The Assembly Pastor, Christ Apostolic Church, CAC Oke Agbara, Ashi English assembly, Pastor Samuel Olowere has admonitioned the public to see marriage as an institution designed by God, saying whatever God created was good.
Pastor Olowere gave the admonition at the 2024 couples retreat of the church on Sunday.
The cleric said a man and woman are made one, the moment their holy matrimony were joined in God’s presence and that becoming one in everyday life involves an ongoing process of discovering and growing into a place of oneness with each other.
Also speaking, the Chairman, 2024 organizing committee of the programme, Dr. Akinlolu who is also a marriage counselor, explained that Marriage and family are fundamental to our lives and building blocks of the local church and society.
Dr. Akinlolu said strength of a local church is often determined by the strength of marriages and families in it, noting that the strength of a community, society or nation is influenced in large measure by the strength of its smallest unit which is family.
He gurther said when marriages break up and families disintegrate, the strength and fabric of society begins to weaken and that the strengthening and securing of marriages and families are vital, both to the local church and the larger community.
Dr. Akinlolu said the theme for this year’s Couples Retreat is “Leaving Cleaving, and Weaving” explaining that in bringing Eve to Adam, God Himself “solemnized” or performed the first “marriage.”
Earlier in an address, the Guest Speaker and coordinator, CACTS, Babajide School of Prophet, Ilesha, pastor Fasina explained some of the purposes of marriage to include companionship, to defeat loneliness.
“Companionship is therefore the essence of marriage. The emphasis on this companionship is found in Prov. 2:16a, 17 ——- the strange woman —- who forsakes the companion of her youth and forgets the covenant of her God.
“Also Malachi 2:14. The Lord has been witness between you and the wife of your youth, to whom you have been faithless, although she is your companion and your wife by covenant… the word used in proverbs refers to: One in intimate relationship with The word in Malachi refers to: One associated with or united to both words speak of relationship in which there is constant commitment and intimacy, Both commitment and intimacy are necessary to defeat loneliness
The event featured couples seminar, health talk, couples dance, intimacy test and covenant renewal
