PJ Dunn, the founder of Table for One, speaks at a Table for One Ministries event at a church in Louisiana in May 2024. Dunn spoke to uplift and recognize single adults in the Christian community. Photo courtesy of PJ Dunn
Table for One Ministries, a 501c3 non-profit organization created in 2013, works to build a community for single believers through discipleship, according to their website. They provide resources for church leaders and single adults to guide them through fostering an accepting environment for all singles.
According to a study conducted by Ashby from Mission Alliance, 75% of single participants felt underrepresented in sermons practiced in church, while 50% felt uncomfortable being the only single adult in the circumstances with only couples present.
For churches to display a more inclusive community for all demographics, Table for One Ministries shares their mission of representing single adults.
“We didn't want to build ministries and programs — we wanted to build people,” said PJ Dunn, founder of Table for One Ministries, in an interview.
Within the Christian community, events become a way to connect people and create a place to pursue authentic discipleship, Dunn said. Oftentimes, church leaders cater events to married couples. Table for One works to guide churches and leaders to build more inclusive communities.
Members use multiple resources, such as classes, coaching and events to create a place of community that equips leaders to see singles as complete in Christ, according to Table for One Ministries.
“We weren't built to do life alone,” Dunn said. “When Adam and Eve were there, that's not just a marriage thing. It’s a community thing.”
From the beginning, Table for One’s objective focused on guiding churches to acknowledge the importance of community for single adults.
Attendees participate in a Complete in Christ event by Table for One Ministries in Louisiana in May 2024. Over 150 singles of all ages and backgrounds gathered together at a Table for One Conference according to Dunn. Photo courtesy of PJ Dunn
“Single” as a diverse word
For many, the term “single” means to be one person without any partner. However, Table for One illustrates that “single” can be a wide-ranging word describing anyone considered unmarried.
Table for One Ministries seeks to include all demographics within the single community. There are eight types of “singles”: collegiate, dating, divorced, widows, never-married, engaged, single parents and same-sex attracted, according to their website.
Dunn includes each group so that they feel seen within their communities.
“It's like, ‘Oh, they get me,’ and people light up because, for the first time, they feel like they're seen in church,” Dunn said.
Table for One attendees build community with one another at a Complete in Christ Conference in Louisiana in May 2024. The Complete in Christ conference was an event for single adults to build community through discipleship. Photo courtesy of Dr. PJ Dunn
Master Classes and Coaching
Along with engaging with single adults, Table For One offers master classes and coaching for churches, according to their website. Churches can use these services to learn more about their community and better interact with single adults who attend their churches.
Master classes are four sessions, each around two hours long, Dunn said. Churches engage in these classes through a virtual experience that allows people to receive proper training and new perspectives on what inclusive ministry for singles could look like, such as rethinking men’s ministry events.
“You're not getting the people you want because you're not thinking of it,” Dunn said. “If I show up to a men's ministry event, it's all about how to be a great dad, how to be a great father, how to be a great grandpa — you know, all those are great, but that has nothing for the single adult guy.”
Dunn emphasizes that men’s ministry should emulate Jesus Christ, not only focusing on fatherhood.
“Jesus was single. Sometimes, that comes out as a reminder, like, you can be whole because your Savior was single,” Dunn said. “The idea of being complete in Christ is that nothing else will complete you.”
Jasmin Enriquez is an English Literature student at Trevecca Nazarene University. She hopes to pursue a career in journalistic writing and editing. She enjoys writing meaningful works that provide unique perspectives.
