Cherise Bopape
M aking a Difference
Singles Ministry without Holes In January 1997, Nancy Tucker was force-fed a lifestyle that was nearly too big to digest. After 14 years of marriage, she became a single mom to two young children when her husband succumbed to cancer. Several years later, Tucker’s pastor revealed one of his concerns: The church had holes in its ministry. Because of their unique emotional, financial, and childcare requirements, single parents were not having their needs met. He asked Tucker to start a ministry for unwed moms. She rejected the idea three times. After all, she had been widowed (not divorced), had since remarried, and was dealing with the challenges of her new blended family. But she eventually accepted the challenge and for the past decade has led the single moms’ ministry at First Baptist Church Woodstock (FBCW), a congregation of over 10,000 in Woodstock, Ga. Commenting on James 1:27, which reminds us to “look after orphans and widows in their distress,” Tucker says, “The modern-day widow is the single mom who has been abandoned and left to raise her children.” According to the Annie E. Casey Foundation’s 2010 Kids Count Data Book, 36 percent of children in Georgia are being raised in single-parent families—one of the highest rates in the country. Such statistics confirmed the necessity of Tucker’s new role. Her ministry started as a 13-week Sunday school class. Although the focus of the class was to provide biblically based lessons with life applications, Tucker was careful to carve out time for the women to pray with one another, share their concerns, and build relationships. Today the ministry also includes social events such as retreats, movies, chili cook-offs, and picnics. Tucker started a community-based, single-parent Christmas party famed for offering kids a chance to visit FBCW’s Christmas store, where they can select and wrap a gift for
their parent confidentially. The most expansive of Tucker’s efforts has been the annual single moms’ banquet, at which folks like Russ Lee, Angela Thomas, and Anita Renfroe have been featured speakers. She invites nearby churches with similar ministries to join in the teaching and fellowship the banquet offers. Tucker says she’s blessed to be part of a church that has so much to offer. FBCW’s CARE ministry provides service to single mothers through a benevolence team, an on-campus thrift store, food bank, job assistance, financial counseling, and beyond. When a mom asks repeatedly for help with utilities or rent, Tucker refers her to an in-house team that helps her draft a household budget. Armed with a customized financial plan, a single mom can exhibit better stewardship and gain independence. Since FBCW is a megachurch, it has sizable funds to work with, but according to Tucker, its leaders’ hearts are even bigger. “Our ministry has been embraced by Pastor Johnny Hunt and our minister of education, Allan Taylor,” she explains. “Both men were raised by single moms who held three or more jobs to support their kids. I think their hearts are a little softer toward what we do.” At a time when ministries vie for budget dollars, they ensure that single moms and their children are equipped spiritually, physically, and emotionally. FBCW’s generosity doesn’t end with its leadership. Each October, thousands
of members take part in a threeday local mission trip they call Love Loud. During this time, they assist single moms, widows, and the needy in the community. Unwed mothers have gotten haircuts, car detailing, medical assistance, and more—all for free. Philip Caldwell, a church member who has assisted single moms during Love Loud, appreciates Tucker’s ministry. His sister rears three children as a single parent. He sees value in the godly advice, encouragement, and life guidance the ministry provides. He describes Tucker’s service as magnetic and challenging. “I’ve seen women walk in so bewildered, depressed, and sad,” says Tucker. “They come back a few weeks later holding their heads up higher.” She has seen women become less dependent on the church, more dependent on God, and ultimately, focused on serving others. One of her moms led another woman to Christ during Love Loud while waiting for her car to be serviced. Others have remarried and grown their families. Two women who have left FBCW have started similar ministries in their new church homes. Whether an unwed mom commits her life to Christ while waiting for an oil change, a divorcee receives special attention at a banquet in her honor, or a widow hears the Word of God in a Sunday school class, FBCW’s ministry to single mothers is making a difference in a lot of lives. “I make [single moms] feel special because most of them feel like they’ve been thrown away,” says Tucker. “Once they feel like they’re special to me, I can tell them how special and valuable they are to God.” Cherise Bopape is an author, freelance writer, and seminar leader who’s passionate about healthy parenting, work-life balance, and domestic violence awareness.
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