Preserving the Institution of Marriage

[Lucy Van Pelt]

Girlfriend, you have got to share your weight loss secret!
One day weight loss. It has to be a record.

[Rhoni]

Originally Posted by bishoph

Sis Rhoni, a very good thread! I believe this is one of the greatest issues facing us today, and most of the church world does not understand the huge impact this will have down the road if we do not rise to defend the institution of marriage.

I recently interviewed the director of a group in California who is pushing for same sex marriage, he has gathered hundreds of ministers to "sell" them on the merits of their agenda. He told me that they want the ability to be recognized civilly but not religiously as married couples. When I ask him about the legal issue the church would face he quickly changed the subject and refused to answer the question. If same sex marriage becomes legal, any church/minister who refuses to perform a wedding can be sue for discrimination, and eventually the laws will allow prosecution under hate crimes. We in the church had better wake up!

Bishop,

Then you understand what I am talking about. Thank-you for your contribution to his thread. You are totally right...we had better wake up!

Blessings, Rhoni

[Rhoni]

Originally Posted by Margies3

Rhoni, I thought you left us for a while? What happened, didja miss us? LOL

Actually, I am very glad that you posted this. It is something we all need to really give some time and attention to. Thanks for bringing it to our attention.

Sis. Margie,

This was a topic I could not resist. I am only here for this reason. I refuse to get into conflict with people.

Blessings, Rhoni

[Scott Hutchinson]

Sister Rhoni may the church not bury it's head in the sand,but be the salt and light in the earth it's called to be.

[Rhoni]

Originally Posted by Scott Hutchinson

Sister Rhoni may the church not bury it's head in the sand,but be the salt and light in the earth it's called to be.

Amen Bro. Scott...and again I say, "AMEN"!

[Scott Hutchinson]

If there ever was a day that the cross ought to preached it's today,because without the shed blood Of Christ and His Holy Spirit mankind can be deceived by satan to the lowest depths of depravity.

[Rhoni]

Originally Posted by Scott Hutchinson

If there ever was a day that the cross ought to preached it's today,because without the shed blood Of Christ and His Holy Spirit mankind can be deceived by satan to the lowest depths of depravity.

Bro. Scott,

I agree only in part. The church needs to come outside the 4 walls of it's buildings and be activists for the cause of Christ by modeling Christian principles, as well and speaking, writing letters to government officials, and voting in every election...on the issues not the personality of the person being voted on.

We ought to be the most informed, the most vocal, ad the most passionate about kingdom causes than the spirit of the age that threats our very life's structure.

Blessings, Rhoni

[James Griffin]

As good citizens, as well as Christians we have a duty to be involved in government. Bad government is partly to blame for the current condition of the American nuclear family. Welfare for example is only paid when one parent is absent from the house. This travesty inevitably leads to single parent families (usually with the female raising the children alone), and single parent families headed by the mother of course constitute the majority percentage of the impoverished in America. As such these policies have contributed to the African Americans staying economically repressed more than any racial issues. It also leads to such debacles as the Maury Povich show featuring a mother going through 16 DNA tests to try and find the identity of her child’s father, being broadcast for the amusement of the public. Clearly we should use the power of the vote to reform such policies.


There is also clearly an agenda among the Gay/Lesbian community to have their lifestyle not only validated but given eventually given preferential treatment. There are also reasons beyond those normally given to oppose giving state sanctification to such unions.


However, I do not fear the “gay agenda” as being the main threat to the preservation of marriage. The “church” has already done more than its share to destroy the institution through inactivity and lack of teaching. There is virtually no difference in the divorce rate among Evangelicals in America and the unchurched. (If I recall somewhere around 53%). And yet I believe Barna once determined by survey that among couples who prayed together on a daily basis (more than ritualistically- like saying grace) the divorce rate is .001% or about one in a thousand. So few couples pray with each other and for each other and we are surprised by our divorce rate?

The self-reported major cause of divorce in America is arguments over finance. Even simple things such as teaching couples to pray together over budgets would help lower the rate.

Furthermore, there is no longer an understanding of the word covenant, as in for better or worse until death do us part. When we have ministers ready to break covenant and disfellowship over non-“salvational” standards how could there not be a trickle down of that spirit to the congregation? Is not breaking covenant with brethren over such things a form of “irreconcilable differences”, the excuse often used when couples are merely tired of each other. Divorce is too easy to obtain.

Rhoni, we need qualified professionals such as yourself to be involved in preventive teachings instead of having to clean up the mess of broken vows and relationships when it may be too late to mend them. We need pastors with the courage to have such things taught. We need to teach covenant prayer. We need Christians that understand covenant to God is first, marriage covenant second, and all else including ministry, vocation, and evangelism a distant third.

In short we do need to be involved in government; same sex marriage is just plain bad law on many levels. But the sanctity of marriage is not in danger from it. Rather the threat is in lack of teaching from the church, everything from basic Christianity, to meaning of covenant, to practical life lessons. Romance is not enough, even infilling of the Holy Ghost by itself is not enough. Most marriages do not collapse from outward pressures (certainly not the gay agenda), but rather from lack in inner braces

[Rhoni]

[quote=James Griffin;269559]

As good citizens, as well as Christians we have a duty to be involved in government. Bad government is partly to blame for the current condition of the American nuclear family. Welfare for example is only paid when one parent is absent from the house. This travesty inevitably leads to single parent families (usually with the female raising the children alone), and single parent families headed by the mother of course constitute the majority percentage of the impoverished in America. As such these policies have contributed to the African Americans staying economically repressed more than any racial issues. It also leads to such debacles as the Maury Povich show featuring a mother going through 16 DNA tests to try and find the identity of her child’s father, being broadcast for the amusement of the public. Clearly we should use the power of the vote to reform such policies.

