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Open Theism Discussion Board > Public Forums > Tearing down walls > (No Subject)
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Tigress
Registered Member
Date Joined Feb 2003
Total Posts : 1252
| Posted 5/19/2003 11:57 AM (GMT -6) |   | Someone mentioned in another thread something about how there's sort of a partiality towards between married in Christian circles and I wanted to start a thread about that. I thought maybe "Tearing Down Walls" seemed like a good place for it as this can be a divisive issue.
I and MANY Christian singles oftentimes feel as if we're being treated like second-class citizens in the Kingdom of God. There's a general perception which says that a person is not truly spiritually or emotionally mature if he/she's not married. That we're in a sense like older adolesents and therefore shouldn't be allowed to have certain responsibilities within the church - as if being married somehow qualifies a person more for the job.
The Church needs to realize that singles are actually an extremely beneficial part of Christ's Body that can do even more than married people often can. A single person isn't tied down by responsibities to a family, so he/she can travel more freely, make commitments to more ministries and get more down for the Kingdom.
I would ask all pastors and married people in the Church to please stop looking upon us as only a work-in-progress that can't step up right now to do something big for the Church. Provide us with obvious opportunities and make it clear that singles are encouraged to dive in, even more so than married people.
Thank you!
Tigress
The Angel of the Lord encamps around those who fear Him, and He delivers them.
-Psalm 34:7 | | Back to Top | | |
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Tigress
Registered Member
Date Joined Feb 2003
Total Posts : 1252
| Posted 5/19/2003 12:00 PM (GMT -6) | | Man! I must be really tired this p.m. Here are my corrections in red.
quote:
Someone mentioned in another thread something about how there's sort of a partiality towards being married in Christian circles and I wanted to start a thread about that. I thought maybe "Tearing Down Walls" seemed like a good place for it as this can be a divisive issue.
I and MANY Christian singles oftentimes feel as if we're being treated like second-class citizens in the Kingdom of God. There's a general perception which says that a person is not truly spiritually or emotionally mature if he/she's not married. That we're in a sense like older adolesents and therefore shouldn't be allowed to have certain responsibilities within the church - as if being married somehow qualifies a person more for the job.
The Church needs to realize that singles are actually an extremely beneficial part of Christ's Body that can do even more than married people often can. A single person isn't tied down by responsibities to a family, so he/she can travel more freely, make commitments to more ministries and get more onethe Kingdom.
I would ask all pastors and married people in the Church to please stop looking upon us as only a work-in-progress that can't step up right now to do something big for the Church. Provide us with obvious opportunities and make it clear that singles are encouraged to dive in, even more so than married people.
Thank you!
Tigress
The Angel of the Lord encamps around those who fear Him, and He delivers them.
-Psalm 34:7
Tigress
The Angel of the Lord encamps around those who fear Him, and He delivers them.
-Psalm 34:7 | | Back to Top | | |
|
Tigress
Registered Member
Date Joined Feb 2003
Total Posts : 1252
| Posted 5/19/2003 12:01 PM (GMT -6) | | Arrgggghhh! I did it again! I think I fixed it now!
quote:
Someone mentioned in another thread something about how there's sort of a partiality towards being married in Christian circles and I wanted to start a thread about that. I thought maybe "Tearing Down Walls" seemed like a good place for it as this can be a divisive issue.
I and MANY Christian singles oftentimes feel as if we're being treated like second-class citizens in the Kingdom of God. There's a general perception which says that a person is not truly spiritually or emotionally mature if he/she's not married. That we're in a sense like older adolesents and therefore shouldn't be allowed to have certain responsibilities within the church - as if being married somehow qualifies a person more for the job.
The Church needs to realize that singles are actually an extremely beneficial part of Christ's Body that can do even more than married people often can. A single person isn't tied down by responsibities to a family, so he/she can travel more freely, make commitments to more ministries and get more done for the Kingdom.
I would ask all pastors and married people in the Church to please stop looking upon us as only a work-in-progress that can't step up right now to do something big for the Church. Provide us with obvious opportunities and make it clear that singles are encouraged to dive in, even more so than married people.
Thank you!
Tigress
The Angel of the Lord encamps around those who fear Him, and He delivers them.
-Psalm 34:7
Tigress
The Angel of the Lord encamps around those who fear Him, and He delivers them.
-Psalm 34:7 | | Back to Top | | |
|
ReasonableDoubt
Registered Member
Date Joined Jan 2003
Total Posts : 655
| Posted 5/19/2003 12:21 PM (GMT -6) | | I know exactly what you mean. There should be no distinction made whatsoever between married and single people in the church. Being married doesn't make you automatically spiritually mature, or mature at all, for that matter. Being single doesn't mean you are not mature.
Besides, no one knows the exact situation. A lot of people choose not to get married b/c of the risk of divorce, because they can easily support themselves and don't need anyone else, or because they enjoy their freedom. Just b/c someone isn't married doesn't mean they are a reject. In fact, they may have rejected people who wanted to be with them.
Our value as people does not lie in whether we are married. We are valuable b/c God loves us. There is nothing more required than that. The fact is, like you say, single people may have more time to devote to the ministry b/c they don't have a family preoccupying them. Although I'm not Catholic, I don't see that it is inherently wrong for the priests to be celibate. The idea behind that is right on- devoting yourself fully to the Church. Christ wasn't married, neither was Paul when he wrote the apostles.
The good news is, a lot of churches have HUGE singles groups filled with normal, intelligent, fun people- not rejects - you should try to find a church like that. And not a group of people desperate to get married, but happy to be in their situation.
People demand freedom of speech as a compensation for the freedom of thought which they seldom use.
--Søren Kierkegaard | | Back to Top | | |
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shell
Registered Member
Date Joined Mar 2002
Total Posts : 280
| Posted 5/19/2003 1:43 PM (GMT -6) | | Tigress,
I am so sorry that you have felt like that in Christian circles. I completely agree with you about what single people have to offer in ministry. I think diversity gives life to a congregation. My husband and I have several single women in our lives (many due to our business) and serve alongside singles in ministry and they are such a blessing to us and to those around them.
I just remember the impact a couple of single women in my past congregation had on me as I watched their lives unfold. They were beautiful inside and out, intelligent and gifted, and for whatever reason...choice...not meeting the right person etc. they haven't married as of yet, and may never. I saw them dedicate their lives so completely to serving the Lord. They weren't distracted by so many other demands(yet I know they still had many because of their servant hearts). They served wholeheartedly and beautifully and touched so many lives. They traveled the world in minstry and were invoved in many exciting, interesting and effective minsitries.
They poured into others the energy and much needed nurturing that would have gone into a husband and family.
Tigress, I think your boldness to confront these issues that are on your heart is great! Rock on!
Shell
Edited by - shell on 05/19/2003 7:13:24 PM | | Back to Top | | |
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