H7 Story: Marriage Designed by God
Deciding who to marry is one of the most important decisions in life and one that should be made in light of God's Word and with the counsel of godly community. To that end, we are so glad FCC can offer Merge, an 8-week class designed to give couples a unique opportunity to learn, seek wisdom, and receive Biblical counsel about marriage in a safe, fun, challenging, and authentic small group environment.
"It's comforting to know that FCC has a plan to help me succeed in marriage," David Bowlin, Young Adults Director, shared at a Merge reunion in May. Nathan Dickerson, Catalyst GM, reiterated that sentiment when he proclaimed that "FCC cares about marriage!"
And indeed, we do care. Why? Because marriage was designed by God, joined together by God, as a reflection of God, to communicate the love of God, all for the glory of God. We care about marriage because God cares about marriage!
Therefore, in Merge, seriously dating and engaged couples are shepherded by godly mentor couples as they answer that important question: is marriage God's plan for their relationship?
When David Bowlin and Melody Steele attended Merge last spring, they were only dating, but, as Melody says, “Merge brought so much clarity and peace and was super helpful for us taking our step toward engagement!” When asked what was helpful, she shared that the detailed content and intentional questions helped them think through who they were called to marry and to serve. Furthermore, Melody said, “Merge began to break our pride, called us to a higher form of selflessness, and was the beginning of the oneness and closeness we are pursuing today.”
David added, “The personal nature of Merge meant that we were intentionally poured into by leaders who cared for us. They met with us, answered our questions, and calmed our foolish anxieties. They called us out on our sin, and showed us how our future marriage was to reflect Christ and the Church. We are grateful and so excited for our future!”
But not every couple who goes through Merge ends up getting married, and that is ok! Carl DelSorbo, Merge Coach (along with his wife, Christa), recently received a call from a young man who had attended Merge several years ago with his fiancé. This man said he had been happily married for the last 1.5 years—but not to the woman he had been engaged to when he went through Merge. He shared that he was so thankful for the red flags that Merge had revealed, which led them to end their relationship. And while it is never easy to end an engagement, we count that as a win.
David, Melody, and this young man are just a reflection of the many couples humbly seeking God's desire for their relationship through Merge. We praise God for that and count it a privilege to have a Marriage Ministry ready to help them have a God-glorifying marriage.
So, if you are seriously dating or engaged, join us to see what God has planned for you! The next session begins the week of Jan 28, so sign up now at fccgreene.org/marriage.
"It's comforting to know that FCC has a plan to help me succeed in marriage," David Bowlin, Young Adults Director, shared at a Merge reunion in May. Nathan Dickerson, Catalyst GM, reiterated that sentiment when he proclaimed that "FCC cares about marriage!"
And indeed, we do care. Why? Because marriage was designed by God, joined together by God, as a reflection of God, to communicate the love of God, all for the glory of God. We care about marriage because God cares about marriage!
Therefore, in Merge, seriously dating and engaged couples are shepherded by godly mentor couples as they answer that important question: is marriage God's plan for their relationship?
When David Bowlin and Melody Steele attended Merge last spring, they were only dating, but, as Melody says, “Merge brought so much clarity and peace and was super helpful for us taking our step toward engagement!” When asked what was helpful, she shared that the detailed content and intentional questions helped them think through who they were called to marry and to serve. Furthermore, Melody said, “Merge began to break our pride, called us to a higher form of selflessness, and was the beginning of the oneness and closeness we are pursuing today.”
David added, “The personal nature of Merge meant that we were intentionally poured into by leaders who cared for us. They met with us, answered our questions, and calmed our foolish anxieties. They called us out on our sin, and showed us how our future marriage was to reflect Christ and the Church. We are grateful and so excited for our future!”
But not every couple who goes through Merge ends up getting married, and that is ok! Carl DelSorbo, Merge Coach (along with his wife, Christa), recently received a call from a young man who had attended Merge several years ago with his fiancé. This man said he had been happily married for the last 1.5 years—but not to the woman he had been engaged to when he went through Merge. He shared that he was so thankful for the red flags that Merge had revealed, which led them to end their relationship. And while it is never easy to end an engagement, we count that as a win.
David, Melody, and this young man are just a reflection of the many couples humbly seeking God's desire for their relationship through Merge. We praise God for that and count it a privilege to have a Marriage Ministry ready to help them have a God-glorifying marriage.
So, if you are seriously dating or engaged, join us to see what God has planned for you! The next session begins the week of Jan 28, so sign up now at fccgreene.org/marriage.