Bert and Andy (not Ernie this time!)

Andy Stanley (Pastor of Northpoint Ministries) was on The Bert Show Monday morning… what a brave man! He was doing a little bit of field study for his new series coming up in May on dating. He was asking the community if “marriage matters anymore?” After the show you could email Northpoint your ideas and suggestions, thoughts and opinions. Since I am not a morning person and couldn’t compile my thoughts that early, I decided to write after hearing about 50% of the community calling in and saying “No it doesn’t matter anymore… we already live together… we are basically married, who needs it legalized?, etc” Here is my letter:


My first piece of advice for the new series is to REALLY push for the 2 to 1 Premartial program that you guys have. My husband and I are members of NP and did the 2 to 1 program before we got married on October 16th, 2010 and it was fantastic. Not only did we gain SO much from the dicussions and grow tremendously in our relationship but we made lifelong friends with our Premartial Couple, who are always still there when we need advice! My husband and I are currently in a Newlywed Small Group now too through NP and we are constantly bringing up what we learned in 2 to 1. We swear by iMarriage as well! We give that DVD (along with Staying in Love) to all of our friends who get engaged... every couple should watch both of these... whether they want to get married or not.

As for "Does Marriage Matter?", well I am sort of biais to that because I am married. I am also a Christian. I believe that Adam was given Eve because "being alone" was "no good" in God's eyes. I believe marriage is a gift from God that many take for granted. There are things only those in marriage should be sharing, such as intimacy (physically, emotionally & spiritually). My husband's love is the closest thing (on Earth) that I am going to receive to Jesus' love for me and I want that forever. When we got married, there was a oneness between him, me and God. No relationship will ever get that gap closed without marriage.

It is definitely something to think about (Andy has that effect on us...making us think!). Why did you get married or do you want to get married?