{Editor’s Note: Single guys are in the minority in many of our churches today, and it doesn’t seem to matter how big the church is or if it has a singles ministry or not. This is the first in a series of occasional posts created to dialogue about what single men in church have been experiencing in a variety of congregations.}

I've got the lady friends on lock down, but the guys...notsomuch.

Despite the fact that “Thank U” by Alanis Morissette makes a strong bid for my top ten favorite songs ever, anything from Metallica’s The Black Album could also easily be in the conversation. I often feel like I’m a walking contradiction.

My eclectic tastes in music carry over into my friendships. The sports jerseys in my closet and naked walls in my bachelor pad reek of the quintessential man yet I’ve always possessed a natural ease at cultivating platonic relationships with girls.

A sample of what I encounter after church on Sundays:

“Hi, Brandon!” [Side hug]
“WBH!” [Side hug]
“Hey! Brando!” [Side hug]

Between double dipping in separate co-ed life groups during the week and attending at least one service every weekend, my (church-appropriate) love bucket is never empty. I’ve got the Friend Zone on lock down with a large contingent of eligible, single ladies. I’m okay with that. [Read more...]