Would You Or Would You Not Do The Wedding?

[Dave Roberts]

I had a whole extended family leave a church once because I confronted some issues in the relationship (that were obvious when the couple began to talk). The girl blamed me, as did the family. Of course, they made lots of waves as they left the church, but the gentle confrontation had forced the groom to see what was wrong in the relationship while the prospective bride was not in love with him but with the idea of being married.

Church people have also lied regularly in counseling to conceal live-in relationships, pregnancies, and even previously annulled marriages of which I only learned when receiving the license on the day of the wedding. Counseling is not a panacea, but it is often resented by people who basically just want a building and a setting in which to get married and don't want the minister meddling in their lives.

Also, I see a number of church weddings that have become bridal showcases in which vast amounts of money are spent to impress those who are invited, to outdo the weddings of some of the bride's friends, and to create the social occasion of the year. Few receptions are held in the church fellowship hall any more because of alcohol prohibitions. The idea that a wedding is worship is something that has not entered the mind of many bridal families. This is about their daughter, and it needs to be her showcase. The longer I have been in ministry, the less important the divorce question became and the more crucial the worship issue seems to have become.

[Gene Scarborough]

Just maintain your integrity, Dave----it worth more than what little they pay you to say the words of the vows!!!!

The show of the wedding is about a authentic as the show of the big Bible pretenders bring to church on Sunday to cover their deeds during the other 6 days of the week.

[Dave Roberts]

[Gene Scarborough]