Powerful request from a Pastor

Recently I heard a news story about some very interesting and powerful council from a Pastor of a church in Grapevine, TX. Why it struck me is because I have often suggested the same thing to couples who are having a strain in their marriage or just want to grow closer to each other.

Rev. Ed Young, pastor of the Fellowship Church, suggested to his married couples an entire week of “congregational copulation”. That's right; SEX. He did this while pacing in front of a large bed and flipping through a Bible.

The article called this a "controversial topic among his religious community". However, I don't know anything controversial about it. Hello secular world and media, Christians like to have sex to. We just prefer not to have it splattered all over the television and computer in the name of, so called "sexual freedom". Sexual fulfillment is one of the most spiritual things you can do in your marriage and will have major lasting affects on your relationship.

The challenge was to have sex everyday, at least once, for an entire week. (I can hear and see some of the gasping and eye rolling now from some of you) His advice is right on. A healthy sex life is not only important to a relationship but give you a connection you don't get otherwise in your otherwise busy lives. It allows the two of you to become one, and if done properly, allows the other to focus on the needs of the one person they love most in the world.

Some of you might be worried this challenge will have you making love out of obligation not desire. I would propose this; If the thought of having intimate alone time with you spouse, everyday for an entire week automatically brings up concerns or ways to denounce the challenge, you probably do the same when it comes to any amount of intimacy with your spouse. You think of excuses or reasons why it won't work for you or why that's a crazy request. That's why taking on this challenge is a great opportunity for you to actually work on making it spontaneous and create that desire.

In her book, And They Were Not Ashmed, Laura Brotherson writes,
"A little playfulness and creativity in appropriate ways can add vitality to your sexual relationship. Don't let lovemaking become predictable or routine-predictability can squelch sensuality."

I can hear some of you now, "But if we are both committed to making love for an entire week, where's the spontaneity in that?"

Like Laura says, shake it up a bit. Steel a moment away in the middle of the day. Surprise him at work. Take a bath together after the kids go to bed. Welcome him home with the kids gone at grandma's house and you in the buff. Make it up! Get creative. If you are feeling empty in the creative arena, do something really crazy and ask your spouse what they think would be creative.

At this closing of the year, why not set a goal that you can not only keep up on, but will absolutely strengthen your marriage. Once you have taken up the challenge from myself and Pastor Young for one week, continue by following his further advice to his congregation after the experiment was over, “keep on doing what you’ve been doing this week. We should try to double up the amount of intimacy we have in marriage. And when I say intimacy, I don’t mean holding hands in the park or a back rub.”