MP3

The MP3 recording of the meeting can be downloaded HERE

DVD

Muriel's Wedding - The film on DVD from Amazon. Amazon will make a small donation to West Leigh Baptist Church for every purchase made via links on this website - keep browsing here to benefit the Building Fund while exploring some great books, films and CDs.

Paul Brady - Spirits Colliding - There are surprisingly few good songs about committment and marriage, lots of albums about failed ones (Bruce Springsteen's Tunnel of Love comes to mind) and then there are rare gems like this.

I love the way he sings 'I will be there' and three songs later 'Love made a promise'. We have to be real and understand that flawed humans make relationships that sometimes fail. Equally knowing that should not frighten us off from making bold declarations of intent. I've used 'I will be there' as a 'Christian' song several times (as sung by a loving God over his children) and it is not diminished by recognising that - in human terms - we don't always live up to this ideal. God is still there for us though.

Bristol Community Family Trust - Some really interesting resources here.

Genesis 1:27-28 'So God created man in his own image,  in the image of God he created him;  male and female he created them.  God blessed them and said to them, "Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air and over every living creature that moves on the ground."'

Genesis 2:18  ' The LORD God said, "It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper suitable for him."'

Genesis 2:24  'For this reason a man ill leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and they will become one flesh.'

Matthew 19:4-6 "Haven't you read," he replied, "that at the beginning the Creator 'made them male and female,'and said, 'For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh’? So they are no longer two, but one. Therefore what God has joined together, let man not separate."

Four Essential Characteristics of Marriage

1. He created them male and female.
2. A man will be united to his wife.
3. Two become one flesh.
4. What God has joined together let no man separate.

Questions: Why (or why not) is marriage important?How do you respond to the suggestion that couples who are living together without getting married are ‘living in sin’?