Question from a new Preacher

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?

 

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

 

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.

 

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.

 

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...

 

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.

 

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.