I am a single woman in her late thirties. I have become accustomed to family and friends questioning my singleness. Am I seeing anyone? Do I want to be seeing anyone? Do I not desire marriage and family? Do I not fear an approaching loneliness as I grow older? Not until recently, however had I been confronted with this notion that my singleness (and the many other single Christians in the church today) is a
Month: July 2013
The filmmakers of “UnMarried: the Rise of Singleness” are not alone in their views that singleness and delayed marriage are significant concerns in today’s church. In his 2004 sermon, “The Mystery of Marriage,” Albert Mohler, president of Southern Baptist Seminary, addresses the “sin” of singleness. Mohler states that in 1 Corinthians 7:7, Paul is referencing his own gift of celibacy, which according to Mohler is a gift most single adults do not possess. He states
Singles are sometimes confronted with a litany of (inappropriate?) questions, such as “why hasn’t anyone married you yet?” As uncomfortable and potentially insulting as those questions are, there is now the theory that singleness contributes to our nation’s downfall. That is among the points of Family Vision Films new faith-based documentary now in production called “UnMarried: the Rise of Singleness.” The film includes interviews with theologians, families, married adults and single adults to understand why
There is a thought out there that somehow when you are single, you should “be having the time of your life.” That before marriage and kids there is a magical time of singleness that is full of freedom, without responsibilities, with no regrets, and no worries. The only support for this notion is found in a shallow understanding of 1 Corinthians 7:32-34 where Paul acknowledges that being married can create a “divided interest” between serving
Fourth of July, Independence Day; the day when Americans celebrate the very heart of our national identity—our freedom. While we celebrate that freedom with hot dogs and fireworks, and acknowledge the great sacrifices individual citizens have made to secure it, we also need to remember that our national liberty is ultimately of this world. The only true freedom is found in Jesus Christ. Part of his mission was to “proclaim freedom for the captives” (Isaiah
Where is the line in dating? That invisible line we all wish we knew between what is too far and equally what is too conservative. We are not just talking about physical lines, but spiritual and emotional lines as well. When it comes to physical lines, 1 Timothy 3:1 is directed at deacons, but we all should strive to “be above reproach” as believers with they way we engage in a physical relationship. Instead of