How to Organize a Christian Singles Ministry
A Christian singles ministry is a social group that serves two purposes. It is a place for unmarried Christians to meet one another, and it also serves as a place to study Christian scripture, especially as regards specific needs of single people. The commonalities between members are religious faith and a marital status of unmarried. By "single," these ministries do not only mean people who have never been married. Divorced and widowed Christians are usually welcome, as well.
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Things You'll Need
- A base population of single people
- A listing of activities in your area
- A Facebook account
- A curriculum
Instructions
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Starting a Christian Singles Ministry
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1
Find your base group. Often, Christian singles ministries are based within an individual church but welcome non-church members, as well. This is usually where such a ministry finds its base. Other options include sending invitations to other churches, especially smaller ones, that don't have a singles ministry.
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2
Decide on a regular meeting place and time. The larger the group, the more frequent meetings should be. Groups of 5 to 10 people might only meet once a month, but larger groups, for example 50 to 100 people, have enough members to sustain weekly meetings. Some Christian singles group alternate between Bible study and an activity for their meetings.
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3
Decide on a curriculum. Most Christian singles ministries focus on issues that are particular to single people, such as dating. Larger groups can break into smaller groups for the Bible study. Some members may wish to study issues surrounding divorce, being widowed, or single parenting, for example. Some ministries also divide into study groups based on age. For example, a group of traditional undergraduate college students, age 18 to 22, might want to study different dating issues than single senior citizens. Chose a course or courses of study that best suit your group. Most major Christian publishers have such materials available for purchase. (See Reference 2)
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Decide on activities. For at least the first three months, have planned activities scheduled. Local newspapers, Chambers of Commerce and festival guides are good sources for such information. Find activities that don't center around alcohol and are appropriate for members of a Christian group.
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Advertise. Start with submitting a short paragraph of information to your church's office for publication in the weekly bulletin. Submit the weekly or monthly Bible studies and events to local newspapers and community calendars.
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Start a Facebook group for your ministry. This is an easy way to keep people up-to-date with events, invite new members, and gain general visibility.
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Tips & Warnings
Maintain a positive, upbeat atmosphere. Your group is not simply a place for single people to find dates. It is a place for people to meet others with similar concerns, enjoy Christianity-friendly activities, and study Christian scripture and materials about single-specific issues.
Decide before your group meets what the criteria are to join or stay in the group. Will there be an upper or lower age limit? Will you welcome people of other faiths? What if two members marry, can they stay in the group? These are sensitive issues that should be worked out in advance, but be sure to stay open to new ideas and change.
