Alternative Life Styles Confront the Church by Deane William Fern. One of the values of this book is that contains role models of how churches are meeting the needs of single adults, locally, nationally, and interdenominationally.
Chapter 1 is a summary of the demographic changes that have taken place in the United States in recent years. Chapter 2 describes ways in which some national agencies of major Protestant denominations and other religious organizations are responding to the needs of alternative life-styles (mostly singles).
Chapter 3 presents specific local church models for ministry to singles. Some 28 such ministries are described in this chapter as making significant contributions in this area of singles ministry. Chapter 4 includes a number of parachurch agencies that are working the homosexuals. Chapter 5 asks the questions: Where do we go from here? The author then attempts to answer that question as he speaks for the Single Person, The Elderly, The Divorced Person, The Single Parent, The Handicapped, Unmarried Couples, etc.
From Seabury Press, this 134 page book is a 1983 release. It sold for $8.95 (pb).
Baker Handbook of Single Adult Ministry edited by Doug Fagerstrom. This book is a collection of the thoughts of some 35 single adult leaders from all over the USA. They write out of their own experiences in doing ministry with singles in various situations and in all size churches. It provides a comprehensive reference tool that covers all the major aspects of developing an ongoing ministry with single adults.
The 45 chapters are organized into seven parts: The Need for a Ministry with Single Adults, Needs and Issues of Single Adult Ministry, Ministry with Single Adults, Programs for Single Adults, Developing Leadership, Developing the Ministry, and Developing Significant Ministries. Some of the subjects covered in these chapters include: community service, prayer and discipleship, dating and marriage, and organizing a divorce recovery workshop.
From Baker Book House in 1997, this 362-page book sold for $22.99 (hard). Now in soft cover for $15.Baker Handbook of Single Parent Ministry edited by Bobbie Reed. As the subtitle says, this is a book on "how to understand and respond to the needs of single parents" This is a practical reference tool that addresses the challenges faced by single parents plus it shows how the church can provide a ministry to this segment of our society. It offers biblical advice from many of today's leading authorities in single adult ministry.
Some of the 28 chapter titles include: Facing Life as a Single Parent, Being a Never Married Parent, Surviving a Divorce with Children, Coping as a Widowed Parent, Relating to the Former Spouse, Teaching Christian Values, Having Special Needs, Healing the Wounded Heart, Encouraging Fun and Laughter, Providing Financial Assistance, Organizing Support Groups, Counseling Single Parents, and Preparing for Blended Family Relationships.
From Baker Book House in 1998, this 304-page book sells for $24.99 (hard).
The Challenge of Single Adult Ministry by Douglas W. Johnson. This book is designed to describe what is involved in a singles ministry. It is based upon a pastor's experiences in his own church plus his research for two denominations involving over sixty singles ministries.
This is not a "how to" for programming nor a step-by-step plan for developing a ministry. Instead, it is written to assist a minister, church board, or singles leader in determining what might make one's ministry with singles effective. The author offers practical help and discusses characteristics of single adult groups, types of ministries to be considered, resources for program development, needs of singles in the church, special needs of single parents, and decisions to be made by the pastor, church leaders, and congregation in order to organize a successful single adult outreach.
Published in 1982 by Judson Press, it sold for $5.95 (pb).
Counseling and Divorce by David A. Thompson. This book is part of the Resource for Christian Counseling series edited by Gary R. Collins. Here Thompson writes about the breaking up and the broken lives along with how we can help people who are divorcing or who have already divorced. This book does not defend or condone divorce, or take a light view of marriage but offers help in leading the couple to healing, divine forgiveness, personal growth, and new beginnings.
Some of the ten chapters titles include: The Causes of Divorce, The Crisis of Divorce, The Criticisms of Divorce, The Person Who Intervenes, The Challenge of Remarriage, and Divorce and Ministry. Plus, it contains an appendix which provides a group leader's guide for discussion questions to be used in a divorce recovery program.
Published in 1989 by Word, this 200-page book sold for $13.99 (hard).
Creative Weekends by Paul Petersen. This is a great resource book provides "23_ Ready-to-Use Events for Single Adult Ministry" as the subitle says. These turn-key ideas include advance preparation formats and timelines, lists of needed supplies, job descriptions for volunteer leaders, suggested schedule, reproducible resources, a suggested budget and even advertising ideas.
Some of the events include: Train Trip Adventure, Singles Drama Retreat, The Urban Plunge, For Men Only, Vacation with a Purpose, Hole-in-One Golf Tournament, Becoming a Winning Team, and Leadership Boot Camp.
