“SINGLE CHRISTIAN, GOD HAS A KEY ROLE FOR YOU IN HIS KINGDOM!
Hopes. Fears. Dreams. Frustrations. You’ve likely experienced them all. But this stage of your life can actually be one of the most exciting and productive in your walk with God. The fact is, you’re already complete in Christ, and He has important work for you to do.
In Kingdom Single, Dr. Tony Evans proves that while you’re waiting for some things, God wants you to be about His kingdom work, growing in your relationship with Him and serving His cause today. At the same time, you’ll be increasingly prepared for whatever future plans He has for you.
God has encouragement, inspiration, and lessons for you to learn now.
He has an eternal mission for you to join now.
And He has amazing plans for your future that begin now.
Read Kingdom Single and start your journey to a life of fulfillment, peace, and world-changing purpose.”
Kingdom Single, written by Dr. Tony Evans, is a Christian living book targeting the single population of the Church, the term Kingdom Single being defined as, “an unmarried Christian who is committed to fully and freely maximizing his or her completeness under the rule of God and the lordship of Jesus Christ.” Dang.
Dr. Evans seeks to clarify God’s call on the single Christian’s life with a heavy use of Scripture as well as personal experience, and be a voice that calls that same single Christian to become complete in Christ to pursue His mission for the world and revealed purpose for their lives.
ALL THE GOOD THINGS
When I originally approached this book, I had a limited picture of the audience Dr. Evans sought to reach. I pictured men and women who’d never married, and who felt they were past the “easily marriageable” age. I therefore anticipated the book to be over 200 pages of Dr. Evans trying to say the same thing in different ways to the same people. And yet, as I walked through this concept with Dr. Evans, however, I was reminded that Kingdom singles are not limited to this one category. Kingdom singles include men and women who’ve been divorced, widows and widowers, single parents, and beyond. This made me look particularly at the ministry in which Jake and I are involved, and realize that the struggles faced by people who were not yet married were struggles that single moms, widows, etc. also faced, and broadened my compassion and prayers for them.
Another thing that made this book enjoyable for me as a reader was how Dr. Evans tastefully but truthfully handled the issue of divorce without making the book about the issue of divorce. I feel like the Church, and I as part of the Church, can overshoot this issue in extremes, neither of those extremes representing the Gospel of both grace and truth very well. And yet Dr. Evans accomplished communicating both grace and truth as he set up the biblical standards for divorce and remarriage, encouraged people who’ve been divorced, and discussed the Church’s role as the court for believers concerning divorce, etc.
Lastly, Dr. Evans shed light on some struggles that Kingdom Singles have in today’s society that I didn’t even think about, specifically the struggle with same-sex attraction. Not that married Christians don’t face that struggle as well, but…
ALL THE NOT SO GOOD THINGS
The things that made this difficult for me as a reader were few and far between, the main difficulty being simply that I couldn’t completely relate to the struggles Kingdom Singles face, and so I felt some of the analogies and even encouragements were lost on me.
The one smaller thing that made this difficult for me to enjoy as a reader was the ratio between the amount of ideas introduced and the space allowed in the book to discuss them. Most of the time, Dr. Evans did well with the space that he had to work with within his own book, and yet some of the time topics felt glanced over (e.g., the Church as a Courthouse for believers, the call on Kingdom Singles concerning discipleship and the Great Commission, and others), and I was left wanting more discussion on those things. This might simply mean I need to pursue other reading material to supplement these topics.
Overall, I feel like this was a topic that could’ve been handled very poorly, and yet Dr. Evans handled it with tact, compassion, and truth. I would recommend this book to single Christians, yes, but also and especially to the people dedicated to ministering to and discipling single Christians, in order to possibly afford them greater clarity as to what people in this phase of life are experiencing as they seek to follow God.
About the Author:
“Dr. Tony Evans is one of the country’s most respected leaders in evangelical circles. He is a pastor, best-selling author, and frequent speaker at Bible conferences and seminars throughout the nation.
Dr. Evans has served as the senior pastor Oak Cliff Bible Fellowship for more than 40 years, witnessing its growth from ten people in 1976 to now more than 10,000 congregants with 100-plus ministries.
Dr. Evans also serves as president of The Urban Alternative, a national ministry that seeks to restore hope and transform lives through the proclamation and application of the Word of God. His daily radio broadcast, The Alternative with Dr. Tony Evans, can be heard on more than 1,200 radio outlets throughout the United States and in more than 130 countries.
Dr. Evans has authored more than 100 books, booklets, and Bible studies, including Kingdom Man, Oneness Embraced, The Kingdom Agenda, Marriage Matters, and Victory in Spiritual Warfare. He serves as chaplain for the NBA’s Dallas Mavericks, a ministry he has done for more than 30 years. He is also the former chaplain for the NFL’s Dallas Cowboys.
Dr. Evans is married to Lois, his wife and ministry partner of more than 40 years. They are the proud parents of four, grandparents of twelve, and great-grandparents of two.”
*A complimentary copy of this book was given to me by Tyndale Book Publishers