"What 'I Do' Really Means"
by Tom Goodman
May 2, 2007

Glynn Wolfe was married 29 times.  According to Jesus, that’s 28 times too many.

Wolfe held the title as the Most Married Man in the Guinness Book of World Records.  Wolfe’s shortest marriage lasted only thirty-eight days, while his longest marriage lasted five years.  He kept two wedding dresses, in different sizes, in his closet at all times.  He has been married on Valentine’s Day, Fourth of July, Christmas, New Year’s, Easter, and Washington’s Birthday.

Twenty-nine times he was asked, “Do you take this woman to be your lawfully wedded wife . . . .  Forsaking all others do you pledge yourself only to her, so long as you both shall live?”  And 29 times “Scotty” Wolfe said, “I do.”

He was once asked why he bothered to get married when he could just live with a woman.  Wolfe replied, “I don’t like to live in sin.”  He went on to say, “Some people play marbles for fun, but I play for keeps.”

A few years ago, I read that Glynn Wolfe died alone in Los Angeles at the age of 88.  He left behind children, grandchildren, great grandchildren, a number of living ex-wives, and innumerable ex-in-laws.  Still, he died alone.  No one came to claim his body; the city paid to have him buried in an unmarked grave.

In all his hopping around, Wolfe never found what he was looking for.  Maybe that’s because what he was looking for can never be found by hopping around.  Jesus said of marriage, “Let no one split apart what God has joined together” (Matthew 19:6, NLT).

In our Sunday morning study series, “Extreme Makeover,” we’re looking at some of Christ’s toughest words, found in Matthew 5.  In the TV show by the same name, a carpenter named Ty Pennington leads his crew to remodel a house for a deserving family.  In our series, we’re asking a carpenter named Jesus to remake our lives.

This Sunday, we’ll show a musical montage of wedding photos from our congregation, and we’ll look at what Jesus said about marriage.  Wow!  You really came through on those wedding photos!  We will celebrate with about 150 couples during this montage!  I believe singles will be inspired to wait for the right partner, married couples will recommit to their vows, and divorcees will find the redemptive power of Christ’s forgiveness.  Join us at 9:30am or 10:45am!

—Tom

Holy Moses!  That’s the name of this week’s performance by our Praise Kids.  Join us this Sunday, May 6, at 6pm in the Worship Center for this special presentation!

Student Dessert Theater.  Friday, May 11, 7pm in the MPC.  Find out more here.

Summer Camp.  Sign your kids up now before the waiting list begins!  Learn more here.

Links to Your World

What do teenagers fear most?  It's not global warming.  A newly-released survey from New America Media suggests that American teenagers see the breakdown of the family as the most severe threat to their generation.

“The illiterate of the 21st century will not be those who cannot read and write, but those who cannot learn, unlearn and relearn.”  (Alvin Toffler, quoted at JollyBlogger).

New Exercise Regimen: Pontius Pilates.

In “No Accounting for Chaste,” Dawn Eden responds to news reports on a study showing that abstinence-only sex education apparently hasn’t changed teen sexual behavior.

“Its unique sound, dense and almost eerily spiritual, contains unusually melodic harmonies, and can be described as Gregorian chant meets bluegrass.”  That’s what the New York Times had to say about Sacred Harp music (also called “shaped notes” singing).

Find a top-ten list of books about the Holy Trinity here.

Bruce Ware gave three lectures at the Resurgence Conference:  Session 1 was entitled, “Uncertain Hands of God and Men: Providence in Process Thought and Open Theism.”  Session Two was called “Independent Hands of God and Men: Providence in Classic Arminianism.”  And Session Three was called, “Coordinated Hands of God and Men: Providence in the Reformed Tradition.”

“Prediction #2: The American . . . will live fifty years instead of thirty-five as at present.”  Predictions of the Year 2000 from The Ladies Home Journal of December 1900.  (HT: Evangelical Outpost)

The universe has a designer, speakers say.

Jeffrey Overstreet covers the recent conference at Biola University regarding the new Hollywood interest in the “Christian market” for films.

There’s more at my weblog, “Get Anchored,” including the "Song of the Week" ("Meant to Live" by Switchfoot) and continuing coverage of our church's vision.  To keep up with the journal, sign up for e-mail updates or assign the feed to your news reader or Google Personalized Home Page.

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