Finally, those in church leadership need to call others to fulfill
their marriage covenant. Abraham Lincoln said, “To sin by silence
when one should protest makes cowards of men.” Let’s not be empty-
chested. Let’s challenge people to honor their marriage vows. Let’s
protest vigorously when they seek to abandon them. Perhaps we
should observe an annual “marriage covenant Sunday” in our
churches. This could become a national statement by the Christian
church on behalf of the permanence of marriage. What would happen
if just ten thousand churches in America declared a Sunday every year
to exalt the marriage covenant? Couples could face each other and
renew their vows. Friends could sign a couple’s marriage covenant
document and by doing so say, “We will hold you accountable to keep
your vows.” I believe the divorce rate in evangelical churches would
plummet.
A church in Georgia has had a marriage vow renewal ceremony
annually since 1931. In those decades thousands have renewed their
commitments to each other. Even couples that don’t attend this
church show up on this special Sunday to renew their marriage
covenants.
The nation is desperate for the church to lead in protecting the
institution of marriage. Let’s just “do it.”
Mandate Four: Challenge Lay People to Become
Marriage and Family Mentors
Dietrich Bonhoeffer wrote, “The righteous man is the one who lives
for the next generation.” Are we losing our generational vision, our
responsibility to sow the seeds of truth and holiness that will bear
fruit in our children and grandchildren? We need laymen and women
to rediscover the vision of having God use them to reach back to a
younger generation and lead them on to maturity. This won’t just
happen. Such mentors will need to be recruited to such a vision and
mission.
Harold Davis is one of my heroes. He leads a small ministry that
recruits Christian men to mentor African-American boys. As Harold
explained, “When the older generation of men does not step down and
24 BUILDINGSTRONGFAMILIES