Post-Pandemic Pew Gap Highlights Single Mothers’ Absence
Barna research shows only one in four single mothers attends church weekly—the steepest drop among women. While attendance across other groups rebounds, single moms remain notably absent. This trend raises a pressing concern: are churches truly responding to Scripture’s call to care for the vulnerable, including single mothers?
Practical and Emotional Barriers Keep Moms Away
For many single moms, logistics alone hinder church attendance. Joie Van Holstyn, a foster and adoptive mom, recalls the exhaustion of preparing kids solo. Emotional challenges can be even heavier. Many women feel judged or invisible in congregations structured around married couples.
Van Holstyn eventually recommitted to weekly attendance, but found the early months isolating and chaotic. Like others, she resents when churches offer help only “if needed,” saying it makes her feel like a burden.
Outreach Efforts Often Fall Short
Despite their best intentions, churches often fail to connect deeply with single moms. Experts like Michelle Donnelly and Jennifer Maggio warn that program-based approaches rarely lead to lasting community. Many women resist help due to past trauma and fear of judgment, leaving them disengaged despite churches’ one-time events or classes.
Churches that foster long-term efforts—such as weekly studies or mentorship—see more success in forming authentic relationships. But such approaches require consistency, patience, and a shift from viewing single mothers as recipients of charity to viewing them as members of the church body.
Structural Isolation and Social Stigma Persist
Churches often silo members by life stage, which can isolate single moms. Messages centered on marriage or “young families” leave these women without a clear place. Single moms—whether widowed, divorced, or foster parents—frequently feel sidelined or stigmatized.
Even subtle assumptions and gossip hurt. Christine Moriarty Field describes divorced women as feeling “second-class” in congregations. Former single mom Sarah Cleveringa recalls the need to defend her story, sensing people expected her to be at fault.
What True Support Looks Like
Despite these challenges, some churches get it right. Single moms who feel welcomed cite consistent, relational care: prayer support, shared meals, and mentorship. These stories reflect churches living out the biblical call to serve the “widow and the fatherless”—not through events, but community.
As Donnelly puts it, true healing happens when women can give and receive in safe, welcoming spaces. Churches willing to change their structures and assumptions may not just bring single moms back—but reveal Christ more clearly to all.
Source:
Church Attendance Drops Among Single Moms
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