Local Church Practices that Increase or Decrease the Inclusion of Single Adults in the Congregation
The percentage of adults in the US who are single is on the rise, and the percentage of adults in the US church lags far behind. The local church must close the gap by reaching and including single adults in the congregation. The researcher interviewed single adults in local churches regarding their...
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| Format: | Dissertation |
| Language: | English |
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ProQuest Dissertations & Theses
01-01-2023
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| Online Access: | Get full text |
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| Summary: | The percentage of adults in the US who are single is on the rise, and the percentage of adults in the US church lags far behind. The local church must close the gap by reaching and including single adults in the congregation. The researcher interviewed single adults in local churches regarding their experiences with church practices, and analyzed those interviews to discover the answers to two questions: What church practices increase the inclusion of single adults in the congregation? What church practices decrease the inclusion of single adults in the congregation? The church practice with the strongest impact on increasing inclusion for single adults was the provision of positive relationships. The church practice with the strongest impact on decreasing inclusion for single adults was the underrepresentation of singleness in sermons. Both the literature and the results of the study produced mixed results regarding the necessity of regular targeted single adult ministry for the inclusion of single adults. However, single adult topics in the categories of dating, contentment, and sex should be addressed in some church platform. Recommendations are provided for lead pastors, church leaders, married adults, and single adults for increasing the inclusion of single adults in the congregation. |
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| ISBN: | 9798380579827 |