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Single, Not Separate: How to makethe church family
LOOKING AT SINGLES IN A WHOLE NEW WAY Do you battle feeling like an outsider in what seems to be a "couples" church? You are not alone--46 percent of the adult population in the United States is single. It is time to explore new ways to reach, teach and inspire singles in the church. Single, Not Separate addresses common misunderstandings held by both singles and couples. You've heard all the pat answers--"Just deepen your relationship with Jesus" or "God just wants you all to Himself." Well, here's a fresh look at life while single that will help you: * Discover new ways to get involved with couples and families that can bring lasting fulfillment and great joy into your life. * Explore new and exciting ways to deepen your interests and roots within your church and community. * Learn how to draw in other singles to make them feel welcome and a part of the big family. Single, Not Separate, a sensitive and sensible application of God's Word, offers you new perspectives on the single life and shows you how to get connected and use your gifts and talents for the glory of God!
232 pages, Paperback
First published February 1, 2003
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August 27, 2018
I want my single friends to read this book.. Even more, I want my NON-single friends in the church to read this book. This is the most thorough coverage of Christian singleness that I've encountered. The author's focus is not only on what the single person can do, but what the whole church can do to support and integrate singles as equal members of the body of Christ.
The book is broken into 2 sections. The first section deals with questions singles ask. This part was actually a little hard for me to read as a single woman because it exposed many of the painful struggles that many singles face (not only the straight-up loneliness and longing, but how that spills over into our emotions, our self-worth, our everyday disciplines, and our sometimes ill-fitting place within church and community). I appreciate that the author took time to address even minutiae of the single life, like the temptation of making television a "companion" at home or the puzzle of how to handle formal events.
The second section talks specifically about the single person's role in the church. She acknowledges the shortcomings of "singles ministry" as it's done in many churches, while advocating "ministry to singles" that's carried out by the whole church in an open context rather than a sequestered subgroup. In addition, she offers the paradigm of "family-based friendships." I appreciated the thoughtful analysis here and the way the author carefully considered what the division between singles and married folks is like not just for singles, but also for couples, and these friendships between singles and couples can be a blessing to both sides. She shares her own story of maintaining friendships with married friends, which is a good illustration of this paradigm. The final chapters give practical suggestions for singles and for churches. The author describes the "singles vs. families" imbalance that is often seen in church teachings, activities, and leadership, while also taking time to caution singles against bitterness.
The book sometimes feels repetitive, and occasionally I thought the author may be making too broad of generalizations. However, overall it is a very thorough, thoughtful treatment of an issue that is seriously impacting our churches and society today.
The book is broken into 2 sections. The first section deals with questions singles ask. This part was actually a little hard for me to read as a single woman because it exposed many of the painful struggles that many singles face (not only the straight-up loneliness and longing, but how that spills over into our emotions, our self-worth, our everyday disciplines, and our sometimes ill-fitting place within church and community). I appreciate that the author took time to address even minutiae of the single life, like the temptation of making television a "companion" at home or the puzzle of how to handle formal events.
The second section talks specifically about the single person's role in the church. She acknowledges the shortcomings of "singles ministry" as it's done in many churches, while advocating "ministry to singles" that's carried out by the whole church in an open context rather than a sequestered subgroup. In addition, she offers the paradigm of "family-based friendships." I appreciated the thoughtful analysis here and the way the author carefully considered what the division between singles and married folks is like not just for singles, but also for couples, and these friendships between singles and couples can be a blessing to both sides. She shares her own story of maintaining friendships with married friends, which is a good illustration of this paradigm. The final chapters give practical suggestions for singles and for churches. The author describes the "singles vs. families" imbalance that is often seen in church teachings, activities, and leadership, while also taking time to caution singles against bitterness.
The book sometimes feels repetitive, and occasionally I thought the author may be making too broad of generalizations. However, overall it is a very thorough, thoughtful treatment of an issue that is seriously impacting our churches and society today.
Displaying 1 of 1 review