Ministering to the Young Single Adult - Elmer Towns

5. Working but living at home. This person often finds that he is accepted as anadult outside the home but has difficulty in achieving this status in the family setting. Thesocial and spiritual patterns are usually identified with the family, whereas businesspatterns are completely outside the family. He usually finds some little groupidentification outside of business and church relationships. The unique problems of thisyoung person will be discussed at length in this book.6. Working and living away from home. This young person is more successful ingaining recognition as a mature adult than the one living at home. However, he facesmany problems created by business, church and social life, resulting in loneliness. Theyoung single adult living away from home usually has more difficulty being absorbedinto the local church program than the young person who lives at home.7. Separated from a mate. Divorce and separation are increasing. Along with thissituation, there is many a young adult who loses his mate through death before the age ofthirty-five. This young unattached adult has been separated geographically from hischildhood home and has been identified as a married partner. When he began his ownfamily relationship, the community accepted him differently from the young person whohas never been married. The community looks upon him as being more stable, placingmore responsibility upon him than upon the young single adult.The young adult who has been separated from a mate will have more difficultywith his self-image. Two radical transitions should have transpired. The first transitionwas from being a single person to being a partner in a marriage relationship. The secondtransition was from the marriage relationship back to the role of an unattached adult. Theunique problems of loneliness and search for meaning are usually compounded byfinancial pressures and sometimes social ostracism from the local church.8. Separated from a mate and having children. This person frequently faces theproblems of other young unattached adults who have been separated from their mate buthe has an added financial burden joined to this is the responsibility of rearing a familyand playing the role of both parents to the children. Serious tensions are created for thisyoung person. The problems and needs of this group are outside the scope of this paperand will not be considered.V. THE COMMUNITYThe young single adult is getting started in his occupation for life. He is first of alltrying to find his unique inner ability and skill. Then, there is a growing concern forimproving his skill and mastering the vocational requirements of life. He must set up hisown standard of success and achievement at work. He must learn to handle the problemsarising from working conditions. There is pressure for promotion and climbing the“company” ladder of success. Also, he faces the frustration of adjusting to his income.This young person is just getting started in community life. He is not considered afull adult in the church society and for the most part assumes little social responsibility.