Well, I was single once. As far as I can tell, virtually every married person I know was single at one time. These were formative years in my life. Much of who I am as a Christian man was shaped in the experience of singleness. I remember with great fondness the sense of freedom of being a single man, as well as the times of loneliness and longing for a partner in life.

I also have had the exciting privilege of serving in ministry to single adults for more than fifteen years, including nine years as a singles pastor. The concerns of single adults have been my concerns in ministry; they are the burdens I ponder and carry in prayer.

Neither of these experiences, however, would qualify me to speak into the life of a single man or woman. I would never pretend that my life as a married man makes it easy to understand singleness in our day. I respect too much the vast differences in these seasons of life to have confidence in my opinions.

It is important for you to know that the idea of The Rich Single Life is not my personal take on singleness. In fact, it's not so much a philosophy as it is an anthropology. By that I mean, what you will read here isn't how I think you should live as a single person, it is a description of what I see being lived around me.

This column is an attempt to give testimony to the flesh and blood lives of my single friends-men and women; brothers and sisters-who are embracing the grace of God to live for God in a very challenging world. My contribution has been to be a thoughtful observer, to try to put into a helpful format a picture of single life that is truly possible, because it is truly being done.

Ultimately, however, this column will only ring true if it is faithful to the truth embodied in Jesus Christ and set out for us in the Bible. There is no shortage of advice for single men and women in the Christian world. All of it, I am sure, is well-meaning and sincere. Much of it is probably very insightful and practical. But I'm shooting for something more than practical. I want to draw your eyes to the Savior.

What you read here may make sense to you, or it may challenge your thinking. Whether we're talking about personal identity, gender issues, decision making, priorities, relationships, or personal growth, I have a controlling agenda and passion in all this. I want to stir your heart to love the Lord in ways that bring Him glory and truly satisfy your soul. Wisdom among Christians is evaluated ultimately on its ability to make us be more joyfully aware of Christ than we are of ourselves. I hope this column contains that kind of wisdom for you.