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Thread: Dallas Megachurch Hosts Mass Wedding for Cohabitating Couples to Honor Marriage

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    Dallas Megachurch Hosts Mass Wedding for Cohabitating Couples to Honor Marriage

    Earlier this month, 24 couples held hands and committed to a lifetime of marriage in the fourth annual "Grand Wedding" at Dallas-based Concord Church, as reported by Christianity Today.

    The wedding is an all-expense paid event made possible by generous vendors—including artists, hairstylists, and musicians—from the congregation and concludes Pastor Bryan Carter's 90 Day "Cohabitation Challenge."

    The challenge, started four years ago by Carter, encourages couples to either move out or get married. The congregation offers to pay rent for anyone who decides to move out and couples who choose marriage enter 90 days of premarital counseling and relationship classes, as well as mentorship with a married couple for the first year of marriage.

    "It helps us to model the gospel, because the gospel is redemptive," Carter said to Christianity Today. "It's not just about us calling out a struggle that people may have, but let's talk about how I can move from where I was to the place where God is honored."

    The challenge began while Carter was teaching a series on singleness.

    "I didn't want to preach about [cohabitation] without giving people a pathway forward. And so we just began tossing around ideas, and somehow we landed with: What would happen if we married them?" he said.

    The congregation wanted to tackle cohabitation because of the negative effects it can have on families.

    "Marriage works because there's a commitment. For some people cohabitating, she may have an expectation, and he may have a different set of expectations," Carter shared. "Domestic abuse is higher in cohabitation relationships. Children do more poorly academically and emotionally in cohabitation relationships."

    Temptation for premarital sex is also higher in cohabitating couples.

    But Carter sees the Grand Wedding as an opportunity to speak grace and truth, especially with his background. He lived with his girlfriend, now wife, and understands why couples often seek this option.

    "We moved in together before we were married primarily because of financial reasons, and I had some problems at home so I needed a place to stay," he said. "It probably gives us some sensitivity and some grace to them, that we understand. When we tell them if you want to move out, we'll pay your rent, I get to say, 'I'm paying your rent because that's what my brother did for me!'"

    The challenge has seen great success over the years, having married over 80 couples and seeing seven professions of faith in the last challenge. But even those who don't enter the challenge have been inspired.

    "There's a lot of people that weren't in the program, they just heard about it and did it on their own...I met [a] guy in the airport one time, and he said, 'Hey, I proposed. I'm engaged! I gave her a ring!' and I was so proud of him!"

    https://www.christianheadlines.com/c...p=538765365%20

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    Temptation for premarital sex is also higher in cohabitating couples.
    Ya think? I'd be inclined not to believe anyone that was cohabitating with a girlfriend or boyfriend and said they weren't having sex. Although I'm sure it's probably happened at least once in the history of the world. :)

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    This proves there are a lot of GOOD mega-churches out there.
    Christ's Victory Bible Teaching Center
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    Vindicating God Ministries
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    Quote Originally Posted by victoryword View Post
    This proves there are a lot of GOOD mega-churches out there.
    No. It proves there's ONE.

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  9. #5
    Quote Originally Posted by fuego View Post
    Ya think? I'd be inclined not to believe anyone that was cohabitating with a girlfriend or boyfriend and said they weren't having sex. Although I'm sure it's probably happened at least once in the history of the world. :)
    I’ve had couples tell me they werent having sex. Nothing ends well when I’m asked that question. I told one couple they needed to look for a pastor that believed that lie and approved of their rebellion.

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    Quote Originally Posted by FireBrand View Post
    I’ve had couples tell me they werent having sex. Nothing ends well when I’m asked that question. I told one couple they needed to look for a pastor that believed that lie and approved of their rebellion.

  12. #7
    Quote Originally Posted by fuego View Post
    No. It proves there's ONE.
    I'm a man of faith

    Anyway, with so many people down on mega-churches, believing that the only way to draw a large crowd is to compromise the truth, it is heartening to see a mega-church pastor doing everything he can to help people depart from sexual immorality. While he is not the first mega-church I know about that preaches against cohabitation apart from marriage, he is definitely first I have heard of willing to use the churches resources to help people get out of it.

    This is a good reason why churches need to grow large and have more financial resources. It should not become large to enrich the pastor (though a large church can surely be a blessing to their pastor) but to help people to leave immoral lifestyles (and help the poor and support missions).
    Christ's Victory Bible Teaching Center
    Web site: http://www.cvbibleteachingcenter.org


    Vindicating God Ministries
    (A Unique New Bible Teaching Ministry)
    Web site: http://www.vindicatinggod.org
    Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/vindicatinggod
    Gab: https://gab.com/victoriousword
    Minds: https://www.minds.com/victoriousword/
    MeWe: https://mewe.com/i/troyedwards15

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