by Linda Hardin

The mission of Single Adult Ministries is to encourage Christians, to prepare them to share the good news of the Gospel, and to introduce others to Jesus Christ. Discipleship training is one means of encouraging and preparing single adults to share their faith.

Wes Tracy in The Upward Call reminds us that John Wesley called his religious movement a "connecxion." One of the hallmarks of the Wesley movement was the spiritual formation structure he created. Wesley's concept was built on societies, classes, bands, and one-to-one spiritual guidance. As new believers matured in their faith, they moved to the next group, often developing leadership skills in the process.

Wesley's contemporaries recognized the genius of this strategy. In The Upward Call, George Whitefield looked backed on his career and noted: Brother Wesley acted wisely. The souls that were awakened under his ministry, he joined in class, and thus preserved the fruits of his labor. This I neglected, and my people are a rope of sand.

One of the challenges of North American culture and single adult living is the individualism we cherish. In single adults, this is often seen as independence. Necessity demands we make most decisions alone. If we don't have children or our active parenting days are finished, many of us don't have any family structure, especially if we're separated from our biological families.

This is where the Body of Christ functions best. Small groups of single adults learn to function in a family-like manner as they hold members accountable for spiritual growth and development and for encouragement and support.

In a discipleship group, you will be encouraged to examine your spiritual lives. Here are some questions that might be useful in your small group.