Marriage is a divine gift, designed by God Himself as the foundation of human relationships. Genesis 2:24 declares, “Therefore a man shall leave his father and his mother and hold fast to his wife, and they shall become one flesh.” Before the Fall, before sin entered the world, God established marriage—a sacred bond to reflect His love, faithfulness, and commitment. Strong marriages build strong families, strong families build strong churches, and strong churches change the world for Christ.
Isaiah 54:5 reminds us, “For your Maker is your husband, the Lord of hosts is his name.” God uses marriage as a reflection of His covenant with His people, and in Ephesians, husbands are called to love their wives as Christ loved the church—sacrificially, unconditionally, and eternally. From Genesis to Revelation, from the first marriage in the Garden to the Wedding Supper of the Lamb, marriage is woven into the very fabric of Scripture.
The Power of Marriage in the Church
A wise pastor once told me, “If the marriages in our church don’t work, nothing we do as a church works.” The breakdown of marriages leads to broken hearts, fractured families, and deep wounds in the body of Christ. Just in the past 24 hours, I’ve received two calls about believers going through divorce—families unraveling because they didn’t prioritize their marriage until it was too late.
The consequences ripple far beyond the couple. Children from struggling marriages grow up facing emotional, spiritual, and relational challenges that impact their entire lives. But the church has a powerful opportunity—to step in, strengthen marriages, and equip couples to thrive, not just survive.
A New Vision for Marriage Ministry
Hebrews 13:4 calls us to “Let marriage be held in honor among all.” Yet in today’s culture, marriage is often ridiculed, dismissed as outdated, or seen as a burden rather than a blessing. The world paints marriage as restrictive, when in reality, it is life-giving, beautiful, and a reflection of God’s perfect love. As church leaders, we have the opportunity to show the world that marriage is not just something people endure, but as something they celebrate.
When I became a pastor of marriage at our church, I quickly realized a glaring gap. We provided pre-marital counseling for those about to be married. We offered crisis counseling for those on the brink of divorce. But what about the couples in between? The ones simply doing life together, slowly drifting, unaware of how to keep their marriage thriving?
We needed a shift. Instead of waiting until couples were in crisis, we committed to discipling marriages proactively. We moved from a reactive model to a wellness model—one that nurtures and strengthens marriages before they falter. Today, marriage ministry is not an afterthought in our church; it is a core part of who we are.
Building a Culture that Honors Marriage
Think about this: most churches have full-time staff dedicated to children’s ministry, youth ministry, and worship. We pour resources into programs, events, and discipleship for every stage of life—except for marriage. Yet, a thriving children’s ministry is only as strong as the marriages of the parents raising those children. A dynamic youth ministry is only as effective as the stability of the homes those teenagers come from. If we truly want to see life change in our churches, we must invest in marriage.
A Communio/Barna study shows that 72% of churches lack a substantive marriage ministry. Imagine the impact if every Bible-believing church became intentional about discipling marriages. Imagine the revival in families, the stability in communities, and the witness to the world if believers demonstrated the beauty of God’s design for marriage.
As one ministry leader wisely said, “Couples will never be more intentional with their marriages than churches are with their marriage ministries.” If we, as the church, elevate marriage as a priority, our people will follow.
Fighting for Stronger Marriages
Life is hard. The pressures of work, parenting, finances, health struggles, and grief weigh on every couple. Over time, the passion fades, and many resign themselves to a marriage they can tolerate rather than one they cherish. Others drift into crisis, and before they know it, their marriage is unraveling.
Jesus warns in the parable of the sower that the worries of this world and the deceitfulness of wealth can choke out the Word. Likewise, these same pressures can choke out a marriage. But the good news is, we don’t have to let that happen.
This video demonstrates how couples drift apart—and how the church can help them rediscover the joy, intimacy, and purpose in their marriage.
The Time is Now.
Church leaders, this is our moment. We can disciple marriages before crisis strikes. We can flip the cultural narrative on marriage and show the world that God’s design is not just good—it’s glorious.
If you feel called to launch or strengthen your marriage ministry, there are countless resources available to help. If I can support or encourage you in any way, please reach out through gracemarriage.com.
Let’s honor marriage. Let’s fight for it. Let’s disciple couples to build thriving, Christ-centered relationships. When marriages flourish, families are strengthened, churches grow, and the Gospel shines brighter than ever before.
