Singleness, Sex and Marriage with Michael Baggett

It’s just a box. You are filling out that form for anything and
you know it is going to be there. Married? Single? Divorced?
Widowed? Just a box. For some it is a simple check mark. 
For many others, that box represents pain, agony, stories, dashed
hopes, abuse, betrayal, stereotypes. Why do you care about my
marital status? I’m me. Not married me or divorced me or single
me, just me.


Oh, let’s add Church into the equation. That ought to help. This
healing institution which gives us the gospel and hope for the
world, surely they will do a better job with the issue? Right?


Really? You know the stories. The person hasn’t been to church
for years and she goes to a pretty building she is considering to
use for her wedding to ask about the details? “Well, are you a
member?” “To what church do you belong?” “What about your
fiancé?” “Your Catholic?” “You are planning on marrying a Jew?”
"Have you gone through our pre-marital class?" “Are you having
premarital sex?” “Are you planning to raise your children in the
church?”


I am so tempted to just launch into a rant on this issue right
now, but instead I am going to bring in one of my favorite people
in the world and I know he a ranter as well. Hundreds of people
every week come to hear this man’s advice about marriage and
singleness and faith. He’s the host of the Podcast “Relationship
Essentials 2.0”, has been a pastor at numerous churches including
Orange County’s Mariner’s Church back in the day.


Now from Sacramento, let me bring on Michael Baggett. Welcome
Michael to Church Hurts And. churchhurtsand.org