The Blues Brothers, Jesus, and Why Men Hate Going to Church

In the 1980 movie The Blue Brothers, Jake and Elwood Blues (played by John Belushi and Dan Akroyd), are released from prison and find out that the home they were raised in (run by Catholic nuns) is destined to close in 11 days unless $5,000 is raised to keep it open. The brothers decide to reunite their old blues band and play a few gigs to try and raise the money. What’s their sales pitch to their fellow band members?

“We’re on a mission from God.”

What motivates people and keeps them focused? A clear mission. Not just a mission related to solving injustice or doing good, but rather a divine mission. A mission that is grander than any of our human capabilities.

Jesus declared his mission early on in the gospel of Mark, “The time is fulfilled, the kingdom of God is near, repent and believe the good news.” [Mark 1:15] This mission is what the disciples lived and died for. According to church history, the apostle Andrew “told his accusers that he would not have preached the glory of the cross had he feared to die on it.” [Foxe’s Book of Martyrs, pg. 8]

David Murrow, in his book Why Men Hate Going to Church, insightfully points out that one of the reasons men are turned off by church is because most of the images and references in worship resonate with feminine qualities: loving, nurturing, songs with lyrics describing a desperate yearning for God’s embrace, to be touched by God and held in his arms. I mean- how many worship songs can you think of that describe cosmic battles with eternal consequences?

Granted, men need to realize their spiritual brokenness in the face of a holy God. But let’s face it, men aren’t typically motivated to action by word pictures revolving around the all too common “Jesus is my girlfriend” motif.

Typically, men get more excited when they sense that there is a battle they can engage in. Where’s the fight? Where’s the “mission impossible”? Let me get my armor on; let’s go on an adventure; let’s go and see if we can accomplish this task together- as a band of brothers. There’s nothing shameful about God winning battles: we know he wins the war with Satan in the end! Men- let’s engage in God’s mission- to see Christ preached to the ends of the earth. Engage with all your heart, mind, soul and strength!