Congratulations on your upcoming wedding!
This is an exciting season in your lives so thank you for taking the time to consider this important step of preparing for the lifelong commitment of marriage! We consider it a privilege to support you in this process. At Souls Church, we believe a successful marriage between a man and a woman starts before the ceremony.
“Marriage should be honored by everyone. And every marriage should be kept pure between husband and wife.” Hebrews 13:4 (ERV)
“Marriage should be honored by everyone. And every marriage should be kept pure between husband and wife.” Hebrews 13:4 (ERV)
Our Four Core Values on Marriage
We believe these are four key issues that will affect the future success of your marriage. Your first step is to review below several recommendations we hope you and your fiancé are open to discussing. Secondly, complete the intake form below and our pastors or a member of our leadership team will be in contact with you within a few days.
Value #1: Your relationship with God.
The first and most important issue is your relationship with God. The Bible teaches that God’s love has been expressed to us through the life and death of Jesus Christ. When couples make Jesus the center of their lives, He becomes the glue that bonds their marriage together. It is also vitally important that couples establish a relationship with a local church. Marriage can be challenging, and churches can provide teaching and resources that help build a strong marriage.
Value #2: God's view of marriage through the scriptures
A second area is how God views marriage through the scriptures. While we love and value all people, the Bible guides us on how we live and conduct our lives. Therefore, we believe marriage is defined in the Bible as a covenant, a sacred bond between one biological man and one biological woman instituted by and publicly entered into before God (“Biblical Definition of Marriage”).
Because of the longstanding importance of the Biblical Definition of Marriage to humans and their relationships and communities, and, most importantly, the fact the God has ordained that marriage be between one man and one woman, as clearly conveyed in God’s inerrant Scriptures, including for example in Matthew 19:4-6 where in speaking about marriage Jesus referred to the fact that “he which made them at the beginning, made them male and female,” Souls Church herby creates this policy, which shall be known as the “Marriage Policy.”
Because of the longstanding importance of the Biblical Definition of Marriage to humans and their relationships and communities, and, most importantly, the fact the God has ordained that marriage be between one man and one woman, as clearly conveyed in God’s inerrant Scriptures, including for example in Matthew 19:4-6 where in speaking about marriage Jesus referred to the fact that “he which made them at the beginning, made them male and female,” Souls Church herby creates this policy, which shall be known as the “Marriage Policy.”
Under our Marriage Policy, the Traditional Definition of Marriage is the only definition of marriage that will be recognized or accepted (according to scripture). No elder, officer, employee, servant, agent or any person, corporation, organization or entity under the direction or control of this Church shall commit any act or omission, or make any decision whatever, that would be inconsistent with, or that could be perceived by any person to be inconsistent with, full support of this Church’s Marriage Policy and strict adherence to the Traditional Definition of Marriage rather than any alternative to the Traditional Definition of Marriage. Our Marriage Policy is not be subject to change through popular vote; referendum; prevailing opinion of members of the general public; influence of or interpretation by any government authority, agency, or official action; or legal development on the local, state, or federal level.
Value #3: Pre-marital sex and living together.
A third area is on pre-marital sex and living together. We know that this is a generally accepted practice in society today, however Hebrews 13:5 talks about “keeping the marriage bed pure”. Sex is a gift from God to be enjoyed within the context of marriage. If this issue applies to you, we suggest and highly recommend abstaining from sex until after your wedding ceremony. Our purpose is not to judge you, we truly have the best interest of your marriage in mind and want this to be a special part of your relationship, as laid out in God’s word.
Value #4: Soul's Church stance on divorce and remarriage.
The fourth area pertains to Souls Church standing on divorce and remarriage. We believe that God’s plan for marriage is that it will continue throughout the couple’s lives. Divorce was never God’s intent or desire (Mark 10:2-12; Malachi 2:16). We urge people to pursue repentance and reconciliation if possible, however, we realize that divorce occurs for a variety of reasons and every situation is unique. We believe that God cares deeply about the hurt and trauma of divorce and wants to provide comfort, healing, and instruction for everyone who is affected by it. We are committed to providing support in the healing process. We encourage couples to seek wise counsel and allow time for healing and restoration. Our church provides Divorce Care curriculum that can help you through this process and it says, “When you are finally able to be happy being alone, then you are ready for a relationship.” If you are interested in the Divorce Care books/curriculum – email us at contact@soulschurch.org
Bonus: Pre-Marriage Counseling!
We have found great value in providing pre-marriage counseling to every couple. So many people spend more time and money preparing for their driver’s license than they do for marriage, or even their second marriage! We feel these sessions (either in person or by Zoom) offers a good starting point to build a solid foundation and foster growth! While there are rare exceptions, it is a highly recommended and required step in the preparation process.