From David C. Cook in 1995, this 255-page book sold for $16.95 (trade).
Designing A Single Adult Ministry by William J. Cox. This workbook size publication offers theological and biblical foundations for doing single adult ministry. It also provides facts about singles, current and future trends in single adult ministry, and suggestions for developing and training leaders. It also deals with the practical aspects of finding prospects, marketing and publicizing, and budgeting for the ministry.
The three sections of the book are titled, Facts and Feelings about Being Single, Training the Single Adult Council, and Growing the Single Adult Ministry. The appendices includes several helpful questionaires that may be reproduced plus a demographic survey and map to ascertain the "lay of the land" around the church.
From Discipleship Resources in 1996, this 56-page workbook sold for $7.95.
Developing a Divorce Recovery Ministry by Bill Flanagan. This book is a how-to-manual on how to start a divorce recovery workshop in your church. It offers advice on how to choose the best materials, how to recruit and train a recovery team, and how to budget, plan and publicize this ministry.
The book is divided into three parts and 13 chapters. Some of the titles include: A Basic Overview of the Workshop, Laying the Foundation of Your Leadership Team, Job Descriptions and Responsibilities, Leadership Training, Guidelines for Leading a Workshop Discussion Group, Lecture Outlines, Facilities, The Workshop Budget, and After the Healing Begins. The book also contains sample letters, forms, ads, questionnaires, checklists, surveys, evaluations, etc. Permission is granted to reproduce portions of this book for ministry purposes.
Published in 1991 by NavPress, this 258 page workbook sold for $19.99 (trade).
Developing Faith in Young Adults by Robert T. Gribbon. After challenging several conventional assumptions about this age group, Gribbon offers insights into how young adults of various ages perceive the church and their relationship to it, why individuals seek the church, what congregations do that helps or hinders that search, and specific ways congregations can reach out and serve this age group.
The four chapter titles of this 102-page book are: Young Adults and Developing Faith, The Path of Faith Development in Young Adults, Why and When Young Adults Seek the Church, and Ministry with Young Adults.
This was published by The Albin Institute in 1990 and sold for $11.95 (trade).
The Faces of Single Adult Ministries edited by Linda G. Hardin. This 87 page book deals with the unique needs of the different groups (never-married, divorced, widowed) of singles and how the church can minister to those singles. It also tells how to start a single adult ministry.
Of the six chapters in the book, the first three are written by singles from firsthand experience: the never married chapter by Joe Bentz, the divorce chapter by Elizabeth Hilbun Rigdon, and the widowhood chapter by Phil Jones. The last three chapters are written by leaders of single adult ministries: The Ministry Challenge of The Single-Parent Family by Carol J. Missinson, How to Begin Single Adult Ministries in the Local Church by Mike Platter, and Outreach to and for Single Adults by Dennis Apple.
Published in 1990 by Beacon Hill Press, this book sold for $4.95 (trade).
Giving the Ministry Away by Terry Hershey, Karen Butler, and Rich Hurst. The subtitle says it all: "Empowering Single Adults for Effective Ministry." It presents a whole new way of doing singles ministry--one that's based on team ownership rather than the "lone ranger" approach. It's goal is to enable the leader to measure success by the quality and power of relationships rather than by the number of people and programs.
Some of the 15 chapters include: Leadership: A New Definition, Obstacles to Effective Leadership, A Theology of Being Empowered, Team Selection, Time with the Team, Team Roles, Team Communication, Taking Aim, Small Groups, Learning to Say No, Team-Building, Retreats, Leadership Seminars, and Leadership Training Tools.
This manual-size book of 125-pages was published in 1992 by NavPress and sold for $19.99 (trade).
Growing Together: Singles and Churches by Jerry Hayner. This is a resource book for churches and single adults. It examines what it means to be the church, to belong to the church, and to minister to single adults. It is designed to be inspirational, instructional, and with the hope that churches will discover the great human resource available to their ministry and mission in single adults.
The eight chapter titles of this 128 page book are: Single Adults--Alive and Growing, The Church--Reaching In, Single Adults--Gifted and Giving, The Church--Reaching Out, Single Adults--Taking the Risk, The Church--Worthy or Not, Single Adults--Making the Difference, and The Church--Getting On With It. Published by Convention Press in 1987, this book sold for $3.75 (trade).
