The Need
We were all created with needs that are met through close, healthy relationships with God and with others.
Men have a need to find value and worth, but too often find themselves performing for approval.
Men have a need for connection, to share their lives with others, but too often are trapped in friendless isolation.
Men have a need to live with purpose, but too often are consumed with addiction trying to deal with the pain.
Most violent crimes are committed by men to men. Men are three times more likely than women to commit a violent act. Consequently, 93% of the prison population is male.
The latest research from the Barna Group revealed that 33% of adults who have been married have experienced at least one divorce, the same rate as those identifying as born-again Christians.
The U.S. Census Bureau has revealed that women account for over 83% of all single parent households.
The National Association on Mental Health has found women experience twice the rate of depression as men, regardless of race or ethnic background. GIven the load they often carry, this is understandable.
The U. S. Census Bureau discovered that over 17 million
children (approximately 1 in 4) are growing up without their biological father. A study by the Center for Disease Control
has determined that 85% of all children exhibiting behavioral disorders come from fatherless homes.
The National Principals Association, in their report on the state of highschools revealed that 71% of high school dropouts come from fatherless homes.
The U. S. Department of Health and Human Services revealed that 63% of youth suicides happen in the
context of fatherless homes.
SOMETHING IS BROKEN
Fear, shame, and guilt are not working.
ARE MEN TO BLAME?
Answers are not found in asking “Who’s to blame?”, but rather, “Who needs help?”
ARE MEN MORE IMPORTANT THAN WOMEN?
- Answers are not found in competition. Men and women have different roles, but equal value in God’s plan for the family.
- Men may often be the last piece in the puzzle of returning to an intact family, but ultimately answers are not found in focusing on men, on women, but on God and His plan for our families and lives.
