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SINGLES MINISTRY
Life
can often be challenging for single adults, especially those who are parents.
That's why we are forming our Singles Ministry --to help meet the needs of
single adults at Easley Union. We believe one of the greatest needs for single
adults is to find friendship and support, and our planned singles' events are
designed to give adults the chance to interact with one another and build new
friendships. Throughout the year our Singles Ministry hosts will host cookouts,
game nights, picnics and dances. We encourage you or your single friends to come
and be a part of our Singles Ministry. The singles at
Easley Union as integral members of this church family, vitally important to the
functioning of the body, and we desire to see them fully integrated into the
life and ministries of the church. But single adults (whether never-married,
divorced with or without children, or widowed with or without children) have
needs and opportunities which are significantly different from those who are
married. And with singles making up such a large portion of the general
population (as well as the membership of the church), we realize the necessity
of providing a strong ministry geared to their unique life situations. In our Singles
Ministry we strive for authentic, encouraging, Christ-centered, mutually
discipling relationships. In the context of this unpretentious atmosphere we
seek to minister to each other biblically and practically, according to each
one's spiritual giftedness. Through worship, open sharing, prayer, teaching,
counseling, serving and growing in friendship we desire to "proclaim Him,
admonishing and teaching everyone with all wisdom, so that we may present
everyone perfect in Christ" (Col. 1:28). Why Singles
Ministry?
1. What's the
big deal about Single Adult Ministry, anyhow?
The first big deal
is that there are so many of them. Consider this: · In
1994 about 40 percent (74.9 million) of the total adult population (over age 18)
was single. This is an increase from 37.5 million adults in 1970. (Statistical
Abstract of the United States, 1995) · One
in six home buyers in the US is single. (H.I. Smith, Baker Handbook of Single Adult Ministry, 1997, p. 56) · Baby
boomers are 500 percent more likely to be single or divorced than were their
parents. (H.I. Smith, Single Adult
Ministry, NavPress, 1991, p. 20) · Three
million unmarried couples are living together. (Census Bureau) The second big deal
is that they are rearing so many children. · In
1994, nearly 30 percent of all the 66 million children in the US were being
reared by single parents. There are 11.4 million single parent households; 9.9
million are headed by women. ("Household and Family Characteristics: March
1994," Bureau of the Census) · The
odds that a child today will witness the divorce of his or her parents are twice
as great as a generation ago. (Marriage in
America: A Report to the Nation, Council on Families in America, March,
1995.) · To
touch singles, then, is to touch children by the millions. The third big deal
is that ministry potential among singles is largely untapped. · In
a survey of 400 divorced single adults, Andy Morgan found that, "it was
surprising how few people found the help they needed through the church." (Baker
Handbook of Single Adult Ministry, p. 48) · "Surveys show that most singles do not attend church because of
time and priority issues----they work on Sunday, or it's their only day off.
Four of 10 unchurched singles say they have a positive disposition toward
attending church in the future." The fourth big deal
is that the singles population is so diverse. · Singles
come in a large variety of lifestyles o
Never-been-married
54 percent o
Divorced
18 percent o
Widowed
22 percent o
Separated
5 percent The idea that singles
is synonymous with divorce is simply invalid. To reach singles is to touch
people of all ages and life situations. The fifth big deal is that singles have a
large contribution to make. · Corinthians 7 makes it clear that singleness allows undistracted devotion to the Lord in ways that married people cannot match. · Imagine what would happen if every single person in our communities were fully mobilized to serve Jesus Christ. It would change our world forever. · A church that does not mobilize singles loses out on one of the great ministry opportunities available today. 2.
What is the biblical basis for Single Adult Ministry?
· See
1 Corinthians 7:1-8, 25-40; Matthew 19:11,12. In Scripture, the accomplishments
of single adults are striking: "Our faith is based on a Jewish single
adult from Galilee, whose ministry was preceded by a single adult named John the
Baptist, and whose mission thrust was first modeled by a single adult named
Paul." · This
does not count Hagar, Ruth, Timothy and others. · The
first organizational meeting of the early church (Acts 6) was in response to the
needs of single adults (widows). · The
Old and New Testaments mandate special care for widows and orphans. (Exodus
22:22; 1 Timothy 5:3) · The
Lord is on the side of those who are alone, and He expects the same of His
church. (Dueteronomy 10:18; Psalm 146:9) This is the biblical definition of
"pure" religion. (James 1:26-27) Moreover, thousands
of singles are waiting to be discipled and mobilized into active ministry of all
sorts. They do not want a "welfare state" ministry; they want to serve
God in the power of the Spirit. The church that pretends they do not exist
misses a wonderful opportunity. Conclusion
Singles are an extremely valuable resource in the
sight of God. All of God's children are "special", but singles are
unique. Singles can focus on God and the things of God without the standard
distractions encountered by those who are married. The enemy is aware of this
and seeks to cloud the minds of single believers with anxieties about careers,
friends, loneliness, marriage and such like. When single Christians commit to
focusing on the things of God, seeking His kingdom first, not only will this
result in a dynamite Christian, but this person will also be a great candidate
for marriage because they have taken the time to develop properly in their walk
with God. The
kinds of activities will do will be designed for personal growth, fellowship,
ministry training, and outreach. These may be classes at church, men's and
women's discipleship groups, home fellowships, or out-of-town retreats and
ministry trips. So you are encouraged to become a part of the Single’s
Ministry today. Please enroll so that we know who you are, what your ideas are
and we can quickly get this ministry growing and integrated as a critical part
of Easley Union. A registry has been placed in the foyer so that you may express
your interests. You will be contacted with information about our first meeting. God Bless. Amy Bowens Chairman
C. L. Cruell Pastor |
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