A Church Shaped by Marriage

I just recently received a Call to serve as an Associate Pastor at Trinity Lutheran Church in Crown Point, Indiana.  Leading up to the Call, Heather and I had the opportunity to visit Trinity and its leaders.  We thoroughly enjoyed getting to know another family of believers that’s seeking to have their ministry shaped by God’s way for marriage.  They’re earnestly seeking to focus the congregation on Jesus as their perfect husband.  They’re also teaching how the love they receive from Jesus is also the kind of love that will build up strong marriages and families.  I was thrilled to see how successful this congregation has already been at having God’s way for marriage be their guiding principle for life.  It was also tempting for me to accept the Call to be a part of this ongoing process at Trinity.

In the end, however, I’ve been led to decline the Call to Trinity.  The reasons I would go there, to focus on marriage and family ministry, are also keeping me here, at Faith in Grand Blanc.  Nevertheless, the process of considering the Call to Trinity was energizing to me.  It was great to see that other Christians “out there” are catching on to the importance of building up marriages and all relationships in God’s way.  The marital love of Jesus for the church is, indeed, a wonderful guide to all our relationships as Christians in this world.  In particular, it’s an excellent guide for the way we function as the church on earth.

I’ll continue to pray for Trinity as they walk side by side with Faith in the effort to shine the love of Jesus into the world.  As the Spirit works in us, many more Christian congregations will be led to the blessings of church-life that’s shaped by God’s way for marriage and many more individuals will receive the blessings of living out life in God’s way.