What does it mean to be a Christian man in this new millennium? What should he look like? How has his role in the family changed? The answers to these questions have come from a rather "odd' source"
These men call themselves "Oddbods'.
They include rally driving enthusiasts and occupational health and safety experts; the young and the old; the single and the married with eight kids.
Despite their diversity they realized Christian men share common issues.
Last Saturday (3/9/05) this group of men from Toongabbie Anglican Church in Sydney's west hosted a conference aimed at equipping all Christian men to apply God's word to real life issues.
The conference dealt with a range of issues relevant to the modern man, such as family life, evangelism and dealing with anger.
Speakers included well known Sydney pastors Ray Galea and John Dickson.
The only woman to speak at the event was sexual and relationship therapist Dr. Amelia Clarke.
To her, the pressure was obvious.
"It's a little intimidating to think I'm standing up here representing all women," she said.
With her husband Greg she presented a talk looking at the age old divide between men and women.
However men looking for easy answers were warned that understanding their partners needed to become a life-time goal.
“You can't get inside a woman's head,” Dr Clarke says. “But its worth trying!”
The day also included an interview with tattooed rebel biker, ex-con and ex-drug addict Craig "Shorty' Sutton.
His testimony particularly challenged the stereotype of the conservative Christian man.
"It was as if God saving me from drugs was ok, but if I started wearing a tie and slacks, then God was really doing something great in me," he says, remarking on church culture.
How Christians respond to social outcasts was a strong theme of the day.
Kairos Prison Ministry spokesperson, John Fry, says setting up a prison outreach program challenged his preconceptions.
“I was the church organist,” he says.
“But God challenged me to take Christianity seriously.”
