Real men don’t like worship!

I recently read an article published in a periodical of a well known Christian college that blamed the decline in attendance for men in church to the worship. Specifically worship that is too feminine or intimate for men. The article was written by a woman, I don’t know whether that is here nor there, but it is interesting that a woman came to the conclusion that intimate and personal worship is hindering men from connecting with the church.

The article specifically pointed to songs like Breathe and songs like Draw Me Close To You. Both are very popular songs in the church today, with at last count Breathe being recorded on over 100 projects, one of the best selling of these is Michael W Smiths rendition, who happens to be a man.
Let’s look at the lyric to Breathe and see if there is something inherently feminine about it.
Breathe
Maria Barnett
This is the air I breathe; this is the air I breathe
Your Holy presence, living in me

And I am desperate for you
And I’m lost without you

This is my daily bread, this is my daily bread
Your very word living in me

Not to exegete the song like you would scripture, but I will use scripture to support the song.

When I read the words ‘this is the air I breathe’, the first thing that comes to mind is ‘In Him will live and move and have our being’ (Acts 17:28)
Is a statement that describes the truth about our relationship with God, that we owe him our very existence, feminine? Or is it simply a very direct and intimate, maybe too intimate?

The chorus of the song is very simple and reminds me of the some of the writings of King David, who I’m thinking was kind of a manly man.



Psalm 42
1. As the deer pants for streams of water, so my soul pants for you, O God.
2 My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. When can I go and meet with God?
First of all I would recommend that you read the rest of this Psalm, it is so emotional, personal and so intimate. And that is what I think we are dealing with here, not that ‘worship is feminine’ but for some it is too intimate and therefore uncomfortable, therefore we should beef it up? The article actually suggested that we need more songs like ‘Onward Christian Soldiers’, nothing like bringing up images of the Crusades.
This Psalm of David’s is clear declaration of David’s desperate need and longing for God. Are we going to dismiss David as being to expressive, too intimate, find our selves repulsed by his passion, like his wife Michal did when he danced naked before the Lord in front of the people! In answering Michal’s rebuke David proclaimed ‘I will become more undignified than this.’ Okay I admit, I would generally find myself aligning with Michal and would have been exceedingly uncomfortable with David’s ‘worship style’, but the question in worship is not ‘what makes me comfortable’, the question is ‘What does God require?’ Worship that is honest, open, passionate and deeply relational?
The last stanza of the song is pretty clear, referring to Jesus being our ‘daily bread’ ‘your very word, living in me’. Need I say more?
What I think we have expressed in this song and songs like Draw Me Close to you, are modern day Psalms, people penning the thoughts, feelings and emotions that they have when they reflect on God and His splendor, His love, mercy and grace. Are we going to argue that men need this sort of expression less than women? Are we going to say that it’s okay to express emotion without restraint at a sporting event, but when we are dealing with the most profound truths in the universe we need to reel it in? I could go on but I’m probably over my space limitations already. Maybe next month?
Real men don’t like worship! NOT!!