According to the Centre’s director, Christian Guy: ‘For children growing up in some of the poorest parts of the country, men are rarely encountered in the home or in the classroom. This is an ignored form of deprivation that can have profoundly damaging consequences on social and mental development. There are “men deserts” in many parts of our towns and cities and we urgently need to wake up to what is going wrong.’
It’s a challenging reality. And what about our churches? Is the story any different for us, and how should we be responding? Are our children being discipled in predominantly female environments, and what does that mean for them, and the life of the Church?
Recently we (Ian White from Cliff College and Carolyn Edwards from CYM) have been talking to Childrenswork’s editor Sam Donoghue about this important issue. We have made some assumptions about a lack of men in children’s ministry based on our experience and anecdotal research, but we want to know whether they are really true. Are the men really missing from our ministry amongst children, and if so, why? If you are a man in this ministry do you feel supported or isolated? Are you a woman who is concerned that your church is not meeting all the needs of the children you are working with?
You’ll find our discussion of this significant issue in the latest issue of Childrenswork magazine . But here’s where we need your help. We’d like YOU to complete a short survey on men in children’s ministry, and join the conversation. If our suspicions are right, together we can address some of the issues and stop the rot!
Complete the survey today for a chance to win, and join in this important discussion.
Ian White is lectures on children’s and youth work at Cliff College and Carolyn Edwards is deputy director of Oxford CYM
