In this article, I am attempting to offer suggestions on a singles ministry which may very well be neglected in many congregations. In my own congregation I have not done enough to make our single young adults feel welcome. It is my feeling, that our congregations need to embark on an even more profitable ministry to single adults.
There is a real need for an organized single adult ministry in our local congregations! We have single adults who come home every once in a while. They come home for special occasions such as quarter or semester breaks, Easter, summer vacations, Christmas, New Years and simply to visit. How do we minister to them? We can recognize young adults on Sunday morning. We can try to keep up on what they are doing. This includes graduations and employment opportunities as well as wedding bells. Sometimes it is possible to get some quality time in together. This would be the best. These times come at school breaks and at Holiday times.
Any ministry that we do must be a positive ministry. It must be something they can expect to happen on a regular basis. This would be an event especially geared to them.
One can decide with them what such events will be and when they will take place. However, to begin with, it will take the work and the organizational skills of yourself or someone else. Later, it can be given over to your single adults for their direction and input. As a youth leader or Pastor you should remain involved in the organization and planning.
Your ministry should not look like it is for "losers." Sometimes single adults get this impression. They think because they are not married people think of them as losers.
Your ministry should offer single young adults opportunity to be involved in the total ministry of the congregation. It should be something they can do for people both younger and older. It should also include times for them to minister to the community as well.
Of course, you will want to offer times when they can minister to each other. This is important. As in any youth ministry, we must offer opportunity for fellowship and growth in Christ. It should include discussions and Bible Studies. It should include times when nothing is planned but conversation and that all important ingredient - food.
Young adult ministry should be integrated into the local congregation and not separate from it. We must remember that all youth both young and older, need to feel part of the congregation. It is too easy to isolate them. Be alert for opportunities to involve them.
Your young single adult ministry should have a balance between the social and the spiritual. As you develop your single adult ministry team, you will want to stress that balance.
While single adult ministry needs to be incorporated into the congregation, it needs to be separate. They want to meet people. They want to meet their old friends of both genders. They will want to meet potential mates. Relationship building is essential to this ministry as it is will all youth work.
Your single adult ministry will help them mature in their Christian faith. It is not easy to be a student in our colleges today. As maturity comes in Christ, so will involvement in the local congregation. Christian singles want to be involved. You must be led by the Holy Spirit as to when a group is ready for this involvement. It is not easy to be a single in the work place either!
Here are some suggestions for your ministry with single young adults -
1) Visit them in their school or in the place where they live.
2) Take them out for lunch.
3) Get acquainted with those they know at school, work or back home!
4) Write them regularly. Inform them of what their friends are doing (even if they might know!) It shows your interest in them when you keep track of everybody.
5) Organize a meeting with your college or Bible School students and ask what they think and get them to do what they can to invite others.
7) Have a pizza party, an ice cream social, go Christmas caroling, or have a New Years party. Organize softball or volleyball for the summer.
8) Use them in your Vacation Bible School or summer Sunday School or at Bible Camp.
9) Try one on one conversations. These can be in your home, your office, at their homes, out for dinner, etc. Call for an appointment!
10) Have them put on a "program" for your youth. They might talk about how they decided to go to college, Bible School or trade school or joined the armed services. Have them talk about how it is to be a student. Have them talk about working, finding jobs and paying the bills and roommates!
11) Invite the men and women who are in the armed services to share their experiences with the youth.
10 and 11 are also good topics for a time when your single young adults meet together by themselves!
Use Them or Lose Them! This is true of High School Students as well! There comes a time when youth must express their Christian life. May the Lord use you to lead them into greater maturity in Christ by using them in your church and community.