Helping Single Parents with Troubled Kids by Greg Cynaumon. This book was written and designed to help churches meet the unique needs of single-parent families. Based on extensive research, it covers: 21 warning signs in troubled kids and specific action steps to avert crisis, when kids of single parents are at greatest risk, what single-parent families have in common, and church staffs and congregations can recognize and respond to the needs of single-parent families.
Some of the ten chapter titles include: The Single-Parent Epidemic, Sixteen Significant Findings about Single-Parent Families, What You Need to Know about Children and Teens of Divorce, Helping Change Lives through a Paraparenting Ministry, and Support Group Discussion Guides for Single Parents.
This 219-page workbook-size publication is a 1992 release from NavPress and sold for $17.00 (trade).
The Hidden Mission Field by Theresa McKenna. The author is passionate about ministry to single parents and states that this is the hidden mission field. The book challenges the church to properly care for the single parent family in the 21st century and to include them in the Great Commission.
The book is divided into three parts: Modern Widows and Orphans, The Theology of Widows and Orphans, and Ministering to Widows and Orphans. Some of the chapter titles include: Children in Danger, Successful Single-Parent Families, Church Leadership Issues, Goals and Objectives for SPFM, and Volunteers and Dollars.
Published in 1999 by WinePress Publishing (Mukilteo, WA, 1-800-917-book), this 155-page book sells for $12.95 (trade).
How Can I Help: Reaching Out to Someone Who is Grieving by June Cerza Kolf. Knowing how important support can be to a grieving person, Kolf offers step-by-step directives for helping those who grieve. She suggests appropriate actions and explains how to listen to and help a bereaved person.
The 35 short chapters of the book are divided into four parts: The Initial Contact, The Week After the Funeral, The First Six Months, and The One Year Anniversary. It concludes with an appendix: "Bill of Rights for the Bereaved."
Published in 1989 by Baker Book House, this 144-page book sold for $6.95 (trade).
How to Build an Exciting Singles Ministry by Don Davidson. The author, a singles pastor and former editor of the SAMI (Single Adult Ministry Information) newsletter writes this book to provide practical steps and ideas on how churches can create singles ministries that are exciting and stimulating for the single adult. The book is filled with fresh ideas on most every aspect of singles ministry and can be used by churches of any size to build a vibrant and successful singles program. Of particular value are the chapters that deal with ways single adults are different from married adults, building an exciting singles Sunday school class, various ways to publicize the programs. Another unique feature is the appendix where the author lists 10 Key Observations and 20 Cardinal Rules for working with singles.
The 16 chapters are divided into two parts: 1. Getting Started and 2. Practical Programs. Some of the chapter titles are: Single Adult Ministry and the Local Church, Important Things to Understand About Single Adults, the Single Adult Leader, Starting a Single Adult Ministry from Scratch, The Planning Process, The Value of Good Publicity, The Matter of Money, General Administrative Tips and Suggestions, The Single Adult Sunday School Class, Support Groups, Activities, Service Projects, Fundraising, and Single-Parent Families.
From Thomas Nelson (Nashville) in 1993, this 204-page book sold for $12.99 (trade). This book is sold out but the author still has some copies. For current pricing and shipping, please contact Don Davidson, the author, at don777@swbell.net.
The Idea Catalog for Single Adult Ministry compiled by Jerry Jones. This book presents more than 150 workable ideas for use in a local church singles ministry. The ideas are categorized into the following sections: Advertising and Promotion, Building Community, Evangelism and Outreach, Programming, Socials and Special Events, Leadership, Single Parents, Finances and Fundraising, Service and Missions, and Surveys and Handouts.
Published in 1991 by Single Ministries Resources/NavPress, this 140 page book sold for $12.95 (trade).
Jesus and Divorce by George R. Ewald. This book is a biblical guide for ministry to divorced persons. With a nonlegalistic interpretation, the author liberates the church to a ministry of love and forgiveness to divorced persons. Particularly helpful is his study of Jewish practices regarding divorce and remarriage and his suggestions for those facing divorce and remarriage.
Some of the 14 chapter titles include: Jewish Law on Divorce, The Pharisees and Jesus, The Gospel and Divorce, The Churches Ministry in Divorce and Remarriage, and the Churches Educational Objectives in These Areas. He also has several chapters that deal with specific issues in Matthew 5 and 19. The book also includes a Leader's Guide which divides the text into 13 units designed to be used as the basis for a three-month study on the topic.
This 176-page book was published in 1991 by Herald Press and sold for $9.95 (trade).
| | Home | SinglesMall | SAMall | Email | |
