(RNS) — The legions of dudes who crowded into the Great Southern Bank Arena in Springfield, Missouri, for the recent Stronger Men’s Conference, sponsored by a Pentecostal megachurch, were treated to a monster truck, a boxing match, pyrotechnics and a standoff between a pair of celebrity pastors.Women who attend James River Church’s women’s annual conference later this year, by contrast, will get what looks like a Holy Spirit Barbie party.
A promo for the men’s conference begins with images of a roaring motorcycle, a wrestling match and a shouting preacher pacing across the stage like a lion, urging men to get ready to fight. The promo for the women’s video begins with the image of a pink record player, followed by the voice of the late televangelist Kathryn Kuhlman, urging women to give their worship to God — then breaks to scenes of joyful women dressed in stylish pink, dancing with joy as balloons and confetti fall from the sky.
The two conferences reveal both the showmanship of charismatic megachurch worship and the rival messages given to men and women. Men are warriors filled with fire and vinegar, while women are icons of femininity — dressed to the nines and concerned with building a happy home for their husbands.
The James River Stronger Men’s Conference made national headlines recently and launched viral videos over the inclusion of an act by Alex Magala, an acrobat and sword swallower who has appeared on “America’s Got Talent” and has had a side hustle as a dancer at clubs.
Alex Magala, an acrobat and sword swallower, performs …
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A promo for the men’s conference begins with images of a roaring motorcycle, a wrestling match and a shouting preacher pacing across the stage like a lion, urging men to get ready to fight. The promo for the women’s video begins with the image of a pink record player, followed by the voice of the late televangelist Kathryn Kuhlman, urging women to give their worship to God — then breaks to scenes of joyful women dressed in stylish pink, dancing with joy as balloons and confetti fall from the sky.
The two conferences reveal both the showmanship of charismatic megachurch worship and the rival messages given to men and women. Men are warriors filled with fire and vinegar, while women are icons of femininity — dressed to the nines and concerned with building a happy home for their husbands.
The James River Stronger Men’s Conference made national headlines recently and launched viral videos over the inclusion of an act by Alex Magala, an acrobat and sword swallower who has appeared on “America’s Got Talent” and has had a side hustle as a dancer at clubs.
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