Bryan Sands: ‘Singleness Doesn’t Make You a Second-Class Citizen in the Church’

In a brief video, Bryan Sands—director of campus ministries at Hope International University in Fullerton, California, and author of Everyone Loves Sex: So Why Wait? A Discussion in Sexual Faithfulness—offered some words of encouragement for adult singles who find themselves in a church culture that “seems to value marriage above all else.”

Sands recalls the pressure he felt in his 20s, when he was single and serving at a large church, and was regularly asked the question, “So, when are you getting married?”

“I was often reminded that I was single,” Sands says. “It made me feel at times that I was inadequate, that I was lacking something.”

According to Sands, rather than seeing their singleness as a flaw or something that disqualifies them from making a kingdom impact, singles can find joy and purpose in their current season of life, living with “undivided devotion” to God, like Paul describes in 1 Corinthians 7.

“The apostle Paul said … ‘I wish that all would be like me—single—so that they could devote themselves to ministry,'” Sands says. “Being single does not mean you are lacking anything. But in your singleness, God can use you to do great and amazing and powerful things.”

For more from Bryan Sands (@bryanasands), go to EveryoneLovesSex.org.

Are You Making Your Leadership Role Even Harder?

Trust always involves risk, and we must risk to successfully take new territory.

Prayers of All Shapes and Sizes

He is the God who moves the hearts of kings and causes the seasons to change, and he is the Father who provides our daily bread, whatever form that takes.

Church Shift

Martin Luther encouraged his fellow monks to break out of the monasteries and walk among those in the world.