wfn.org | General Conference authorizes study of United Methodist men

["NewsDesk" <NewsDesk@UMCOM.ORG>]

May 5, 2004 GC04-076

By Melissa Lauber* 

PITTSBURGH (UMNS) - The mystery of why men are missing from United Methodist
pews may soon be unlocked.

On May 5, General Conference delegates voted 469-443 to allocate $35,961 to
implement a 2005-08 study on men across the denomination. The request for
funds will be reviewed by the Council on Finance and Administration. That
fiscal agency will present its budget recommendations for all general church
funds to the May 8 closing plenary session for final action. 

The study will be implemented by the Commission on United Methodist Men and
the research arm of the General Council on Ministries (or its equivalent
structure).

According to Bill Smith, a delegate from South Carolina, research shows that
when a man is the first one in a family to come to Christ, the family follows
him 93 percent of the time, compared to 17 percent when children are the
first to attend and 27 percent for women.

"We need to find out why," Smith said.

The men's commission reports that studies by researcher George Barna have
found that women are 54 percent more likely than men to be lay leaders, 54
percent more likely to be in a small ministry groups and 39 percent more
likely to have personal devotional time.

The study will enable the commission to "develop effective resources, respond
to current needs, challenge long-held assumptions and develop effective
strategies" for reaching men. The study committee will report its findings to
the 2008 General Conference.

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*Lauber is a news writer for United Methodist News Service.

News media contact: (412) 325-6080 during General Conference, April 27-May 7.
After May 10: (615) 742-5470. 

 
 

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United Methodist News Service
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