Dionne Rose, Staff ReporterFaced with the problem of the shortage of eligible bachelors to marry their young women in the congregations, church leaders are addressing the problem by engaging their young men in programmes that will encourage them to be academically inclined.
Recognising that the problem does exist where some women are forced to look outside of the pews to find their ideal mate, the church leaders are not happy with such a decision.
Dr. Aaron Dumas, psychologist and marriage counsellor at the First Baptist Church said when young women make the choice to look outside, it is "unfortunate."
"I would say to them, bring them in (into the church). There are guys who are quite willing to come in. I am not saying marry him, but I say bring him in," he advised.
He cautioned that when the marriage is unequally yoked, this could cause problems.
"I am not going to say a girl should go out there. She could be playing with fire especially when children come; they will have conflict," he warned.
But the leaders also said men in the church are now being strongly encouraged to advance themselves professionally and educationally.
They say young boys were also being nurtured to strive for excellence.
"There is a strong emphasis on education where males are being encouraged to do well. Many of the boys who do well in the CXC exams are the ones from Christian backgrounds," President of the Central Jamaica Conference, Pastor Everett Brown said.
biological clock
When the biological clock begins to tick, however, some women do become desperate and will mate with anyone to have that precious little bundle of joy to make them feel complete.
"The challenge to find a mate is a significant challenge. The fact that a woman is going to shack up with a man for this reason, the church cannot sanction that because it is dehumanising," said Pastor Donald Roberts of the New Testament Church of God on Waltham Park Road in St. Andrew.
"You might have more females than males in terms of economic and educational advancement but regarding the issue of being unequally yoked, we cannot back off on that because it is a biblical instruction, " he said.
An individual decision
Pastor Brown, however, said that the decision to look outside of the church still remains an individual one.
"We would prefer that they find someone in the church. That is what we encourage. But the church would not bar that person from the church, " he said.
The church leaders however revealed that the issue is being addressed by the church.
"What the church is doing is making it more male friendly. And part of the answer to this problem is to influence more men to come to church," he said.
