In my recent book, Redeeming Singleness, I present a theology of singleness from the beginning of creation, through the history of Israel in the Old Testament, to Jesus and Paul in the New Testament. While I won’t recount that exploration here, for this setting I would like to address the following questions: “Why should we be uniquely concerned about the singles within the … [Read more...]
Broken: The impact of divorce on children—and 4 ways to ease their pain
Most of us have witnessed a divorce within our congregations; many of us have seen it up close and personal in our own families. It doesn’t matter how big or small the church is, divorce goes well beyond affecting just the parents and children involved. It affects their extended family, it affects all the people they are serving with, and it affects the people they may be … [Read more...]
Single parents: Is your church meeting their unique needs?
Download the book today! And if you need even more help creating a viable ministry to the single parents in your community, consider Single & Parenting, a video-based curriculum from the editorial team behind CareLeader.org. Regarding Single & Parenting, Angela Thomas says, “I think this program is so powerful for the church for several reasons: it meets an immediate need of … [Read more...]
Caring for the fatherless
Growing up without a father There’s the seven-year-old boy who spent a couple of weeks with his father, who wants to be a player in Las Vegas. The boy comes back totally confused, talking crazily about women, and saying he wants to be like his daddy. There’s the kid who’s acting out in school. Or the fourth-grader who is participating in a school assignment that … [Read more...]
Single-parent families: The mission field in Sunday pews
In the early days of my being single again, friends said, “Call me if you need anything.” But I didn’t call anyone for several months. Why? Because I had so many needs I didn’t know where to begin. Then one Saturday morning, a flat tire forced me to into the unfamiliar world of car maintenance. My husband and I had settled into traditional roles: I took … [Read more...]