HOSPITAL, LIBRARY, LADIES UNDERWEAR SHOP - I'LL GO ANYWHERE BUT CHURCH, SAYS THE BRITISH MALE

(ESHER, SURREY -- 10.5.10) -- A LADIES UNDERWEAR shop, a library, a council office, even a hospital - it seems the average British male would prefer to be anywhere but in church.

A new survey conducted for Sorted magazine and Christian Vision for Men (CVM), released at this week's International Christian Resources Exhibition (opens tomorrow 10am at Sandown Park Exhibition Centre, Esher until Fri 14 May), discovered that, although most men have visited a church within the past couple of years, mainly for events like weddings and funerals, it’s not a place in which they feel comfortable. Indeed, more would rather be in a ladies underwear shop.

Two out of three confessed to feeling ill at ease in a pew, while only one in two said the same of a ladies underwear shop.

Most off-putting are the hymns. Sixty-seven per cent say they do not feel comfortable singing in church. Almost eight out of 10 are happy to croon in the shower while 53 per cent chant cheerily at football matches. But just one in three will willingly open a hymn book at a religious service.

The biggest challenge is making church accessible to young men. The survey reveals that nearly six in 10 do not consider themselves to be Christians - compared with just one in four of those aged 55-64, and one in six of those 65 or older.

'Jesus was a radical on a mission. Ordinary blokes - real men's men - flocked to follow him and even laid down their lives for him,' said Sorted magazine founder Steve Legg. 'Somewhere along the way Church has become all about wet handshakes and weak tea. Jesus has turned into a woman with a beard. It's absolute madness and you don't have to be Columbo to figure out why the average bloke doesn't buy into it.'

Sorted magazine was launched in November 2007 as a wholesome alternative to many lads' mags. Issued every two months, it is available in major airports and hundreds of UK newsagents - sandwiched between Nuts and Loaded. Copies are given away to HM Armed Forces.

'The invitation to be transformed by the gospel of Jesus gets lost in the fabric of the UK church,' said Jonathan Sherwin of CVM. 'The medium obstructs the message and the most powerful story on earth is hidden behind flowery songs and awkward meetings.'

Men and the church will be an issue covered at this week's CRE. Under the title "Reading the Bible – the dangerous book for blokes", author Dave Hopwood will explain how much of the Bible is the account of flawed humans muddling along, doing their best to follow God.

'Sometimes they are doing their worst, too – as we all do,' says Hopwood.

All available floor space at CRE has been snapped up by more than 400 exhibitors. Some 13,000 visitors, representing all leading denominations, are expected over the event’s four days.  

* Issued for the Christian Resources Exhibition by Stephen Goddard Associates. Contact Stephen Goddard 01744 733898 or 07930198209.

NOTES FOR EDITORS

* Survey carried out by Christian Research

* 1000 online interviews were conducted by Research Now with a nationally representative sample of men between 9-14th Apr 2010