Is Your Church Reaching Single Moms?
Every year we set aside a day to celebrate our mothers and the wonderful, women who’ve provided nurturing care and support.
While we take the time to celebrate motherhood, I want to also take a moment to call us to support our single mothers. Not just once a year, but all year round.
The Life of the Single Mom—a ministry for singles moms—shares on their site some revealing stats about single moms in America:
- 2/3 of single moms do not attend church
- Only 1% of the country’s 300,000 evangelical churches has a sustainable single-parent program
- 1/3 of single moms live in poverty
- 75% of all government assistance is received by single-parent households
Not every church can (or even should) start a large program for single moms. But, it is important to look at how many single moms are in your community and what your church (or even just your own family) is doing to reach out to this demographic.
Ideas for churches to consider:
- It’s often helpful when a church offers Bible Studies/events at a variety of days and times. While a stay-at-home mom may prefer a study during a week day, working mothers may need something in the evening or on a weekend.
- Offer child care and (if applicable) a meal for the children at church events. It is not easy getting home from work, feeding your kids, and getting out to a church group. Make it more accessible and more women will be likely to come. If your church doesn’t offer childcare for evening/weekend meetings, this may prevent most single moms from being able to participate.
- Promote your church events. Post events on Facebook or Instagram and encourage your church members to share posts as well. Perhaps even create a simple flyer and get permission to hang them in apartment complexes, day care centers, or other places around town.
- Compile a list of resources. Check and see if your church has a recommended list of practical resources, and if it doesn’t, compile one. This may include recommended babysitters, reputable repair shops, favorite doctors in your area, contact information for government assistance, or church members willing to help in their areas of expertise (legal advice, roof repair, tax returns, etc.).
- Offer classes with practical help as well as spiritual. Financial and parenting classes are often highly valued.
Ideas for individuals to consider:
- Invite single parents to attend your church with you. Reach out to all the single parents in your life (friends, neighbors, co-workers) and invite them to join you for a service or event at your church.
- Offer to help with meal prep, babysitting, or whatever is necessary to give single parents a chance to take part in church activities.
- Work with your church where applicable to help make it friendlier for single parents.
What tips would you add? Comment below.
(Note: This post was adapted from an article on The EvanTell blog.)
Sarah Bowler
Sarah is the author of Bathsheba’s Responsibility in Light of Narrative Analysis, contributor to Vindicating the Vixens, and contributing editor for The Evangelism Study Bible. Some of her previous ministry experiences have included teaching and mentoring of adults and children in a wide variety of settings. Her small claim to fame is that she has worked with children of every age range from birth through high school over the past 20 years. She and her husband Ben reside in Richardson, Texas with their four children.
