BIBLIOGRAPHY Powell, Paul W. The New Minister’s Manual. Annuity Board of the Southern Baptist Convention, 1994.
g. Worship through weddings. As a pastor, it is your responsibility to meet all legal requirements for performing a marriage. Are you licensed to perform marriage in the place where the marriage will occur If the couple must get a marriage license, you should have this license in your possession prior to performing the marriage ceremony. If the couple is required to get a blood test, have they done so In order to prevent the spread of sexually transmitted diseases to a spouse and/or children, some political jurisdictions require a blood test prior to marriage. Is the couple considering marriage currently single Has either the prospective groom or bride been divorced What are the laws concerning divorce and remarriage in the political jurisdiction Does the church in which you serve allow divorce and remarriage If the church does not allow this, then you are not free to perform the ceremony. If divorce and remarriage are allowed legally in your political jurisdiction, and if your church allows divorce and remarriage, you must decide whether or not Scripture allows you to conduct a marriage ceremony fora divorced person. Scripture teaches that it is against the will of God for people to divorce and remarry other people. But because of the grace of God, divorce and remarriage to another person might be allowed in some cases. Consider scriptural prohibitions against divorce. Moses allowed divorce in certain cases due to something indecent about the spouse (Deuteronomy
