Uniquely Single
Not All Singles Are The Same
Singles are unique. Every type of single adult listed below has a specific way to be reached and ministered to.These type of labels are not meant to place singles into different ways of being ministered to. Quite the opposite. Once you know who you want to reach, you need to know how to reach them. Your church should be reaching and connecting singles in whatever way they choose to be discipled. Read the descriptions below to learn more about different single adults as a leader, or as a single.
WHAT NOT TO SAY TO SINGLES
29.8 is the average age for a first marriage for men and 27.8 for women as of 2018. This has increased every year for the past 25 years with a major increase since 2007.
Represents the number of adults not married in the US between ages 18 and 34. This is up nearly 30% since 1978.
The median age of first marriage divorces in America. 45-50% of first marriages end in divorce, and that percentage only rises with each remarriage. Singles adults who are divorced remarry on average of just over 3 years after their last divorce.
Percentage of unmarried U.S. residents 18 and older in 2017 who had never been married. Another 24 percent were divorced, and 14 percent were widowed.
Number of unmarried parents living with their children in 2011. Of these, 10.0 million were unmarried mothers and 1.7 million were unmarried fathers, and 1.9 million were unmarried couples with at least one shared child.
Percentage of opposite sex, unmarried-partner households in 2011 that included at least one partner’s biological child.
Number of widows in America, of which 4 times are women as men. Widows live on average 14 years alone after their spouse has passed away. The average age of a widow is 57.
Number of unmarried U.S. residents 65 and older in 2011. These seniors comprised 16 percent of all unmarried people 18 and older.
There are 543,000 same-sex married couple households and 469,000 households with same-sex unmarried partners living together. In addition, 191,000 children live with same-sex parents.
Percentage of opposite sex, unmarried-partner households in 2011 that included at least one partner’s biological child.
TABLE FOR ONE’S STATEMENT ON MARRIAGE
Table for One Ministries’ mission is to build community for single adults through discipleship. Our ministry focus is on ministering to singles and helping them to fully realize their completeness in Christ. Yet we also affirm the importance of marriage and believe that being complete in Christ is not just for singles, but for marriages as well. Additionally, while we desire to help churches reach and minister to the ever growing single population, we want to acknowledge the importance of marriage in God’s redemptive plan for this world.
We affirm that biblical marriage is established by God as a life-long covenant between one man and one woman. Marriage is intended to be the perfect example of Christ’s relationship with his church and living example of the gospel of forgiveness, grace and mercy. The marriage relationship provides the only acceptable channel for physical intimacy between a man and woman. Additionally, marriage is God’s plan for the procreation of mankind and is vital to fulfilling His will for both mankind and his kingdom.
We believe in the institution of marriage and yet we recognize that there are many Christians who are single for numerous reasons. Our goal is to help singles to continue to grow and to desire a deep and intimate relationship with Christ now, regardless of their marital or relational status.