By Cindy Koch - There are a thousand different answers to this dilemma, most derived from experience. Too many men and women have been in marriage relationships that just didn’t work out happily ever after. Hurt, angry, confused and tired of fighting for an intimate bond that we have been told is good. Trying to … Continue reading Why marriage doesn’t work
By Joel A. Hess - A couple of years ago, Pope Francis announced that it would be easier for people to have their marriages annulled. In 2016, Pope Francis released his Mitis Iudex Dominus Iesus, "The Gentle Judge, our Lord Jesus, the Shepherd of Souls.” In this document, the leader of Rome makes it clearer and … Continue reading Jesus doesn’t give Annulments.
By Marc Engelhardt - Everything we have covered thus far highlights how wonderful sex is and that it is a gift from God. At the same time, it highlights how destructive sex can be for people when used outside the intentions for which God gifted it. It can be very discouraging to know that bonding … Continue reading Sex and Depression
By Joel A. Hess - That’s really all you want to know, right? What’s the rule, Pastor? What can I do? What can’t I do? Just tell me, and I’ll do it. Just say it. Or, is this is a good reason? What if he does this? What if she does that? This is not … Continue reading So can I get divorced or not?
By Paul Koch - I recall many years ago I was doing a Sunday morning Bible study at my previous congregation in Georgia. We were working our way through St. Matthew’s Gospel that happened to be the text that corresponds to our reading today of Mark 10:2-16. So, we began by talking about the harsh … Continue reading What God Has Joined Together
By Marc Engelhardt - In the first few Christ in Common recaps, I wrote about the awesome bonding, oneness-making result of sex, as well as our culture’s embrace of the separation of sex from marriage. Using all of that as a background, we now start to discuss how to engage and live in a culture … Continue reading Casual Sex?
By Marc Engelhardt - (This post continues the recaps from Christ in Common, which is a discipleship discussion that takes place in my context. Christ in Common is a good example of how we purposefully approach the discipleship triad of Foundation, Worldview, and Practice. Remember, as recaps, these posts hit highlights of what the group … Continue reading The Sexual Revolution: How we got here
