As far as I know, John Eldredge has never advocated the "church of two" idea. However, this wonderful quote from the book Love and War by John and Stasi describes perfectly how a CO2 functions in marriage. Making decisions is probably the number one source of stress, tension, anxiety, pouting, manipulation, and arguments in a marriage. Isn't it true? Well, okay - there is money, and your family, and his parents. But you have to make decisions about money and family and parents, so I still argue that decision making is the mother of all marital strife. As soon as Stasi says, "Honey we need to decide..., " anxiety leaps from within. Aooogha, aooogha. All hands on deck. We have just entered mine-filled waters.
So, we want to offer you what might be the single most helpful thing anyone has ever offered you when it comes to your marriage. Drumroll, please. Aren't you just waiting to hear what it is?
Learning to hear the voice of God, together.
Yes. It is the simplest, most helpful, least practiced treasure and it will literally rescue the two of you in countless ways.
The secret of the Christian life - and the Christian marriage - is that you don't have to figure it out. You don't have to figure life out, you don't have to figure each other out, you don't have to figure parenting out, or money or family. You have a counselor, you have a guide - you have God. What a relief that we don't have to figure it all out! We get to walk with God. That is the beauty of Christian spirituality. This is not about mastering principles; it's about an actual relationship with and actual person who happens to be the wisest, kindest, and, okay, wildest person you will every know.
If every household made this practice - learning to listen to God's voice together - their number one goal, I believe our country (and your country) would be well on the way to transformation. And that's the goal of our MRTs - a vibrant family of Jesus on every block of every city of every country in the world.
Your thoughts on this?
John
John,
ReplyDeleteThe context in which couples should listen to God together is that their marriage should be built on God. The marriage is not a two party contract but a four-party covenant. In Mal. 2, the prophet explains that marriage is a covenant between husband, wife, God, and surrounding community. Because it's that serious, divorce is simply out of question.
Why does the obligation to listen to God together come from? If one has covenant with God, then on-going communication goes without saying. One thing entails the other.
People in denominational churches wonder and worry about how to keep the believers together in agreement on issues like faith and practise. This is why some fear "simple church". How can we work together without oversight, without statements of doctrine?
ReplyDeleteYou have posted the one simplest, most profound principle of the body of Christ. Its so simple we need help to misunderstand and misapply it. Just Listen to God together.
That is why different parts of the revolution are growing together. At every opportunity, there is an ear to hear what the spirit is saying to the "churches", together. It's that easy...just do this together. God is so good!
To: Eastern European Missionary. Loved your comment about "a four-party covenant"! Not only must we invite God to play a central role in the marriage, we must also include the community. My variation on an old saying is: It takes a whole village to have a healthy marriage.
ReplyDeleteTo dispencer. Carolyn, thanks for your comment! I sure agree with you. Statements of doctrine sure haven't produced the unity we long for. (As a former Presbyterian pastor, I can vouch for that!) On the other hand, here in Denver we have house church leaders from a multitude of different theological backgrounds but unity has never been an issue.
"Learning to hear the voice of God, together.
ReplyDeleteYes. It is the simplest, most helpful, least practiced treasure and it will literally rescue the two of you in countless ways."
wow. that really is a great intro to what we are all praying could be the transformation across our world...households, spiritual moms and dads listening to the Lord together and letting what God will say to us be the thing that guides our homes, our families, our marriages, our churches, our networks into how we are to love Him, each other and make disciples of all people.
Thanks for your comment, Desi! This is such a simple but transformational concept, isn't it. I'm praying that God will use you on your trip this month to Africa to impart this "virus" to many households in Kenya and surrounding countries.
ReplyDeleteAnd, I'm looking forward to all that you will learn and be able to share with the MRT Community upon your return.