2.5% Divorce Rate

August 3, 2009 - 3:56 PM

Recently, we did an internal poll with the pastors of Great Commission Churches on the subject of divorce. The pastors were asked to count the number of committed member couples that were part of their church in the past 10 years--together with the number of these couples who have since gotten divorced. (If a couple left the church and got divorced later, they were included in these statistics.) Based on the responses to these questions, it was determined that the divorce rate in Great Commission churches of committed member couples in the last 10 years has been 2.5%.

GCC Director John Hopler gives five reasons why the divorce rate is so low for Great Commission Churches members:

The grace of Jesus Christ. In Colossians 1:17 we are told that in Christ "all things hold together." In our movement, we understand that Jesus Christ is the great "glue" in a marriage. Each husband and each wife is a weak and needy person--but in our weakness, Jesus Christ keeps a marriage strong. To Him be all the glory!
A heart devotion to obey the Scriptures. We believe in the adequacy of the Scriptures, as is stated in 2nd Timothy 3:16: "All Scripture is inspired by God and is profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work." Our movement believes that God blesses couples that follow His truths as to marriage. Also we put a high emphasis on the Lordship of Jesus Christ where His word is not merely listened to, but obeyed (James 1:22.) Church members are urged to humbly believe in the grace of Jesus Christ and to obey His commands, including the commands in Ephesians 5 related to the roles of husbands and wives.
A commitment to love and unity as a church. In Great Commission churches we emphasize elders and members living out Philippians 2:3: "Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility of mind, let each of you consider one another more important than himself." Elders practice this bondservant life-style of loyalty and self-sacrifice towards each other--and this example has had a powerful effect on couples in the church. As elders work through their relational conflicts, couples in the church are inspired to follow their example of loyalty and devotion to each other.
A Great Commission church vision. Jesus gave the command in Matthew 28:19,20 to "Go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I commanded you." We have seen that marriages are strengthened when couples devote themselves to a common cause--the cause of advancing the gospel of Jesus Christ through the local church.
A resolve among couples to not get divorced. God hates divorce (Malachi 2:16.) If we love God, we will hate divorce as well. My wife and I often say to each other, "I just want you to know, that if you ever leave.....I'm going with you!" We aspire to build this mindset, this resolve, in couples in Great Commission churches."

Praise God for His grace-- and pray that He will continue to strengthen and build marriages in His church, so that the name of Jesus Christ may be honored and loved throughout the world.