Crouch: One of the most urgent tasks for the church is the evangelism and discipleship of men

Five Questions With Bestselling Author Andy Crouch

Unwanted singleness among Christian women is becoming more and more normal in the church. Based on your journalistic work in the church, you have a 10,000-foot view that most of us don’t enjoy. Do you see any way for us to turn this ship around and rescue a generation of families that we are losing as young men wait indefinitely to get married?

This is a really tough one. I don’t honestly know how quickly the ship will turn around, as you put it, and in the meantime there are going to be a lot of tough decisions, especially for young women.

I believe in developing and supporting strong women — I’m married to an experimental physicist! But at this moment, I think one of the most urgent tasks for the church is the evangelism and discipleship of men, helping them see how Christ can use and transform their inclinations toward competition, achievement, and the protection of the vulnerable. The key to changing the current patterns is to unapologetically call men to greater risk and sacrifice, including what is in many ways the greatest risk and sacrifice a man can make, binding oneself to one woman in marriage.

Frankly, given the disparities of available men and women in the church, I don’t think many men should question whether they have a “calling” to singleness or to marriage — I think that barring clear guidance otherwise from God and your community, you should assume that you are called to marriage and fatherhood and proceed as quickly as possible in that direction. And for God’s sake, stop playing video games. Spend that time getting to know a real woman instead.

Read the rest here- http://www.boundless.org/blog/five-questions-with-bestselling-author-andy-crouch/

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