Ministering to the Young Single Adult - Elmer Towns

problems more realistically. A man who is “at peace with God” is usually at peace withthe world.Also, the church can help develop social relationships. As the young single adultfinds friends in the church, these relationships will help to cultivate his personality. As aresult, he will become a more gracious person, poised in other social situations.Personality includes not only the “present self-image” but also includes the“desired self-image.” The young person will attempt to mold his personality in keepingwith his desires. Here the ministry of Christian standards can have a life-long effect. Hisaspirations should be equal to Christian standards. When he realizes that he is one whowas created in the image of God and for whom God gave his only Son, he will develop asense of individual importance. Christian students in personal fellowship with God’s Sonwill help develop a well-rounded outlook on life. Jesus told the Pharisees, “I came to giveyou life, and to give it more abundantly” (see John 10:10).III. MEETING SOCIAL NEEDSFellowship has been called “two fellows in a ship.” This is naive, yet embryonicof a true definition of fellowship. Fellowship involves sensitivity, awareness, and rapportwith another individual. But true fellowship comes when one person realizes hisdependence upon the other person for reciprocal growth and maturity. The young singleadult grows toward maturity when he comes to depend on other people in the church,including others of his own age and status. Then a deep spirit of fellowship and groupparticipation results.Fellowship is a needed ingredient among the young single adults. They arebasically interested in being good neighbors and knowing other people. Yet, they mayhave difficulty risking themselves and venturing out into the world of another person.Friends are the measure of true worth. As the young single adult makes friendsamong both sexes, he finds himself and as a result becomes a better servant of Christ.There is no true self-made man in the world today because we must all depend on otherpeople in our highly complex and structured society. Just so, the young single adult mustlearn to depend upon others if he is to grow in spiritual life as well as social competency.Fellowship will expand the horizons of the young single adult. Those who arelonely and isolated have lost their horizons. There is no challenge to the isolated and hefeels the emptiness of life. Life is wasted when lived in a narrow world. The young singleadult who has many friends lives in a wide world and hence becomes a complete person.Don’t forget that fellowship is preventive in nature. A young single adult who hastrue friends will not find himself deteriorating in his spiritual life. He will have someoneto watch over his spiritual progress as he reciprocates and watches over the spiritualprogress of another.