Jim, This is very true about the statistics for America. Over 50% of our households are single parent family homes with the majority being females with children which is our highest level of poverty. As a struggling single female, when my children were 7 & 9 years old through age 18, I received no alimony and had a very low rate of child support and it was sporatic. Since that time I have had the unique opportunity to counsel many single females beign able to empathize with their plight. And yes, you are correct about teh African American female. Not only does she fight poverty but African American males die younger and the majority of them never go to college or if they begin they drop out.

There is also clearly an agenda among the Gay/Lesbian community to have their lifestyle not only validated but given eventually given preferential treatment. There are also reasons beyond those normally given to oppose giving state sanctification to such unions.

Obviously the GLB agenda is about more than a civil union between two partners..it is out to undermine our traditional/Biblical family unit, as well as destroy the religious fabric our civilization is built on. They are out to change the paradigm in which we think, live, and function.

However, I do not fear the “gay agenda” as being the main threat to the preservation of marriage. The “church” has already done more than its share to destroy the institution through inactivity and lack of teaching. There is virtually no difference in the divorce rate among Evangelicals in America and the unchurched. (If I recall somewhere around 53%). And yet I believe Barna once determined by survey that among couples who prayed together on a daily basis (more than ritualistically- like saying grace) the divorce rate is .001% or about one in a thousand. So few couples pray with each other and for each other and we are surprised by our divorce rate?

Barna statistics do show that the church/evangelical Christians which include Pentecostals/Apostolics are in a higher divorce bracket that others. For years we claimed to not believe in divorce and now even our ministry, of which many on this forum were, have been divorced and remarried. It is no wonder that more high profile evangelicals such as Jim & Tammy Baker, Randy & Paula White, and others are divorcing and their churches accepting it. The problem with divorce is due to many things; 1) the feminist movement, 2) WW II and the women going to work outside the homes while their men were at war, 3) The no fault divorce has been the curse from the pit of hell to destroy families/marriages.

The self-reported major cause of divorce in America is arguments over finance. Even simple things such as teaching couples to pray together over budgets would help lower the rate.

The no fault divorce has been the curse from the pit of hell to destroy families/marriages.

Furthermore, there is no longer an understanding of the word covenant, as in for better or worse until death do us part. When we have ministers ready to break covenant and disfellowship over non-“salvational” standards how could there not be a trickle down of that spirit to the congregation? Is not breaking covenant with brethren over such things a form of “irreconcilable differences”, the excuse often used when couples are merely tired of each other. Divorce is too easy to obtain.

Covenant...exactly! When the euphoria we have related to "in love" pheremones subside...it is the promise/covenant and commitment to it that keeps a couple together...like Grandma and Grampa used to have. We are a selfish generation of people that expect all our neeeds to be met, and feel we have a right to it. Jesus knew about the "hardness of the people's hearts". This is why it is so difficult for singles, widowed and divorced to wed again. Our expectations are unrealistic...we want the other person to meet our criteria but give no thought to what we have to contribute. We ar a selfish and spoiled generation.

Rhoni, we need qualified professionals such as yourself to be involved in preventive teachings instead of having to clean up the mess of broken vows and relationships when it may be too late to mend them. We need pastors with the courage to have such things taught. We need to teach covenant prayer. We need Christians that understand covenant to God is first, marriage covenant second, and all else including ministry, vocation, and evangelism a distant third.

Like in everything else Jim, the Apostolics are the slowest and last to get on board with programs that benefit the church as a whole. Marriage enrichment, pre-marital counseling, counseling couples & families in crisis is great for all the other denominations but we have our Bibles and the Holy Ghost and have no need of anything else. Of course, we forget...that we are called to example, preach, teach, and counsel. My heart has always been, even from a child...to study, choose a vocation or an area of study that would be benefical to the kingdom, but he only jobs I have been offered are a mega Baptist, and Mega Methodist churches...that's all right. God has used me out there in the trenches and in workplace to be salt and light. I do desire our churches, not just for those of us who study counseling, but even lay ministers to be equipped to counsel with more than a thump on the Bible and say....you know what the Bible says. For one thing...many DON't know what the Bible says...we have to instruct, teach, and counsel.

In short we do need to be involved in government; same sex marriage is just plain bad law on many levels. But the sanctity of marriage is not in danger from it. Rather the threat is in lack of teaching from the church, everything from basic Christianity, to meaning of covenant, to practical life lessons. Romance is not enough, even infilling of the Holy Ghost by itself is not enough. Most marriages do not collapse from outward pressures (certainly not the gay agenda), but rather from lack in inner braces

Amen Brother...I could not add anything more to this thought out and intelligent post.
Your post is brilliant, insightful, and you are amazingly humble.
Thank-you.

Blessings, Rhoni

[Rudy]

If I may ask, why get involved in government?