WHO IS MY FAMILY
Elizabeth Lockwood
Again another article off the CBMW website. The article looks at the single Christians role within the community of believers, emphasizing why community is important to singles and that local churches will become the single Christian’s families. The Church therefore needs to be aware of issues single Christians face and the bibles teaching so they can minister singles within the church community. It’s a two way thing, both the need for the single Christian to be ministered to and seek fellowship and the church to minister and assimilate single Christians into their community.
Lockwood starts by examining the two differences approaches to singleness by Christian singles, first the negative, living in desperation. She helpfully shows that this is a selfish view and unproductive to a single Christian: “the Christian immersed in the culture of self is preoccupied with the temporal whilst the eternal lies unappreciated and unexplored”. Then she moves to look at the positive attitude of the Christian to singleness; that is contentment. She helpfully looks at Philippians 4:10 showing that contentment is a discipline that requires learning and patience: “I have LEARNED in whatever situation I am to be content”.
Lockwood also looks at realities of singleness, her aim being to show what problems singles face so both singles and the church can work together to shape ministry for singles. She looks at: not all are single by choice (and the reality that many will not marry), loneliness and proper sexual expression. She ends by showing that being single compliments ministry providing more opportunities and less concerns for going into the mission field. She also encourages her readers to accept where and how God has placed them and to pursue his kingdom.
Again a good article quickly read with food for thought for both singles and church leaders (or those in ministry). The call to selflessly pursue God and his kingdom, despite whatever you may feel about being single, is one that should be embraced.
Lockwood starts by examining the two differences approaches to singleness by Christian singles, first the negative, living in desperation. She helpfully shows that this is a selfish view and unproductive to a single Christian: “the Christian immersed in the culture of self is preoccupied with the temporal whilst the eternal lies unappreciated and unexplored”. Then she moves to look at the positive attitude of the Christian to singleness; that is contentment. She helpfully looks at Philippians 4:10 showing that contentment is a discipline that requires learning and patience: “I have LEARNED in whatever situation I am to be content”.
Lockwood also looks at realities of singleness, her aim being to show what problems singles face so both singles and the church can work together to shape ministry for singles. She looks at: not all are single by choice (and the reality that many will not marry), loneliness and proper sexual expression. She ends by showing that being single compliments ministry providing more opportunities and less concerns for going into the mission field. She also encourages her readers to accept where and how God has placed them and to pursue his kingdom.
Again a good article quickly read with food for thought for both singles and church leaders (or those in ministry). The call to selflessly pursue God and his kingdom, despite whatever you may feel about being single, is one that should be embraced.
posted by Jonny:) @ 1:37 PM
0 comments
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home