He walked out on his marriage a month ago and comes to your church. He’s brand new and comes to the singles group. He seems nice and you greet him, talk to him, and connect him. Over lunch that week, he mentions that he is recently divorced. As the conversation progresses, you realize that when he says “divorced” he mean that he has left his wife and the “paperwork” is still “in process”. So then,
Tag: Ministry
“A single wrote into us asking ‘I really need to help another person thru their addiction… in order to provide inspiration, I have to share my past struggles… I am trying my best to let Christ rule my life, and I think I am surrendering to Him… my question to you is, do I expose my prior life as an example to the other person at a possible expense for me losing, in others eyes,
Through my many years of singles ministry and working with pastors, one phrase is repeated often — “single for a reason”. It is the idea that singles are composed of misfits and odd ducks that are stranger than… married people. Next time you hear this phrase, here are some possible responses: We’re all messed up Reject rejecting language Leadership matters The reason you or a group of people are “… for a reason” is not
Let’s be honest. Singles are horrible about waiting until the last minute to show faithfulness. After all, something better, more fun, cooler, even a date!– might actually come along. We wait to reply yes on Facebook in fear that if we say yes then a better offer might come along. Singles even often use the phrase “planning on it” as a way to say yes, but something could happen. When the Sunday School list to
Whenever I ride the metro in Madrid, I look at people’s shoes. I know it seems weird, but I can’t help it. There are just so many varieties and colors, I can’t seem to take my eyes off them. Red shoes, big shoes, clean shoes, hiking shoes, running shoes, shiny shoes, work shoes, high-heeled shoes, muddy shoes, expensive shoes, old shoes, and even high-top shoes. Shoes can be powerful things. Marilyn Monroe is quoted as
Are You All In? Being “all in” is who I am and proud to be. I am not sure when it happened, but sometime after my ministry call hit me, I decided to be a man who made his Yes be Yes and his No be No. Like Matthew 5:37 tells us, I decided to follow God and be all in for whatever He planned for my life. At 19, I hadn’t been on a
“I sometimes indulge in avoidance by sticking my head in the sand. It’s comfortable down there. Especially around the 1st and 15th of the month when I have to sit down, write checks and pay daunting companies for the services they provide out of my already low bank account. Indeed. Punching numbers and paying the Piper has lost its joy these days, but not paying the Piper brings unwanted rats into my life. As I
We encounter many conversations with single adults and the issue of sin comes up often. Everyone deals with sin–we are in a broken and fallen world. Not everyone, though, deals with sin the same. This is a look at two different stories of dealing with sin. “I can’t be expected to stop sinning” Jared arrived at school ready to study to be a pastor. He is 31, single, and feels called to be a
At Table for One, we acknowledge that the children of a single parent often experience a feeling of emptiness for a missing parent, longing for a Father to the Fatherless. This void is a direct result of God’s plan for every child to have a mother and a father to raise that child in the way he or she should go. But when God’s model family does not happen, children are left missing a parent
We all have 24 hours in a day. Now, let us be clear. Singles do not have more time than married folks, but our interests are not divided as much as those with a spouse or kids, allowing us to focus on undivided devotion to God. In 1 Corinthians 7:32-35, Paul said we all have the same amount of time every day and our priorities drive decisions on how we will use that time. I