The Church and the Single Mom: Why You Should Care and What You Can Do, Jennifer Barnes Maggio, CarePoint Ministries, 2011

Introduction

Whether they are unwed or divorced, many single moms need parenting advice, financial instruction, emotional support via networking, and Spiritual growth opportunities. Let us find these women in our communities, both the churched and the unchurched. Let us minister to them at their point of need.

Chapter 1: Why Would I Care?

Although my life was comfortable and I had found great freedom in Christ, I never forgot those moments of despair. I have never forgotten how I felt the first time I re-entered the church. I have never forgotten the shame, humiliation, and the embarrassment of having multiple unplanned pregnancies and the shameful publicity of it all. As I delved deeper into ministry, I could counsel with these single moms and hurting women on a deeper level, for I had been there. I had felt the pain.?

Chapter 2: What in the World is Going On?

In 1951, approximately 22% of the United States population lived in a single-parent home. By 1998, the number had risen to 34%. Today, nearly 50% of babies are born into a single-parent home.

Chapter 3: Responsibility

When we hear that nearly 70% of single mothers in our country do not actively attend church (many citing fear and shame as reasons), does that not mean that we are to be actively searching for these single parents… We must mobilize within our church walls to begin reaching outside of them in hopes of finding the poor, the hurting, the brokenhearted.

The Bible is quite clear about our obligation to help the poor, the widowes, and the fatherless. That instruction alone is reason enough for us to get active in ministering to these women.?

Chapter 4: Fear

The fear some churches have that launching a single mother?s ministry in some way condones (or even encourages) divorce or sexual immorality or glamorizes the lifestyle is completely unfounded. Thankfully, this fear is not widespread, and many churches are beginning to see the need.?

As the body of Christ, let?s be certain that we are sensitive to the fear and pain that these women are feeling and that we guard our own hearts against offense about what may be said in a time of anger. Understand that our goal is to love each other through crisis, rather than judge the reason why it occurred.

Chapter 5: The Hurt: The Story Behind the Face

You will discover that the single-mom crisis is no respecter of persons. It transcends all demographics and occurs for women in all age groups, racial and ethnic profiles, educational backgrounds, religious denominations, and socio-economic statuses.

Chapter 6: Where Do You Find Her?

There are many ways to find the single mom. I will highlight only a few:?

• Create fliers to advertise your Sunday services and Single Moms Ministry.
• Distribute fliers at daycare centers.
• Creat a link from your church Web site highlighting what you are doing for single moms.
• Open up social media pages for single moms, such as Facebook and Twitter.

Chapter 7: She?s Here…Now What? 8 Steps to Effective Ministry

Step 1: Pray and seek wise counsel through your church leadership.

The ministry plan should include the following:

• Statement of need: Raise awareness of what the single moms issues are.
• Plan to address the need: Write out why you want to launch the ministry and some suggestions on how you see it functioning and how you could help.

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