This March Refuge Church is hosting a marriage conference. You can register here, but here’s why we’re doing it…
- For the first time in U.S. history, single adults outnumber married adults.
- For those who do marry, over 40 percent of marriages end in divorce, according to the New York Times.
- Between 25 to 50 percent of Americans commit adultery, depending on the study.
- Some 59 percent of adults believe extramarital fantasies are OK.
- Three out of four of Americans have premarital sex before the age of 20.
- An estimated 15 percent of married couples haven’t had sex in six months to a year.
- Over half of all first marriages are now preceded by cohabitationaccording to Population Studies, and this figure is rising.
- Perhaps most depressing are the stats associated with cohabitation:
- Studies almost always find that cohabitation is associated with a higher divorce risk, with estimates ranging from 33 percent to 151 percentincreased risk of divorce.
- Annual rates of depression among cohabitators are more than three times higher than among married couples, according to Psychiatric Disorders in America.
- Women in cohabitating relationships are twice as likely as married women to suffer physical abuse, according to the Journal of Marriage and the Family.
- Two studies in Aggressive Behavior and Canadian Journal of Criminology found that women in cohabitating relationships are about nine times more likely to be killed by their partner than married women.
- Couples who cohabitate before marriage report less marital happiness and more conflict when married, according to the Journal of Marriage and Family and Family Relations.
The facts tell the story: Marriage in our country is broken. And the implication is clear: many people need a new marriage, which first requires a new understanding of marriage.
Sadly, for many this means trading in a spouse for a newer model in a never-ending search for the perfect relationship and happiness. But this isn’t the answer either, as the divorce rate for second marriages is even higher than first marriages, 60 percent! You can change spouses, but if you don’t change, nothing changes.
So, what is the answer? Start a new marriage with the same spouse. (Taken from Mark Driscoll’s article “Do you Need a New Marriage?” in the Washington Post.)
If you have no idea how to start your New Marriage with your Same Spouse … start by registering for the ART OF MARRIAGE at Refuge Church.
For more help registering, contact me on this blog, or email us at info@findrefuge.com
