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Question from a new Preacher

Discussion in 'Pastoral Ministries' started by Havensdad, Mar 6, 2008.

  1. Havensdad

    Havensdad New Member

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    Hello everyone:

    I have recently preached my first sermon in a church(and I have been a street evangelist for some time). I and my family have recently sold our house, bought a travel trailer, and have started a full time evangelism ministry (www.straightwalk.com). I was thinking of ways to help supplement the ministry, when my aunt, who runs a wedding coordination and catering business, suggested she could get me work officiating weddings, if I was licensed and ordained. I am not sure, but I think most SBC churches only ordain ministers when they are becoming pastors. I was just curious how one goes about becoming licensed to perform wedding ceremonies. Has anyone got info on that?
     
  2. Havensdad

    Havensdad New Member

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    Wow. I hear crickets. Twelve people looked, but no one knows the answer...
     
  3. TaterTot

    TaterTot Guest

    yep...seems so. I only know about SBC, but most pastors I know are not jumping to do weddings for the money. Most I know require a fair amount premarital counseling in order to join folks in a Christian marriage.

    welcome to the board! :wavey:
     
    #3 TaterTot, Mar 6, 2008
    Last edited by a moderator: Mar 6, 2008
  4. exscentric

    exscentric Well-Known Member
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    Check with your local government and ask your question, it depends on the state. In some states you just have to be a pastor to be able to marry, others require other things.
     
  5. pocadots1990

    pocadots1990 Member

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    I don't know the laws are in Texas. Do you have a local church you attend when you don't have appointments to speak? If so, sit down with your pastor and talk to him about this situation.

    I have never officiated a wedding yet, but one other thing I would suggest to you. Before you decided to perform a wedding, set up standards for the types of weddings you would do. Also, decide if you will sit down and give the couple pre-marital counselling.

    Please, talk to your pastor about this idea.
     
  6. Havensdad

    Havensdad New Member

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    I am planning on speaking to my Pastor about it. And I would NEVER marry any couple without doing pre-marital counseling first. I do think it would be an awesome thing to be a part of.
     
  7. Havensdad

    Havensdad New Member

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    Agree on the Marital counseling part. However I cannot think of a better way to fund Biblical evangelism, than by participating in such a wonderful, God ordained institution.
     
  8. TomVols

    TomVols New Member

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    Let the word get out that you're a "Marrying Sam" marrying anyone with the cash, and you'll be inundated with requests from anyone and everyone. I personally would rather preach a funeral than a wedding because a funeral sermon is real ministry to real people undergoing real pain with real needs. Weddings are so crass and commercialized now that the minister is little more than decoration in the eyes of many.
     
  9. chuck2336

    chuck2336 Member

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    Talk this over with your pastor and see if he is interested in getting you the ordination you seek.
     
  10. Havensdad

    Havensdad New Member

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    The Preacher that married my wife and I was awesome. We had several counseling sessions, and it was done very well. We actually requested that he give a gospel presentation during the ceremony, and he did it very well. Our wedding was not "crass" nor "commercialized".

    I do not understand the problem. If the people being married are confessing Christians, is it not our Job to perform such ceremonies? I would not marry "anyone who has the money", but I would equally not turn down Christian brothers and sisters who had properly thought things out, and were committed to a lifelong relationship. This is a God ordained institution, and in the case of Christians, we should not leave it to JP's...
     
  11. Tom Bryant

    Tom Bryant Well-Known Member

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    The problem is that if a couple are actually living the Christian life, then they are probably involved ina local church anyway. So they would ask their pastor to do it rather than a stranger.

    Your aunt means well, but catering and marriage services are done for anyone who has the money. Being an adjunct to that would probably mean that you were just part of the "package".

    The place to begin about your being ordained is at your local church. In Baptist churches, denoms don't license and ordain, local churches do.
     
  12. sag38

    sag38 Active Member

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    I did a few wedding for a local wedding chapel. The preacher doesn't talk to anyone except for a few minutes before the actual wedding ceremony. You do the standard fare wedding, get your $75.00 and move on. I stopped doing them as I was convicted. I'm not a "marrying joe."
     
  13. Havensdad

    Havensdad New Member

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    My Aunt's business is an actual coordination business, that requires scheduling months in advance. Most of the preachers they use require at least 3 to 4 counseling sessions. Of course, my aunt is a Christian, and her business is modeled and caters to such.

    I see the point that the Christians should be in fellowship and therefore there Pastor could marry them: there are some cases where this isn't the case, though> missionaries, itinerant preachers (like myself), etc. And there is the cases of those who want special ceremonies, where there Pastor is unable to officiate (getting married out of state/country, marriage ceremony happening on a special day for which the Pastor is already booked, etc.)

    I don't know. I was unaware that there was such controversy concerning it. I feel like I stepped into a Calvinism/Arminianism thread, LOL. In this day and age where people want to just "live together", I would think we would be a little more supportive of a Biblically mandated covenant.
     
    • Agree Agree x 1
  14. Tom Bryant

    Tom Bryant Well-Known Member

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    Don't translate us giving our opinion with not being "supportive of a Biblically mandated covenant". You asked about for responses. We gave them.:wavey:
     
  15. Havensdad

    Havensdad New Member

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    Actually my question was more "How to" than "Should I", but that's O.K.

    I appreciate everyones opinions, and I can see where you are coming from. It is good to be careful.
     
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