With almost 22 million single parents in the U.S. today, many churches are beginning to focus on the need to minister to single mother-led families more effectively. The Life of a Single Mom® is elated to be part of that journey! As one of the nation's largest providers of single mom ministry training, curriculum, coaching, and services, it is our deepest desire that every single mom would connect in a local church that has a single moms' program, and ultimately know her true identity in Christ. Each day, we receive many questions about how to minister to the needs of single parents in a more effective, long-term way. We believe one of those ways is through a single moms' support group. It provides long-term discipleship, beyond simply a one-time outreach, event, or meal.
Whether you are brand-new to single moms' ministry or you have already started a group and need fresh ideas for growth or assistance trouble-shooting challenges within the group, we are happy to help. Below are a few key things to consider as you launch, grow, and sustain your group over the long haul.
1. Recognize the difference between evangelism and discipleship. Effective single moms' ministry will include evangelism and discipleship measures that will reach the lost through one-time events and outreaches and disciple moms in the church, once they get there. We estimate that less than 2% of Christian churches currently have single-parent support groups. Of the ones in existence, many churches tend to only focus on the moms that are actively attending their church. Unfortunately, 67% of single mothers nationally are not actively attending a local church. This means that very often single moms are not in your church rather they are in your community. Outreach measures are critical for getting those mothers into the doors, including creative ways to serve these families, e.g. a free mommy's day out event, clothing and food giveaways, free oil changes, Mother's Day celebrations, Christmas outreaches, etc. Once mothers engage in outreach events, it is likewise critical that a strong single moms' ministry exists in the church, whereby mothers can actively attend Bible study, receive mentorship, and develop friendships within the church.
2. Teach relevant material. Over the last 20+ years, we have worked with thousands of churches, including many who had already started a single moms' Bible study of some sort that were facing challenges. One of the first things we do is look at the group's teaching material. Many of the groups are following curriculum by the latest and greatest Christian author, but have likely have not considered the needs and challenges of group attendees. While many great Bible studies exist and certainly can be gleaned from, we find that the groups with the longest sustainability are those groups who are teaching life skills with Bible application, and particularly by authors who have first-hand single parenting experience. Consider integrating content on parenting techniques, money management skills, emotional wellness, and spiritual growth strategies from God's Word, for a well-rounded approach to your single moms' ministry.
3. Meet at a time that is convenient for the single mom. Friday nights, Saturday nights, or Sunday afternoons tend to work best for busy moms, juggling car pool, two jobs, and many demands. Moms who are parenting school-age children have homework to contend with during the week. Wednesday nights tend to be most convenient for churches, as many already have a mid-weed service with existing childcare. However, this is probably not the best time for busy single mothers. And if you want to begin to reach outside the walls of the church to bring in mothers who aren't yet connected, offering a more convenient meeting time is critical. We know that moms who already love the group will come on Tuesdays at 6am if they had to! But always consider the mom who is not yet there. In addition, a full work week tends to make a single mom's support group a daunting task, mid-week, not a welcomed break......but if you meet on a weekend, she is more relaxed and open to receive.
BONUS TIP: Get trained properly. Many single moms' ministry leaders were commissioned by their church to start a Sunday School class, connect group, or other, but never received much training in the way of specific single mother ministry do's and don'ts, common challenges faced, etc. This is why The Life of a Single Mom offers an array of free training webinars, eBooks, podcasts, and articles specific to single moms' ministry. We have been serving churches for more than 20 years and many on our leadership run single moms' programs in their own church. If you know that you could use some additional assistance and training, consider attending some of our ongoing training events and conferences, and be sure to subscribe to our podcasts (wherever you get your podcasts), YouTube channel, and articles. If you have never received our full Single Moms' Ministry Mega Kit, then you will likely want your church to pick that up for you, as well.
The Single Moms' Ministry Mega Kit is a robust array of support materials for both new and seasons single moms' ministry leaders. The ministry kit includes:
Having trouble gaining support from your pastor or church leadership? Here are some helpful hints:
Here are some of our most popular articles for ministry leaders & facilitators:
The Life of a Single Mom® is a national, faith-based, nonprofit that exists to see that no single mom walks alone. To date, the organization has worked with thousands of churches to start a single mom’s support group in cities throughout the U.S. and beyond, as well as having served more than one million single mothers with a variety of programs. Offering a large array of books, curriculum, training materials, online instructional videos, podcasts, newsletters, life skills education, and more, TLSM is one of the largest single mom organizations in the U.S. The robust selection of single mom programs focus on empowering single moms to grow spiritually, emotionally, financially, and parentally through Single Mom University®, Single Moms Across America, the National TLSM Single Moms Conference, boot camps, and a variety of other programs. For more information, visit thelifeofasinglemom.com.
