Roles in Church for the divorced Christian

[David from New Bern]

I worded this thread carefully...The question is not a discussion about divorce or avoiding divorce but one about a divorce has happened, what can I do in the life of the church with my new marital status? So no matter how you feel about divorce, it is a reality in every church and every denomination. What can these people look forward to doing with their giftedness and new painful experiences?

[Electric Angel]

Warn people not to make the same mistakes you did?

[GodisTruth]

Remind them that God forgives all sins. Then I agree with the one above: teach how not to make the mistakes you made.

[rfw]

There's been a lot of ink spilled and pixels pixel-ated over this issue. I have known men who are pastors who've been divorced and re-married and still allowed to serve, and others for whom it was the end of their career. Some suppose that "husband of one wife" in the qualifications for deacon/bishop refer to divorce, others that it refers to polygamy. I lean toward the latter, but I'm not dogmatic about it.

When I read your post, the woman at the well came to mind (John 4). She had a pretty horrid history, yet when she met Jesus, He not only pointed her to faith, He let her share in the propagation of the Gospel.

Joh 4:28 Then the woman left her water jar and went back to town. She told the people,

Joh 4:29 "Come and see a man who told me everything I've ever done! Could he possibly be the Christ?"

Joh 4:30 The people left the town and started on their way to him. Joh 4:39 Now many of the Samaritans of that town believed in Jesus because of the woman's testimony when she testified, "He told me everything I've ever done." Joh 4:40 So when the Samaritans came to him, they asked him to stay with them, and he stayed there for two days.

Joh 4:41 And many more believed because of his word.

Joh 4:42 They kept telling the woman, "It is no longer because of what you said that we believe, for we have heard him ourselves, and we know that he really is the Savior of the world."

For me the upshot is straightforward: God loves people despite their failures EVEN AFTER THEIR SALVATION. There are consequences for sin, but if He is willing to use Balaam's ass to accomplish His purpose, He is willing to use a divorcee, especially a repentant one.

2Co 1:3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! He is the Father of mercies and the God of all comfort,

2Co 1:4 who comforts us in all our suffering, so that we may be able to comfort others in all their suffering, since we ourselves are being comforted by God.

[tah]

I do not believe there is a box you can put this in..

every situationis different and each person ..

and God knows thier hearts and how to deal with them..

I say leave it to God and if we are in tune with Him we will know what He is doing in their lives...

Let Him decide where they are to serve Him and how...

[His Ambassador]

I worded this thread carefully...The question is not a discussion about divorce or avoiding divorce but one about a divorce has happened, what can I do in the life of the church with my new marital status? So no matter how you feel about divorce, it is a reality in every church and every denomination. What can these people look forward to doing with their giftedness and new painful experiences?

Their marital status should have nothing to do with their service in the church. I am aware that there are those who use the verses in Timothy and Titus that "...an elder should be the husband of one wife" to mean that a pastor should not be divorced. But that is a gross misinterpretation. What it means is that in that day when polygamy was a common practice (even among some who became Christians) the church leader should have only one wife. But there are still those in the Church who try to make second class citizens out of divorced people.

[tah]

If someone has been married and divorced 4 times because they just haven't found the right person they are not a good example of whom to follow...

again ...each situation has to be taken into account and let God do the deciding where they or anyone else that matter should serve in the Church...

[PwrInTheBld]

I worded this thread carefully...The question is not a discussion about divorce or avoiding divorce but one about a divorce has happened, what can I do in the life of the church with my new marital status? So no matter how you feel about divorce, it is a reality in every church and every denomination. What can these people look forward to doing with their giftedness and new painful experiences?

Their marital status should have nothing to do with their service in the church. I am aware that there are those who use the verses in Timothy and Titus that "...an elder should be the husband of one wife" to mean that a pastor should not be divorced. But that is a gross misinterpretation. What it means is that in that day when polygamy was a common practice (even among some who became Christians) the church leader should have only one wife. But there are still those in the Church who try to make second class citizens out of divorced people.

Well said.

[AdamP]

David, it looks like you got many fantastic responces to your inquery and i totally agree with them.

As an added note, i believe the scriptures suggest Paul was previously married (probably divorced due to faith in Jesus Christ)

[apothanein kerdos]

Grace covers whatever they have done in the past. This, in my opinion, includes those who want to be pastors (depending on the circumstances of their divorce).