02-28-2008, 02:49 AM
God created human beings to be multifaceted creatures comprised of at least six dimensions: spiritual, social, mental, physical, relational and emotional. Each of these areas of life represents certain needs that can be met by fellowship with the Lord and with peopel in and through the ministries of the church. If the church does not address and meet these needs, single adults may look in other places for their fulfillment - places that are not always spiritually, emotionally and relationally healthy.
Each area can be targeted and developed in the lives of single adutls by planning ministries that address specific nees to be met and skills to be learned. Consider the following lists:
Spiritual life
- Sabbath school classes
- Conferences, retreats, seminars and workshops
- Discussion groups, Bible studies, prayer meetings
- Community service/outreach projects
- Support groups for divorce recovery, addictions or other personal
needs
Social life
- Structured and casual activities promoting fun and laughter
(banquets, parties, dinners, game nights)
- Experiencing new activities (ball games, rodeos, stock car races)
- Developing existing social skills, learning new social skills, learning
to feel comfortable around the opposite sex
Mental life
- Stimulating the desire to learn
- Discovering and learning about new careers
- Developing mental concentration, using and developing the
imagination
- Discovering new areas of interest, growing educationally and
intellectually
- Seminars, workshops and classes on finances, self-esteem, dating,
friendships, sexuality, indentity, etc.
Physical life
- Staying physically fit, increasing strength, losing weight
- Learning new physical skills, improving existing skills, having fun
Relational life
- Parties, dinners, vegie coffee houes
- Discussion groups, book clubs, hobby clubs
- Sporting events, recreational activities
Emotional life
- Learning to understand and control emotions
- Experiencing fun and joy
- Learning to accept and offer forgiveness
- Affirming the same and opposite sex
- Improving self-esteem; growing in humility, honesty, integrity,
transparency, kindness and courtesy
The programs and activities in a single adult ministry need to be varied and diverse. Single adults who will attend can range from teens to seniors. Events need to factor in the five types of single adults who potentially attend, each with unique and similar needs - never-marrieds, divorced, widowed, single parent, separated.
Taken from Reaching single adults in a married world by Dennis Franck from Assemblies of God Single Adult Ministry
Each area can be targeted and developed in the lives of single adutls by planning ministries that address specific nees to be met and skills to be learned. Consider the following lists:
Spiritual life
- Sabbath school classes
- Conferences, retreats, seminars and workshops
- Discussion groups, Bible studies, prayer meetings
- Community service/outreach projects
- Support groups for divorce recovery, addictions or other personal
needs
Social life
- Structured and casual activities promoting fun and laughter
(banquets, parties, dinners, game nights)
- Experiencing new activities (ball games, rodeos, stock car races)
- Developing existing social skills, learning new social skills, learning
to feel comfortable around the opposite sex
Mental life
- Stimulating the desire to learn
- Discovering and learning about new careers
- Developing mental concentration, using and developing the
imagination
- Discovering new areas of interest, growing educationally and
intellectually
- Seminars, workshops and classes on finances, self-esteem, dating,
friendships, sexuality, indentity, etc.
Physical life
- Staying physically fit, increasing strength, losing weight
- Learning new physical skills, improving existing skills, having fun
Relational life
- Parties, dinners, vegie coffee houes
- Discussion groups, book clubs, hobby clubs
- Sporting events, recreational activities
Emotional life
- Learning to understand and control emotions
- Experiencing fun and joy
- Learning to accept and offer forgiveness
- Affirming the same and opposite sex
- Improving self-esteem; growing in humility, honesty, integrity,
transparency, kindness and courtesy
The programs and activities in a single adult ministry need to be varied and diverse. Single adults who will attend can range from teens to seniors. Events need to factor in the five types of single adults who potentially attend, each with unique and similar needs - never-marrieds, divorced, widowed, single parent, separated.
Taken from Reaching single adults in a married world by Dennis Franck from Assemblies of God Single Adult Ministry