We Need Your Help
We Need the Help of God’s People to Do This
Churches and families in low-income areas often cannot afford the cost of a typical marriage conference. Nor, can they travel to conference sites or weekend retreat settings far outside their communities.
No, to effectively address the needs of low-income families we will have to bring the marriage conferences, resources, and training to them at a price they can afford. Yes, churches and families should contribute what they can, but we will need to underwrite the majority of the costs.
MarriageVine believes that if we can address these groups most in need and most at risk in our society, we could see a dramatic transformation in these communities in our lifetime.
Even secular researchers are urging the church to step up and address these critical issues: “Low-income couples should be able to have the same access to these kinds of service [marriage education] that middle-income couples are beginning to have through their schools, churches, or marriage education programs offered under private auspices.”
They hint at several of the programs MarriageVine intends to offer: “Couple peer support groups, couples and marriage celebrations and seminars sponsored by churches or other organization, marriage mentors and other resources and interventions may also need to be put into place.”
How You Can Help Save Marriages
The task of reaching low-income groups with life-giving marriage resources is daunting. And, at the moment little is being done about it! As stated earlier, “…The evolving marriage movement is, for the most part, inadvertently ignoring the needs and circumstances of low-income couples, even though the poor are the population group most in need of help.”
You can be part of the answer to this dilemma. How?
- Pray for MarriageVine Ministries as it works with urban pastors and churches to design effective ministries to urban couples.
- Consider volunteering to help at a MarriageVine conference or training event held in an urban community.
- Become a regular giving partner to MarriageVine Ministries. We are dependent on God’s people to underwrite the majority of costs associated with urban conferences and resources. Donate online today!
Two Final Challenges
The Bible makes a special promise to those who open their hearts to the poor. Proverbs 19:17 assures us, “He who is kind to the poor lends to the Lord, and He will reward him for what he has done.” There is always a great blessing to be experienced whenever we open our hearts to those far less fortunate than we are.
“He who is kind to the poor lends to the Lord, and He will reward him for what he has done.” Proverbs 19:17
At the same time, when we close our eyes to the needs of those in great peril, we are accountable. Proverbs 24:11-12 warns, “Rescue those being led away to death; hold back those staggering toward slaughter. If you say, ‘But we knew nothing about this,’ does not he who weighs the heart perceive it? Does not he who guards your life know it? Will he not repay each person according to what he has done?”
Together we can bring the Good News that Jesus Christ can transform struggling marriages and families. Together, we can see God work miracles in the lives of those who thought they were forgotten. Together, in partnership with the Gospel, we can make a difference now and for eternity.
