Single Adult/Young Adult Ministries

1. Single Adult/Young Adult Ministries A Quick Look At... The myths!... The people!... The needs!... The response!...

4. MYTHS CONCERNING SINGLENESS EXPLORING WHAT YOU THINK AND BELIEVE Dennis Franck A/G Single Adult Ministries

5. MYTHS/WHAT DO YOU THINK? • EVERYONE SHOULD GET MARRIED! • SOMETHING’S WRONG WITH PEOPLE WHO AREN’T MARRIED! • SINGLE ADULTS HAVE FEWER PROBLEMS THAN MARRIED ADULTS! • SINGLE ADULTS ARE LOSERS! • SINGLE ADULTS ARE LONELY! • SINGLE ADULTS ARE RICH! • SINGLE ADULTS ARE “ON THE PROWL!” CHRISTIANS MUST REJECT CRUEL MYTHS AND STEREOTYPES ABOUT SINGLE ADULTS!

6. THE PEOPLE SINGLENESS IN THE U. S. RECOGNIZING AND UNDERSTANDING THE DEMOGRAPHICS

7. 44 % OF ADULTS ARE SINGLE(AGE 18+) Never married 48.0 M 26.0% Divorced 20.5 M 11.0% Widowed 13.5 M7.0% 82.0 M 44.0% Separated 7.2 M 3.6% Single Adult Ministry Journal-Issue 130, page 7

8. Growth of Single-Person Households • 1900……………..5% of all households • 1960…………….13% of all households • 2000…………….26% of all households • Does not even include: • Single adults sharing an apartment/home • Single adults living in rest homes/other • Single Adult Ministry Journal-Issue 124, page 4

9. Growth of Single-Person Households Single Adult Ministry Journal-Issue 124, page 4

10. COHABITATION • Nearly half of 25-40 yr. olds have cohabitated -The National Marriage Project-Rutgers University • 21 % of all unmarried-couple households include children –Step Family Association of America • 71% increase in unmarried-partner households from 1990-2000 • 5.5 million… 5% in 2000-3% in 1990 -Census Bureau 2000-Springfield News Leader 5/15/2000

11. Median Age at First Marriage Men Women 2000 26.8 25.4 1980 24.7 22.0 1970 23.2 20.8 1960 22.8 20.3 U. S. Census Bureau, Internet-Jan. 2000

12. Increasing % of Single Parents Percentage of all family types in the U.S. 1970 13.0% 1980 22.0% 1990 28.0% 2000 36.0% Single Adult Ministry Journal-Issue 113, page 1-Gary Sprague-Director, Kids Hope

13. INCREASING # OF DIVORCED # Adults 1960………………….3,920,000 1970………………….4,284,000 1980………………….9,896,000 1990…………………15,128,000 2000…………………20,200,000 Total overall increase since 1960 - 500% U. S. Census Bureau, Internet-Jan. 2001

14. Domino Effect of Divorce The chance of divorce increases with each additional divorce/remarriage: 41% of 1st marriages end in divorce 60% of 2nd marriages end in divorce 73% of 3rd marriages end in divorce Marriage and Divorce Today-1988, page 1

15. THE CHURCH MUST MINISTER TO NEW DEFINITIONS OF “FAMILY” • NUCLEAR FAMILY • SINGLE-PARENT FAMILY • STEP-PARENT FAMILY • SINGLE ADULT FAMILY • BLENDED FAMILY • SEPARATED FAMILY • EXPANDED FAMILY • GRANDPARENT FAMILY • HOMOSEXUAL/HETEROSEXUAL FAMILY • HOMOSEXUAL PARTNER(S)/PARENT(S) FAMILY

16. A SURVEY OF SINGLENESS • SINGLE OR SINGLE-AGAIN… ALL AGES…18-98 YRS. • UNMARRIED (18 yrs and older) • FORMERLY MARRIED • WIDOWED • SINGLE PARENT

17. A SURVEY OF SINGLENESS • MARRIED NOW BUT WERE SINGLE-AGAIN DUE TO… • DEATH OF A MARRIAGE • DEATH OF A SPOUSE

18. A SURVEY OF SINGLENESS • HAVE A RELATIVE WHO IS… • NOT MARRIED • WIDOWED • DIVORCED • SINGLE PARENT • SEPARATED

19. MARRIED & SINGLE ADULTS HAVE THE SAME SPIRITUAL NEEDS • SALVATION • BAPTISM • DISCIPLESHIP • OBEDIENCE • PRAYER LIFE • COMMITMENT • BIBLE TEACHING • SPIRITUAL GROWTH

