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July 15, 2005

www.churchformen.com

Meet our hedgehog...the heartbeat of our ministry

The hedgehog is a simple creature that does one thing very well. When attacked, it transforms itself into a spiny pincushion, making itself virtually invulnerable.

This humble creature has become an icon in the business world. The word “hedgehog” has become synonymous with “specialty.”

Wise organizations ask themselves, “What is our hedgehog?” What is the one thing we want to do well?

I received a “hedgehog check” other day from a man I respect. He said, “David, you’re pouring thousands of hours of your life into your books and ministry. What’s the one thing you’re hoping to accomplish? What is your hedgehog?”

At first it was hard to boil down the vision of Church for Men into a single sentence, but I think I’ve got it. Here’s the Church for Men hedgehog:

By the year 2050, the local church will become a place, once again, where the average guy can have a life-changing encounter with Jesus Christ.

Why is this our hedgehog? The sad truth is, today’s churches are not reaching men. Church has a reputation as a place for women, weirdoes and wimps. When irreligious men do show up, what they find in church only confirms their fears.

Church for Men is not about starting a men’s ministry, as important as that is. Our hedgehog is helping local churches transform themselves into something that men and boys find relevant, exciting and worthy of their lives.

Do you share this vision? If so, get involved. To learn how you can help, visit our join the cause page.

Get a free autographed copy of the book...

Thanks to many of you who have been praying that the message of Church for Men would reach a wider audience. Thanks to a flurry of publicity, including a June 4 feature in the New York Times, my book, Why Men Hate Going to Church advanced into Amazon.com’s top 20 Christian titles last week. This is remarkable for a three-month-old book from a first-time author. It becomes clearer each day that God wants this message out.

How to get a free, autographed copy of the book

Why Men Hate Going to Church scored a number of publicity coups this spring. In all, we were featured on more than 40 broadcast outlets around the USA. We’ve also been written up in half a dozen magazines, and the June 4 review in the New York Times was a huge publicity generator. Melissa Sturgis, a professional publicist hired by my publisher, generated many of these media hits. However, Melissa is off the payroll now, and it’s up to me to generate publicity.

Here’s how you can help: if you have connections with the media, please tell them about my book. Tell them I’m available for interviews. Send them an e-mail or give them a phone call. I’m particularly looking for interviews with:

  • Christian talk radio stations

  • Secular talk radio stations

  • Newspapers

  • On-line publications

  • Magazines

If you have any connections with these media, please pass my news release on to them. To download the release, click here. If they do an interview with me, I’ll send you an autographed copy of my book as a thank you.

Worldwide CFM Summit postponed

Many of you have inquired about the WorldWide Church for Men Summit, originally scheduled for May of 2006. The Summit is a gathering of pastors, men’s leaders, academics and concerned laymen from around the world who are dedicated to understanding and conquering the church’s gender gap.

I’ve decided to move the summit back ‘til May of 2007 for a variety of reasons. First, I’ve spoken to a number of meeting planners who thought the 2006 date was too soon. Second, the message of Church for Men hasn’t reached enough people yet. Third, we still need to make significant inroads into the academic world. Finally, evangelicals have embraced book, but the support of Catholics and mainliners has been slower in coming (these are the groups with the largest gender gaps).

I’ve also gotten advice that having the summit in Alaska may preclude attendance by some. While it’s not any more expensive to fly to Alaska than it is to travel coast-to-coast, the time involved can be a barrier (you lose a day each direction). Plus, delegates from Europe or Asia might lose even more time.

Meeting planners have suggested I choose a city in the Lower 48 states that’s near a major airport. If you have any suggestions, shoot an e-mail at the address below.

Once a new date and location has been established, I’ll alert everyone on that mailing list.

To get on the Worldwide Summit mailing list, enter your name into the newsletter subscription box titled, "Join the Church for Men mailing list," and follow the instructions.

Man-targeted churches exist!

In my last newsletter I talked about the Grove Church in Peoria, Ill. On Sept 24, we’ll re-launch this church as America’s first congregation specifically targeted at men. Or so I thought.

I’ve gotten a couple of e-mails from guys who claim they are already targeting gents. One large church in Arizona claims to have targeted men from the beginning – and has used that strategy to grow to more than 10,000 weekly attenders. Another in Hawaii says its target is the 10th grade male (as evidenced by the skateboard park in front of the sanctuary).

The common denominator of these two churches: they are growing by reaching unchurched men. I’m planning to visit the church in Arizona in October, and of course I’d love to go to Hawaii (especially in the dead of an Alaskan winter). I’ll study how they’re doing ministry and report back to you.

Are you ready to take the summit?

Does your church or denominational group have an annual men’s retreat? If so, I’ve got a question for you: if we’re the army of the Lord, why do we keep retreating?

Seriously, do your men want a high-octane alternative to the typical men’s retreat? I’m currently booking reservations for the Church for Men Summit. Your men will be encouraged, challenged and trained in how to bring a healthy masculine spirit back to the congregation.

I still have some weekends available in October, and the spring is wide open. For more information about the Church for Men Summit, click here.

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