Special football-themed services have been the cornerstone of one church's attempt to get more men in the pews. Watch video
EAST ORANGE -- An unbelievable Hail Mary in last month's playoffs may not have gotten the Cardinals or Packers into the Super Bowl, but according to one New Jersey reverend, football is getting men into church.
For the past ten years, New Hope Baptist Church in East Orange has been capitalizing on Super Bowl fever to redefine what the "NFL" could mean to its male parishioners.
The annual "New Found Life" service this past Sunday had a football theme that any Super Bowl party would envy - complete with a choir decked out in jerseys, deacons playing referees, and a teen dance ministry performing faith-themed football cheers. So far, the pigskin services, which launched in 2006 after church officials noticed a discrepancy between the numbers of women and men who attended church services, are working, church officials say.
"Our church continues to see an increase in the number of men who attend services and participate in the church's various activities," Rev. Dwight D. Gill, pastor of New Hope Baptist Church, said in a statement about the event's anniversary. In addition to the service, which happened one Sunday before the Panthers and Broncos are set to face off in Super Bowl 50, the church has also added hands-on service projects aimed at appealing to men's interests, skills, and hobbies.
According to Duke University's National Congregations Study, about 60 percent of churchgoers nationwide are women. A Pew research study found that women are more likely than men to take part in prayer, meditation, and most other religious practices.
But New Hope, Gill said, has been steadily closing its gender gap over the past decade, and increasing its male membership.
"It's all about communicating with men in a way they understand, but with a spiritual emphasis," he said.
The services give the new members "the opportunity to listen and learn how spirituality can play a key role in helping them with their daily challenges and responsibilities."
This year's service included keynote speaker Lonnie Allgood, a retired wide receiver who played for the Cincinnati Bengals and the Buffalo Bills before retiring, and forming "Dreams for Kids," a nonprofit aimed at helping young people reach their goals.
Dozens of football fans and worshippers gathered in the East Orange church Sunday to hear Allgood speak, and to get off of the spiritual sidelines.
Statistics in New Jersey are still skewed toward women worshippers. But, Gill, who called the service "innovative," said it's one of many ways churches can reach out to men in their congregations.
"(It's) now very popular and successful."
Jessica Mazzola may be reached at jmazzola@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @JessMazzola. Find NJ.com on Facebook.