Single and Clergy

Over the last two decades women have been called into the ministry. Some of the women are married and some are single. Most women who are married have the support of their spouses, family or friends on the journey. However, the single women support maybe family or friends.

Single women in ministry have flexibility to do more in ministry because they may not have the demands of a spouse or family but they may have other demands for instance caring for their elderly parents, supporting members of their family or working in another profession. Just because a clergy woman is single doesn't mean she want to always be in the company of other single clergy women or always at the church every time the doors are open.

Being single and clergy is not a curse, it gives us more time to focus on what God as for us to do. We have less interruptions and we are able to travel on moments notice. Then we have those days when we want to be in a relationships. Some clergy women find it hard to date because once the man find out they are a women of the cloth it changes everything.

I was told one time that most women enter into ministry to find a husband. That was an interesting comment from a single clergy male. If that was the case then many single clergy women would run into ministry with the mindset of just getting married. If we recall women went to college to get an education but also to get a husband. In the life we live in today women are delaying marriage or getting remarried.

One issue single clergy women face is dating a suitable or potential person. Dating is hard for anyone but when you add Rev, Minister, Dr. or Prophetess in the mix it makes women off limit. There are some men who are brave to date clergy women and some are clergy and non-clergy men. When it comes to non-clergy men, some of them are hesitant to date a clergy women for a variety of reasons. The main reason I've heard from some men was they are not spiritual enough and feel they may go to hell because of what they are thinking or doing.

Why is the thinking different when the clergy is a woman instead of a man. Women are open to dating a clergy man, but why are some men not as open?