This week we are covering Healthy Singleness and we are privileged to be joined by two esteemed guests:
Barry Danylak, author of "Redeeming Singleness: How the Storyline of Scripture Affirms the Single Life"

& Mike Simpson, Executive Director of the Single Friendly Church Network in the UK.

5-steps to becoming a single-friendly church:
1 - Who is single?
2 - Language
3 - Welcome
4 - Teaching
5 - Leadership
More information on the Church Audit can be found here.

In addition to Barry's "redeeming singleness" book we also refer to a condensed theological book, "Singleness in God's Redemptive Story".

The Single Friendly Church network also provides some very helpful 'Survival Tips for Single Christians'.

If you're listening from The C3 Church, I'd love your feedback on your experiences of how welcoming the church is towards singles. So why not drop me an email (ascend@thec3.uk)?

ASCEND CAMP 24 - 7/8th June, Thetford Forest
With less than a week to go, it's very tight whether we can fit you in. Check Brushfire for the latest.

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WHAT IS ASCEND MEN?
Imagine a community of men who are challenged, inspired and equipped to live passionate lives for Jesus. A place where men-care-for-men through a small number of honest personal relationships initiated and supported by regular male-oriented events. Relationships are built shoulder-to-shoulder doing stuff in preference to eye-balling each other!

Ascend Men is that community.

Our podcasts reflect that desire to challenge, inspire and equip our men. Some are light-hearted easy-listens. Some deserve to be digested and pondered. If you love them, tell us - we could do with the encouragement. If you can see ways they could be improved, tell us - feedback is a gift.

Join our Facebook group or email us (ascend@thec3.uk) to hear more about our fantastic breakfasts in Cambridge, Bury and Colchester as well as our Camp in June.

Whilst researching and preparing this series on Relationships, Josh Campbell preached at the C3 Church Cambridge on 22nd April talking about “Courageous Friendships”. As a result, I added-in “Healthy Friendships” to our schedule. Why? Because healthy friendships are fundamental to being single, dating, marrying.

So welcome to the podcast, Pastor Josh Campbell.

Josh referred to two c.1hr sermons delivered Levi Lusko which were “The secret to making friends” and “You need friends”.

Statistics to put a male orientation on loneliness:

MALE LONELINESS
According to a recent YouGov poll in the UK:

• 18% men (1-in-5), don’t have a single close friend
• 1 in 3 men (32%) don’t have a best friend
• For women the figures are 12% and 24% so potentially less severe
• The main difference is that men struggle to talk about their loneliness than women, which has the effect of making them even more isolated

MALE SUICIDE
Samaritans' interpretation of the ONS 2022 data for England:

• Overall suicide rate of 10.5 per 100,000 (same as 2021)
• Male suicide rate was 3x that for women i.e. 16.1 per 100,000 compared to a female rate of 5.3 per 100,000
• The highest suicide rate is in males aged 50-54 (23.1 per 100,000)
• Much ascribed to men’s inability to talk about their loneliness

If you know somebody who is rock-bottom and there is any thought they might want to end their life, ask them if they’re considering suicide. Asking the question can ONLY help. It will never give somebody an idea of taking that action. Don’t put it off. Who’d want to be too late? Want to talk more? Contact Alan Colley via Facebook or email (alan.colley@thec3.uk).

THREE key points from Josh's sermon:

1 - Keep an open heart (in terms of the impact of others' friendship with you and yours to them)

2 - Stay humble (nobody wants a know-it-all, arrogant, proud mate)

3 - Don’t be a coward (have those difficult conversations even if they risk the relationship)

Secular groups that are aimed to help with loneliness and men's mental health:

• Men’s sheds https://menssheds.org.uk (a few around Cambridge)
• Andy’s Man Club https://andysmanclub.co.uk (Cambridge AMC led by one of our Ascend brothers)

ASCEND CAMP 24 - 7/8th June, Thetford Forest
By the time you see this, we might be out of spaces. Check Brushfire for the latest.

FOR UPCOMING ASCEND EVENTS sign up here.

To subscribe to our weekly inspiring emails, please complete the form here.

WHAT IS ASCEND MEN?
Imagine a community of men who are challenged, inspired and equipped to live passionate lives for Jesus. A place where men-care-for-men through a small number of honest personal relationships initiated and supported by regular male-oriented events. Relationships are built shoulder-to-shoulder doing stuff in preference to eye-balling each other!

Ascend Men is that community.

Our podcasts reflect that desire to challenge, inspire and equip our men. Some are light-hearted easy-listens. Some deserve to be digested and pondered. If you love them, tell us - we could do with the encouragement. If you can see ways they could be improved, tell us - feedback is a gift.

Join our Facebook group or email us (ascend@thec3.uk) to hear more about our fantastic breakfasts in Cambridge, Bury and Colchester as well as our Camp in June.

In this new season we're going to cover healthy friendships, singleness, dating, marriage and even life after a relationship, i.e. being single again. Whatever your interest, you'll know others at different stages so come back every week for a deep-dive into each area.

A huge thanks to Annabel Wheeldon-Clarke of Engage for helping me put this season together.

Today we're doing an overview i.e. what it means to have “Healthy Relationships” with Annabel and Nathan Blackaby of Christian Vision for Men.

The Relationships Venn diagram explained by Annabel is at the bottom of this page.

Check out the book: "7 Reasons Your Church Needs More Men: How to lead a gender balanced church supporting healthy singleness, dating, marriage and youth"

Annabel refers to the work on Boundaries by Dr. Henry Cloud and Dr. John Townsend. See more at Cloud-Townsend Resources.

Curious after the conversation on Love Languages? There's plenty of info on the Interweb but here's a good start point (including a quick quiz).

ASCEND CAMP 24 - 7/8th June, Thetford Forest
By the time you see this, we might be out of spaces. Check Brushfire for the latest.

FOR UPCOMING ASCEND EVENTS sign up here.

To subscribe to our weekly inspiring emails, please complete the form here.

WHAT IS ASCEND MEN?
Imagine a community of men who are challenged, inspired and equipped to live passionate lives for Jesus. A place where men-care-for-men through a small number of honest personal relationships initiated and supported by regular male-oriented events. Relationships are built shoulder-to-shoulder doing stuff in preference to eye-balling each other!

Ascend Men is that community.

Our podcasts reflect that desire to challenge, inspire and equip our men. Some are light-hearted easy-listens. Some deserve to be digested and pondered. If you love them, tell us - we could do with the encouragement. If you can see ways they could be improved, tell us - feedback is a gift.

Join our Facebook group or email us (ascend@thec3.uk) to hear more about our fantastic breakfasts in Cambridge, Bury and Colchester as well as our Camp in June.