20. Rearing kids alone Shared parenting Relating to my former spouse Sexuality and singleness Money management Peer Friendships Learning to forgive my ex Accepting Singleness Dating/dating again Divorce Recovery Living with mom/dad Understanding emotions Grief Recovery Dealing with changes Learning to trust again Loneliness Humility Building an identity Singleness in a marriage & family-oriented church Career choice Pre-Marital education Re-Marital education Blending families Relating to married adults Adjusting to Widowhood UNIQUE INTERESTS/NEEDS OF YOUNG ADULTS/SINGLE ADULTSWHERE IN THE CHURCH ARE THESE ADDRESSED?

21. BY AGE… 18-25-College-age 20’s & 30’s-Young adults 30+Single/single-again adult 55+ “Mature” single adult BY NEED… Single parents/children Divorce care/Parents & kids Pre school Elementary Jr/Sr High Widowed ESTABLISH CHURCH/AREA MINISTRY GROUPS

22. VALID REASONS FOR DEVELOPING… SINGLE ADULT MINISTRIES! AND YOUNG ADULT MINISTRIES!

23. REASONS FOR SINGLE ADULT & YOUNG ADULT MINISTRY! • Demographics demonstrate it! • 44% of U. S adults are single or single again • Why do most churches have less? • Why are we not retaining them? • People’s lives motivate it! • Many needs and issues of young adults/single adults are not being addressed from a biblical and single adult perspective. • Where are they getting their information if not from the church?

24. REASONS FOR SINGLE ADULT AND YOUNG ADULT MINISTRY! • People’s ministry potential validates it! • Consider the potential spiritual impact of millions of young adults and single adults who are radical for Christ! • Jesus’ life authenticates it! • He was the greatest, most influential single adult who ever lived! • Pattern your life after Him!

25. PEOPLE WHO CHANGED HISTORY • JOSEPH-Fled advances of Potiphar’s wife • LILLIAN TRASHER- Founder of orphanage in Egypt • CORRIE TEN BOOM-Survivor of death camps • DIETRICH BONHOFFER-Writer/spiritual philosopher • GRIMKE SISTERS-First women to speak publicly against slavery in the south • MOTHER THERESA-Great humanitarian

26. PEOPLE WHO CHANGED HISTORY • POPE JOHN PAULII-Catholic spiritual leader • HENRIETTA MEARS-FounderofGospel Light Pub. • EVANGELINE BOOTHE-Founder of Salvation Army • CLARA BARTON-Founder of the Red Cross • APOSTLE PAUL-Greatest missionary/author • JESUS-Savior of the world • THEY WERE ALL SINGLE ADULTS!

27. THINK ABOUT IT… IN THE BEGINNING… • The first humans were created single (Gen. 2:7) IN THE END… • We will all be single-again in heaven (Matt. 22:30) IN BETWEEN… • God sent a single adult to save us (John 1:12)

28. THREE SINGLE ADULTS WHO CHANGED THE WORLD! OUR FAITH IS BASED UPON: • A Jewish single adult from Galilee… • Whose ministry was preceded by a single adult named John the Baptist… • Whose mission thrust was modeled by a single adult named Paul… -Harold Ivan Smith

29. How we can help you! Website- www.singles.ag.org • Leadership materials and helps • Resources-Books, curriculum, videos, C D roms • Upcoming events-district and regional • Single-Parent-Family-Ministry • Divorce Recovery materials • Widowed-care materials • Young Adult Ministry materials • Single-living issues/materials • Finding ministries and leaders in your district! • Regional Conferences • National Team-speakers, consultation etc • “The Source”-national newsletter for single adults

30. HOW WE CAN HELP YOU! • NATIONAL TEAM • Consultation • Encouragement • Training • Speaking • RESOURCES • Curriculum • Books • Videos • Speakers

31. HOW WE CAN HELP YOU! • NETWORKING WITH OTHER LEADERS • In your district • Across the nation • CONSULTATION • Phone • Email • Fax • SPEAKING • Leadership training • Conferences/Retreats

32. REGIONAL CONFERENCES • FOR SPIRITUAL GROWTH OF… • Young Adults • Single Adults • FOR LEADERSHIP TRAINING IN… • Young Adult Ministries • Single Adult Ministries

33. www.youngadults.ag.org

34. www.singles.ag.org