Midland Evangelical Church

We believe the Bible provides clear guidelines that protect and enrich marriage for a lifetime. These guidelines define our process:

1. Can an unbeliever and a believer marry?

We believe the future bride and groom must be spiritually and emotionally compatible. We will not schedule a wedding unless a couple is spiritually and emotionally compatible.

Do not be yoked together with unbelievers. For what do righteousness and wickedness have in common? Or what fellowship can light have with darkness? (2 Corinthians 6:14)

2. What if one of us is divorced?

Our God values the permanence of marriage. To honor marriage and the covenant made we will not marry divorced persons except where Scripture allows.  Midland Free believes that there are only two situations where the Bible allows for remarriage after a divorce.

A. If adultery (sexual sin) has occurred within a relationship by the other party.

"It has been said, 'Anyone who divorces his wife must give her a certificate of divorce. But I tell you that anyone who divorces his wife, except for marital unfaithfulness, causes her to become an adulteress, and anyone who marries the divorced woman commits adultery. (Matthew 5:31-32)

B. If a non-Christian abandons a Christian. 

But if the unbeliever leaves, let him do so. A believing man or woman is not bound in such circumstances; God has called us to live in peace. (1 Corinthians 7:15)

Beyond these two circumstances, Midland Free pastors will not participate in remarriage weddings after a divorce due to the sanctity of the marriage covenant. 

3. What if we are sexually active?

God speaks clearly through His Word:  there are benefits and blessings of self-control and obedience. We require both of you to remain sexually pure until your wedding day.

Marriage should be honored by all, and the marriage bed kept pure, for God will judge the adulterer and all the sexually immoral. (Hebrews 13:4)

4. What if we are living together?

We believe couples should not cohabitate prior to marriage and will not schedule a wedding for couples who are living together.  We believe engagement is a time to work on the non-physical aspects of the relationship: emotional, spiritual and intellectual closeness. Couples who are cohabitating have a higher divorce rate after marriage. God wants marriage to be a true commitment, not a trial run.

Flee from sexual immorality. All other sins a man commits are outside his body, but he who sins sexually sins against his own body. (1 Cor. 6:18)