Unmarried couples who live together make up almost 10 percent of all opposite-sex couples in the United States. Though that's 10 percent too many for most churches, for Trinity Fellowship Church in Amarillo, Texas, it was enough to take action—in a big way.
Last weekend 32 couples officially declared an end to their cohabiting by getting married in a mass ceremony called "The Big Summer Wedding" at the megachurch. The event culminated a four-week sermon series on marriage that was largely prompted by the rising number of cohabiting couples visiting the church for the first time.
"Our goal was pretty simple: We wanted to help couples," said Matt Spears, Trinity's executive pastor of ministry development. “We believe in marriage—one man and one woman—living in covenant with one another. So many people are living together and having kids together, for whatever reason they are running away from marriage. Many couples are not getting married for fear of failure; others are not getting married simply because they do not have the means to do so."
Given that last point, Trinity made the simultaneous weddings free for those who signed up (the church footed the $3,000 bill) and asked only for them to bring a state marriage license and a pair of wedding rings. Though it didn't force anything upon participating couples—both believers and nonbelievers alike—the church did encourage those making the vow to attend a pre-marriage counseling session and refrain from sex until their wedding night.
"We were a bit taken back at just how serious they took it," Spears said after this weekend. And though he classified the event as a small step toward "curing a large problem," he hopes it served as an encouragement for other couples living together but afraid of making a commitment. [christianpost.com, 8/21/09]
Get Spirit-filled content delivered right to your inbox! Click here to subscribe to our newsletter.
Dr. Mark Rutland's
National Institute of Christian Leadership (NICL)
The NICL is one of the top leadership training programs in the U.S. taught by Dr. Mark Rutland. If you're the type of leader that likes to have total control over every aspect of your ministry and your future success, the NICL is right for you!
FREE NICL MINI-COURSE - Enroll for 3-hours of training from Dr. Rutland's full leadership course. Experience the NICL and decide if this training is right for you and your team.
Do you feel stuck? Do you feel like you’re not growing? Do you need help from an expert in leadership? There is no other leadership training like the NICL. Gain the leadership skills and confidence you need to lead your church, business or ministry. Get ready to accomplish all of your God-given dreams. CLICK HERE for NICL training dates and details.The NICL Online is an option for any leader with time or schedule constraints. It's also for leaders who want to expedite their training to receive advanced standing for Master Level credit hours. Work through Dr. Rutland's full training from the comfort of your home or ministry at your pace. Learn more about NICL Online. Learn more about NICL Online.