Niche – adj., denoting or relating to products, services, or interests that appeal to a small, specialized section of the population. “other companies in this space had to adapt to being niche players”
A few years ago I and another gentleman gave two lectures on men’s ministry to a group of students. I gave my lecture first and, as usual, it centered on using teams of men to serve the widowed and single parents. After my lecture, the next speaker got up and started by saying, “Herb’s men’s ministry is a really great niche ministry.” He then went on to talk about men’s ministry in general.
I couldn’t help but think at the time that he was perfectly reflecting the general view of the church in America: that serving widows and single parents is simply one of many equally valuable ministries in the church.
But such a view evidences a basic ignorance of Scripture. Even a cursory reading of the Book of Acts and the epistles, for example, will show that serving the needs of its widows and others was one of the most important focuses of the early church. And when the church failed to do so, it took immediate remedial action (Acts 6:1-6).
But not only is ministry to widows and single parents one of the most important ministries of the church because of the amount of Scripture that discusses it, this ministry is of the utmost importance because Scripture commands it (i.e., James 1:27).
For example, there are no commands in the Word of God for the church to have nurseries or youth ministries. These are great ministries, but they are not mandated ministries. Ministries to widows and others with long term needs, however, are mandated.
But in spite of the amount of Scripture that is devoted to the subject of widows, and in spite of the fact that serving widows and others in need is a mandated ministry, most church minimize this ministry, if they have it at all.
Isn’t it time your church took ministry to its widows and single parents as seriously as Scripture does? As seriously as God does?
This post first appeared in NewCommandment.org.
Since 2003 New Commandment Men’s Ministries has helped hundreds of churches throughout North American and around the world recruit teams of men who permanently adopt their widowed and single parents in their congregations for the purpose of donating two hours of service to them one Saturday morning each month. We accomplish this with an online free training site called “Meeting to Meet Needs.”
Learn how to mobilize your men’s ministry to meet every pressing need in your church here.
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Learn how to form teams of men for every widow, single mom
and fatherless child in your church at NewCommandment.org.
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One thought on “The Church Serving Its Widows and Single Parents is Not a “Niche” Ministry”
There are many orphans in the church – lacking godly instruction and godly discipline in their daily lives.
Nurseries and youth activities serve the latter half of “widows and orphans”.