Building on the Foundation

  The Goal of Marriage An equal partnership in marriage works if your only goals are a happy union, peace, met needs, and companionship.  If marriage has no higher purpose or mission beyond a sense of community, it can still work fairly well. Most would identify a peaceful marriage where all their needs are met, or where an effort is made to meet them, as a strong and happy marriage.  People can have a marriage like this that lasts for 70 years, and it’s viewed as a success, but what defines success? Is the goal of marriage simply to be happy and get along with each other? Most people, especially Christians, would say that it absolutely is the goal of marriage to be happy, get their needs met, and all that jazz. In fact, most of the marriages in the various Churches I have associated with have exactly that goal.  A strong marriage means you’re connecting better, getting along better, and both parties are constantly yielding to each other with no one really in charge....

We are all familiar with the term “disciple,” and most of us would classify ourselves as disciples. Disciples of Jesus, of course, though many of us might be a bit hard put to define the term. Right off the bat, someone would probably say that disciple means a follower, which is partly true, but it goes deeper than that.  One of the greatest callings in this life is to make disciples of every nation, wherever we might find ourselves. We don't have to be missionaries; that command was for wherever we might be living at this time. The iconic disciple of Jesus, Paul, often stayed in one place for years at a time while he preached to everyone he could find in the area until the Holy Spirit told him it was time to move along.  Our job is to make disciples where we are, not necessarily to travel to do so. The distinction isn't to minimize evangelism, not at all. Rather, it's to drive home the point that making disciples isn't off in a faraway country; it's right here in o...