't buy both., August 17, 2009
This review is from: How Women Help Men Find God (Paperback)
I read this book immediately after reading Murrow's previous book on the same topic,
Why Men Hate Going to Church.
His message was great, and I recommend it to every believer. You can read the other glowing reviews as to why.
But let me add one recommendation:
You do not need to by BOTH books. 75% (or more) of the content of How Women Help Men Find God is a repeat of the information already presented in Why Men Hate Going To Church. There are a few additional tidbits that would be practical for an individual woman to help the men in her life find God, so if that is you, buy THAT one instead.
I would encourage you to thoughtfully read what David Murrow has to say, but only buy one book or the other, not both!
Help other customers find the most helpful reviews
Was this review helpful to you? Yes
No
14 of 15 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
"Church versus man" and how women can help in the battle, July 14, 2008
This review is from: How Women Help Men Find God (Paperback)
David Murrow first entered the evangelical publishing world with his bestselling book WHY MEN HATE GOING TO CHURCH, which resonated strongly with men and women alike. In this follow-up, HOW WOMEN HELP MEN FIND GOD, Murrow once again writes with wit, style and great wisdom on matters of faith both in general and in particular, and how men view God and the church.
Murrow's spiritual insight into the reasons why men defer (and detest) the modern church scene will astound and surprise women. It will also allow Christian women room for thoughtful consideration on how they impact those men in their lives who they long to see come into a meaningful personal relationship with Christ and grow strong in their day-to-day faith journey.
In this excellent resource, women will discover how church culture is in direct opposition to man culture. In Murrow's words, it's the "church versus man" concept by its very form and style. He is well aware that all too many believing women pray for their men, invest in their sons' lives, serve as witnesses to neighbors and colleagues, only to have their words fall flat or incite little difference into these males' spirituality. What's a woman to do? Murrow unveils how men think and how to effectively tailor church, worship, praying, service, even the church aesthetics, to be more favorable to getting and keeping men engaged.
First off, Murrow tells females that, yes, today's church is losing steam and its men. Even though the upper echelon of leadership is mostly male, between 60 and 70 percent of the typical worship service is female. Sadly, no other religion suffers this huge gender gap as does Christianity. And it's not that men don't believe --- polls show that 90% of men believe in God and five out of six call themselves Christians (while only two of the six attend a church service). So the disjunct must be addressed, and fast, while there's still enough time and men interested in investing in the church at large.
Interestingly, what men hear from the pulpit can edge them toward the exit. Consider how pastors preach on Jesus being loving, tender, gentle and compassionate. Rarely do Christians hear of Jesus being frightening, commanding, stern or zealous. So even though men fill the pulpit, they preach to the females in far greater proportion --- which leads to Murrow's observation of why men are uncomfortable at church.
* Jesus' most famous teachings are the softest ones.
* The doctrine of grace is harder for men to swallow.
* As a congregation matures, masculine values are pushed aside.
* Historically, the church marginalizes laymen.
* The Victorian Era brought an explosion of femininity to the church.
* Western thought has assigned religion to the realm of feelings.
Every one of Murrow's premises rings true, which may leave women discouraged. What can they do to effect change in their own local church? Lots, says Murrow, and he offers women step-by-step suggestions for jump-starting the man-inviting changes to take place at their current house of worship. Thorough and engaging, Murrow has developed another fine resource that will find its way into the hearts and hands of men and women alike (and to the gratitude of them both).
--- Reviewed by Michele Howe
Help other customers find the most helpful reviews
Was this review helpful to you? Yes
No
10 of 12 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Do you REALLY want him to find God?, July 8, 2008
This review is from: How Women Help Men Find God (Paperback)
This book will probably step on a few toes, but that's ok. If you've been unsuccessfully trying to get an important male in your life to go to church or to come to Christ, you'll probably figure out why after reading this. I ran several things by my husband and he said, "That's exactly how I feel!" many times. Has humor and compassion, but you have to ask yourself are you really willing to make the changes in yourself and help make changes in your church (or even change churches) to bring him to Christ? Or are you just going to keep plugging along unsuccessfully "praying" he'll come?
Also very good for mothers of young boys and teens who are concerned about making sure they stay in church and close to God after they are no longer under your roof.
Help other customers find the most helpful reviews
Was this review helpful to you? Yes
No
