How Adventist Singles Ministries (or Lack Thereof) Affect Retention of Unmarried Adults

Executive summary

Roughly 48% of U.S. female adults and 42% of male adults are unmarried, yet 72.2% of surveyed Adventist churches report non-existent or ineffective singles ministries. This demographic mismatch creates a quiet exodus: unmarried adults — particularly those aged 30+ — disengage from congregations that structure worship, programming, social events, and even sermon illustrations around the nuclear family. This LRP examines the evidence linking inadequate singles ministry to retention failure, evalua...