Keeping Love Alive in the Parsonage

Satan attacks every marriage, but he saves his most poisonous arrows for ministry couples. He knows your most effective evangelistic tool is your marriage, so the devil's goal is your destruction.

Fight for your marriage 

for the sake of your family 

and your congregation.

People are looking in your glass house 

to see how marriage works. 

What do they see?  

Is it obvious the Pastor loves his wife as Christ loved the church? Does he give himself up for her to make her holy?

"Husbands, love your wives, 

just as Christ loved the church

 and gave himself up for her

 to make her holy . . ."

 Ephesians 5:25

Does the Pastor's wife respect her husband? 

"...and the wife must respect her husband."

Ephesians 5:33b

In the  busyness of serving the flock, it is easy to forget to serve your spouse. The demands of ministry can leave a pastor and wife too exhausted to love and care for the one they need to love most.

A ho-hum, busy, frantic marriage is not God’s will for any couple whether your house is glass or not. God commands us to enjoy the blessings of marriage and love and treasure your spouse. 

This Valentine's Day let God care for your church, celebrate each other, and have some fun. 

Here are 10 suggestions that will help keep your love alive:

1. Remember what you enjoyed when you first dated? Do it again.

2. Revisit the place you met, or fell in love, or grew dizzy with that first kiss.

3. Take the initiative and orchestrate a romantic getaway. It doesn’t have to be expensive. A winter picnic while watching the sun set can be memorable. Don’t forget the cheese, apples, and hot chocolate!

4. Have a date once a week. Don’t talk about church. Don’t discuss the children. Give all your attention to each other.

5. Once or twice a year get away alone overnight. Swap children and houses with another couple if finances keep you from this fun.

6. Explore activities you enjoy together. Dan introduced me to the golf course. I challenged him to kayak. Long walks and snowball fights cost nothing, are good exercise, and create memories.

7. Pray together. I think there is nothing that unites a couple more than joining in prayer.

8. Read a book together.

9. Kiss and hug every time you see each other.

10. Make your bedroom the most beautiful room in your home— a sanctuary of the love God gave to you when He joined you as one. I know one wife who decorated her marriage bed with Christmas lights!

  The way we live as husband and wife should display a marriage relationship as God intended.  Please, build the church by strengthening your marriage. 

In a world where families are falling apart, the stability of our marital relationship should draw people to ask "Who  is holding you together?" 

The world should look at your marriage and see Christ. 

Are they?

Have a Happy Valentine’s Day!