Types of church and singleness
Which different types of churches were represented in our survey ‘Singleness in the UK Church’? In the 2012 research, over 3,000 single Christians shared their experiences of church and faith. This is how their experiences differed across different types of churches…
Respondents were invited to describe their church using one or more of these descriptors. In this sample, the majority identified themselves as attending evangelical churches.
Lively church
Student-focused church
Charismatic church
Evangelical church
Gathered or commuting congregation
Traditional church
Neighbourhood-based church
Family-focused church
Socially/politically involved church
Emerging church/alternative worship
Types of church attended by respondents
Specific and some surprising differences emerged between the types of church.
The single Christian in a lively church
The lively church emerges as the most different to the others in the experience of single Christians.
More agree that other people embrace the single adult for who they are.
Feel more accepted as single adults.
Of all church types, they feel most part of the church community.
Feel treated as members of the ‘church family’ (the only ones overall that do so).
Think that there are no problems in single people going to church.
Less likely to think there is presumption that something wrong because they are single (the only ones overall that do so).
Are most comfortable with their sexuality.
Say they are happy as a single person and would also be happy if married.
If single, enjoy having the space and time to:
devote themselves to faith/prayer
help others or pursue a ministry
spend time with friends and family
socialise with close friends (only student-focused churches doing so more).
In addition, members of lively churches shares some similarities with those of other church types.
They are less likely to agree that the church is too feminine.
Receive relatively more advice on relationships and issues of singleness.
Are medium-ly involved in church activities every week.
Think they are likely to meet potential partners through church and church-related activities and family and friends.
They don't see themselves as marrying a non-Christian (though less so than Evangelicals and Charismatics).
They are fine with with sex belonging only in marriage and over half say it is important to avoid sex before marriage.
However, of all the larger types of church, they are most concerned about the gender imbalance and that women have less chance of finding a husband.
However, they are concerned about the gender imbalance and single women finding husbands.
The single Christian in a student-focused church
Distinctively, the student-focused church is the only one:
where they report that the church knows what to do with them as a single person
whose members more involved with sports and hobbies.
They get the most advice on relationships and issues of singleness, and report they have most often heard church leaders teach that Christians should only marry those who share their faith.
However, they are much more willing to marry a non-Christian than four other types of church considered in detail and under half say they are fine with sex belonging only in marriage (behind many other types). Over half say it is important to avoid sex before marriage.
Of all the church types, they enjoy most having the space and time to: - devote themselves to faith/prayer - help others or pursue a ministry - spend time with friends and family and socialise with close friends.
They are most social, as might be expected, and say that the best way to meet potential partners is through church and church-related activities, family and friends.
Of all types, they most disagree that their church ethos is too feminine.
Distinctively say that:
they find not having intimacy in their lives difficult or very difficult
they think that an event or conference would help raise awareness of singleness issues.
In addition, they top the types in:
wanting to discuss – and most often discussing – singleness with one of their church leaders
being involved in church activities
agreeing that the church should take a strong and strict line against sex outside of and before marriage
being certain that they cannot see themselves marrying a non-Christian
being fine with sex belonging only in marriage
believing it important to avoid sex before marriage as a practising Christian.
They receive some guidance on relationship and singleness issues.
The single Christian in an evangelical church
Distinctively:
disagree that singleness is a positive choice for them
expect their leaders to be responsible for addressing the needs of single Christians and reaching out to those outside the church.
Compared to student-focused, charismatic, gathered congregations and lively churches, they receive relatively less advice on relationships and issues of singleness, despite hearing church leaders teach that Christians should only marry those who share their faith (most after student-focused).
They don't particularly enjoy being single, unlike lively and student-focused churches, and feel less part of their church communities than many other types.
They are near the bottom of the list when it comes to being involved with church activities at least once each week. They socialise less with close friends at least once each week and generally.
Nevertheless, they:
more strongly assert there are no circumstances in which they will marry a non-Christian
are fine with sex only belonging in marriage
say that it is important to avoid sex before marriage (although fourth behind other types)
agree that the church is right to take a strong and strict line against sex.
The single Christian in a gathered or commuting congregation
There is little to distinguish gathered or commuting congregations from the average for other churches.
They are only distinct in two places, each time second after student-focused churches.
Receive relatively more advice on relationships and issues of singleness.
Say that the best way to meet potential partners is through church or church-related activities.
The single Christian in a traditional church
The traditional church appears distinctive in a number of places, nearly always as in contrast to others.
They see others as much more accepted in church and are least involved with church activities at least once a week.
They receive least advice from church leaders on relationships and issues of singleness.
They don’t think an event or conference would help raise awareness of singleness issues and, distinctively, they are less interested in attending such a conference or having more teaching to help understand their faith in the context of being single.
Fewer have wanted to or talked to church leaders one-to-one.
The least number have heard Church leaders say they should marry someone of the same faith, and are most prepared to marry a non-Christian.
Fewest think it important to avoid sex before marriage and are the least concerned about the imbalance of numbers affecting chances of women finding a husband.
Socialise least with close friends, but higher than average generally in a week , and think, most of all types, that the best way to meet a potential partner is through joining clubs, groups and organisations in the community.
The single Christian in a neighbourhood-based church
Feel much more part of the church community (closely following the lively and socially/politically involved churches).
Lie in the middle of all the types in terms of church involvement at least once each week.
Are relatively high in joining in with community activities (after emerging church and socially/politically involved).
Receive less advice on relationships and issues of singleness (just more than traditional).
Like the traditional church, they also don't particularly support the Church taking a strong and strict line about sex outside of marriage.
Consider a good way to meet a potential partner is through joining clubs, groups and organisations in the community (close behind the traditional church members).
In summary, they appear theologically similar to the traditional church but single Christians feel much more part of the church community and join in more with both church and community activities.
The single Christian in a family-focused church
Out of the 10 types, the family-focused church lies in the middle or in the average. The only distinctive separations are as follows.
Feel slightly more part of church community (fourth).
Slightly higher involved in church activities at least once a week (fifth).
Think best way to meet a potential partner is through family and friends (fourth).
Slightly more wouldn't marry a non-Christian (fourth).
Slightly more consider it important to avoid sex before marriage (fifth).
The single Christian in a socially/politically involved church
Feel most part of the church community of all types of church.
More involved with church activities every week (after student-focused and charismatic).
Socialise generally more than all others except student-focused.
Involved most in community activities (after emerging – and unlike student-focused and charismatic).
They are significantly more concerned than other types about the gender imbalance and the implications for single women finding husbands.
The single Christian in an emerging church/alternative worship
The only distinctive element of an emerging church reported for single Christians outside the average is their involvement in community activities at least once each week.
More from the research
Our 2012 Research - what do single Christians think about church?