Encounter Quarterly: Winter 2005
Marriage Encounter: Still Changing Lives
"I just came to the weekend to
embarrass my husband,” Patty (not her real name)
said. “I can’t stand him. Actually, I hate him and
want to be rid of him!”
Her actions through the course of
our Marriage Encounter weekend certainly
demonstrated her intentions. A surgeon in one of
Santiago’s reputable hospitals, Patty made it a
point to demonstrate her displeasure at every
opportunity. Throughout the weekend marriage
retreat, her non-verbal cues and demeanor made it
patently clear that she did not want to be there.
In fact her very presence was a
miracle. The sponsors that invited Patty and her
husband to attend were up past 2 a.m. on the night
before the retreat trying to convince her to come.
When she did arrive she seemed intent on being
disruptive. Asked to leave her cell phone off and in
her room, she refused. Sunday morning at the height
of the “Forgiveness” presentation it went off!
Though Patty did not want to be there, God had other
plans.
Eleventh Hour Breakthrough
In the eleventh hour the Holy Spirit
began to break down her walls. One of the presenting
couples shared the gospel with Patty and her
husband. They responded and gave their lives to the
Lord. Patty publicly acknowledged her wrong to
others. Applauses rang out as she said, “I love my
husband and I am staying with him!”
My wife and I have been involved in
the Marriage Encounter ministry for many years. It
is a ministry that has had monumental impact on our
church – the Cordillera Church in Santiago, Chile.
The ministry has not only touched the lives of
hundreds of couples in our city, but also around the
world as we have worked to teach other churches how
to implement it in their own communities.
Through it all we have learned never
to give up on God’s grace. It is always capable of
breaking into the lives of even the most deeply
hurting couples – even couples that proudly say “no,
No, NO” to each other!
Discovering Grace
Marriage Encounter is a highly
effective tool for evangelism. It touches people at
critical points in their lives when they are hurting
and searching for answers. In discovering the grace
of God, they discover renewed love for their
spouses. Though the initial retreat lasts only a few
days, follow up continues for several weeks and
those who trust in Christ are immediately led
forward through discipleship.
The success of the Marriage
Encounter program inspired similar outreaches for
youth, children and women. In addition to the 76
adults that participated in the recent Marriage
Encounter weekend in Santiago, 67 parents were
reached through our Children’s Encounter.
Cordillera’s daughter church in the nearby coastal
city of Viña del Mar ministered to 67 youth and 125
parents through a Youth Encounter and 60 ladies
recently participated in a Women’s Encounter. In
just 30 days, these two churches made contact with
more than 300 people.
God is working in miraculous ways.
As stories like Patty attest, God’s grace can
transform even the hardest of hearts. In doing so,
He is breaking barriers, transforming lives and
restoring homes through the power of the gospel.
EQ Winter 2005
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