Ministry Multiplied by Two

God's ways are higher than our ways, and that includes the way he does arithmetic. Consider the math of the trinity. Jesus says to "baptize new disciples 'in the name' (singular), and then he lists three names that all refer to the one God: 'of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit'" (Matthew 28:19).

God's higher mathematics are at work in the church as well, for "though all its parts are many, they form one body" (1 Corinthians 12:12).

And God does some interesting math in marriage. Two individuals "become one flesh," as Jesus put it, "so they are no longer two, but one" (Matthew 19:6).

Ministry Compatibility

When couples consider marriage, they ask, "Are we compatible? Do our personalities blend well? Do we have similar goals and interests? Do we have the financial resources to pay our bills?"

But Christians also need to ask, "Will we bear more fruit for God if we each remain single, or if we spend our lives together? Will marriage enhance, or will it hinder, our service to Christ?"

The apostle Paul explained the advantages of remaining single:

"An unmarried man is concerned about the Lord's affairs—how he can please the Lord. But a married man is concerned about the affairs of this world—how he can please his wife—and his interests are divided. An unmarried woman or virgin is concerned about the Lord's affairs: Her aim is to be devoted to the Lord in both body and spirit. But a married woman is concerned about the affairs of this world—how she can please her husband. I am saying this for your own good, not to restrict you, but that you may live in a right way in undivided devotion to the Lord" (1 Corinthians 7:32-35).

On the other hand, marriage and parenthood can serve as a valuable proving-ground for ministry. "If anyone does not know how to manage his own family," Paul asks, "how can he take care of God's church?" (1 Timothy 3:5).

Some serve God best by remaining single. Others serve him best by uniting in marriage with someone who multiplies their effectiveness in ministry. The decision to marry or remain single is intensely personal and not everyone will answer it the same way. "Each man has his own gift from God; one has this gift, another has that" (1 Corinthians 7:7).

Double the Joy, Half the Sorrow

When I officiate at a wedding, I like to bless the bride and groom by saying, "As your two lives become one, may your joys be doubled and may your sorrows be cut in half." That's the ratio we hope for in marriage: double the joy, half the sorrow. But make no mistake about it, there will be times of hardship when a husband and wife engage in ministry together.

The apostles' "believing wives" accompanied them in their travels (1 Corinthians 9:5). How did John's wife feel when her husband left the family fishing boat to follow Jesus? Did Mrs. Matthew think about the extra money they would have made if her husband had stayed in the tax-collecting business? Did Peter's wife listen to him preach so often that she knew all his favorite illustrations by heart? Imagine how James' wife felt when King Herod had her husband killed with a sword.

God's will must be paramount in decisions about marriage. Can you serve God best by remaining single? In such cases "it is good for a man not to marry" (1 Corinthians 7:1). Will you be more productive and content if you marry a believer and serve God together? Then "rejoice in the wife of your youth," knowing that "he who finds a wife finds what is good and receives favor from the Lord" (Proverbs 5:18, 18:22).