Ministering to the Young Single Adult - Elmer Towns

The young single adult can serve in the church’s music ministry or speak tovarious groups in the church. He can be assigned as a church usher or a “greeter” in theSunday School. He can help decorate the church. A group of young people can be giventhe responsibility for the interior decoration of a room. They can help direct traffic in thechurch parking lot or counsel with young people in the selection of vocations. Youngsingle adults like to prepare and serve food for the church’s social gatherings. They canbecome sponsors for high school retreats or act as camp counselors in the summerprogram.In these small and various ways the young single adult can provide his apparent“widow’s mite” investment in the church. His help may be unnoticed but when thesetasks are left undone they become very obvious because the whole program bogs down.X. REWARDS OF SERVICEAs the young single adult “gives” his life in service to God he usually finds“abundant life.” This life is characterized by good personal and social adjustment, onceagain giving truth to the statement, “It is more blessed to give than to receive.”The young single adult can enjoy the first of life for which the last was planned.His life can be a time of happiness and satisfaction or it can be a time of loneliness anddespair. The young single adult who gives most in his youth will receive most later inlife.Christ during his earthly ministry would have been considered a “young singleadult.” Also, most scholars suggest that the disciples were young single adults. Yet, thesemen became the foundation of the Church.The influence and service of the local church can be greatly multiplied andextended through the voluntary work of the young single adult. There is almost nofinancial cost. On the contrary, the church gains financially. As the young single adult“invests” his time and talents, he will see the need and invest his finances.However, the services of the young single adult in the church will be meaninglessand useless unless there is wise leadership in directing the investment of time and energy.As a result, both the church and its young single adult will benefit, the roles of both theyoung and the older church members will be modified, and the entire program of thechurch will take on renewed vigor and gain increased respect in the community.