Singles on the rise

Our newest small group, FOCAS (Fellowship Of Christian Adult Singles) targeting our single adults over 29 years of age starts May 1.  Single adults are a sometimes neglected but growing segment of our church population.  Did you realize that singles now make up 47% of our American population?  That is up from 28% in 1970.  Single households have increased dramatically in the last 30 years.  The largest increase is the number of single FATHER households.  Do these statistics describe someone you know?  They do to me.

I feel a special closeness to this age group of single adults because my daughter is single.  I have heard her pain – not at being single but from feeling she doesn’t fit in at her own church.  We, the married church, have somehow made her feel she is less of a church member because she doesn’t fit into our “married family model.”   We unknowingly signal her that we do not think she is dedicated enough to be an active member.  She is not alone in her view of the church at large.  Many others have expressed the same view. 

According to David Reddout, senior pastor, First Assembly of God, Leesville, Louisiana, "Every group in the church has unique needs and gifts...children, youth, men, women, and marrieds.  But we have put emphasis on these groups and have inadvertently forgotten the singles and have led them to believe we don’t expect them to be involved in ministry.  But the purpose of ministry to singles is to help them see they are the church and to help them come to a place of ministry."

At the Grace Place, we want singles to have a place where they can study God’s word, grow spiritually and share their gifts with the church in whatever way God leads them.  God has placed this burden on our hearts because He doesn’t want anyone to miss out on the blessings of being a part of His church.

We all need a "Do Over"

With my daughter and son-in-law on vacation in Europe, I spent several days babysitting my grandchildren (and granddog) at their house in East Tennessee. Keeping up with a 9 year-old boy, 6 year-old girl and a feisty dog is exhausting work! They are constantly in motion and always hungry.

My grandson loves to play basketball but not alone. He has a way of drawing his sister and even his grandmother into the game. The fact that she is too short and I am too old to play are not a deterrent to him. As a matter of fact, I think he likes it that way. It gives him an unfair advantage.

On the first day, our attempts to get the ball into the hoop were humorous to him and frustrating to us. On Day Two, he told me, "Come on outside, Grandma. You need to practice your lay ups." Let's be clear -- I am 5'1" and have never played basketball in my life. However, the frustrating efforts from Day One had payed off and I somehow sunk the first three of my lay ups. Little sister was firing up balls and made five baskets overall where she had only made one during the prior day's attempts. Obviously, practice did not make perfect but had helped.

My grandson and I started a friendly game of "Horse" but it soon became less than friendly when I started making my shots and he didn't. The game changed. The rules changed. The shots now included complicated dribbling sequences and one-handed, 3-pointers. My grandson had to create new rules more in his favor. I think this happens occasionally in sports. I have heard of getting a "do-over" on the golf course if the ball doesn't land exactly where you planned.

There are many times in life when we need "do-overs." I know there have been numerous occasions where I wanted to change the rules more to my favor especially speed limits. Unfortunately, most of the time we don't get "do-overs." We are stuck with the consequences of our actions. There is one BIG exception, however, and that is with our loving, Heavenly Father. Like the bemused grandmother letting her grandson cheat at "Horse," God knows us and loves us. Everything can become new again. All our sins can be washed away. He is waiting. All we have to do is ask.