DCM Ministry Blog –The Christ-Centered Ceremony

Colossians 3: 18-19

Wives, be subject to your husbands [out of respect for their position as protector and their accountability to God], as is proper and fitting in the Lord. Husbands, love your wives [with an affectionate, sympathetic, selfless love that always seeks the best for them], and do not be embittered or resentful toward them [because of the responsibilities of marriage].

Divine Call Ministries of Southern California focuses primarily on those sacred elements that would facilitate inviting God’s blessing on the union that is taking place in accordance with the couple’s Christian faith.

The Christ-centered marriage ceremony” is one of the most sacred of all rituals a minister conducts. It is a ritual (sacrament, ceremony, tradition) in which two individuals pledge themselves to each other under the blessings of God and are literally bonded by God’s Holy Spirit. The Scriptures tell of the beginning of the ministry of Jesus Christ and how Jesus attended a wedding at Cana of Galilee (John 2: 1-11), and he chose that occasion to perform his first miracle.

Ephesians 5: 22 – 33 correlates the associations of the Christian body of believers as “the Bride of Christ.” In fact, husbands are to emulate Christ’s love for the Church in their role as husbands. This is a deeply profound and beautiful metaphor.   

The officiant/celebrant can perform a ceremony on a spectrum of levels. Some weddings are grand and elaborate affairs in a large venue, church, or cathedral. Other ceremonies can take place in the family home or at a local park – even cyber ceremonies with guest logging in to a trusted meeting application are options to be considered. No matter the venue or size of your guest list, the love of the couple and their desire to profess their lifelong commitment is the primary focus for the officiant/celebrant.¹

Minister Donna will remind each couple of these Scriptural reinforcements that serve to impart God’s blessing upon the union that is indicative of a Christ-Centered Ceremony.  

Sample Christ-Centered Wedding Ceremony2

Introductory Remarks

While the groom, the bride, and her father stand before him, the minister says: “One of the most beautiful expressions of love and loyalty ever penned was first spoken by Ruth when she said:

“…Do not urge me to leave you or to turn back from following you; for where you go, I will go, and where you lodge, I will lodge. Your people will be my people, and your God, my God. Where you die, I will die, and there I will be buried. May the LORD do the same to me [as He has done to you], and more also, if anything but death separates me from you.” (Ruth 1:16-17 Amplified Bible).

Since the beginning of time, this kind of love has brought young men and women together in marriage. It is the kind of love (groom’s name) and (bride’s name) feel for one another. They and their parents are glad you came to share in their time of commitment.

The minister asks:

Who gives this woman in marriage?

The father of the bride replies:

Her mother and I do. He then takes his seat next to his wife.

The minister then says:

(Groom) and (bride), marriage is sacred and should not be entered upon lightly or without prayer.

It is sacred because it was ordained of God, who, in the beginning, having created man in His own image, realized that it was not good for him to be alone. So, the Lord caused a deep sleep to come upon Adam, and, taking one of his ribs, he created Eve. Having created woman, He brought her unto man and gave her unto him. Then, in the garden of Eden, the Lord performed the first marriage ceremony when He said, “Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother and cleave unto a wife, and they two shall be one flesh.” The sacredness of marriage also can be seen in the fact that Jesus attended a wedding at Cana of Galilee, and He chose this occasion to perform His first miracle.

The apostle Paul helps us to see the sacredness of marriage by comparing the relationship of a husband and wife to that of Christ and His church. (Groom), he says to husbands, “Husbands, love your wives even as Christ loved the church and gave Himself for it.”

And (groom), there is no greater love in all this world than the love Jesus demonstrated when He died on the cross for us.

This is the way the Bible says you are to love (bride). And (groom), if you do that, it will bring more joy and fulfillment into your life than any other human relationship you will ever have.

And (bride), He says to wives, “Wives, submit yourself unto your husbands, as unto the Lord. For the husband is head of the wife even as Christ is Head of the church.” (Bride), this means you are to walk by (groom)’s side. You are to encourage, support, and help him in every way. And the two of you walking with the Lord will find the fulfillment and completeness God intended from the beginning of this relationship.

DCM Ministry Blog –The Christ-Centered Ceremony

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¹ Andy Langford,  Christian Weddings, Second Edition: Resources to Make Your Ceremony Unique, Abingdon Press, 2008.

² Paul W. Powell,  New Minister’s Handbook. George W. Truett Theological Seminary, Lockman Foundation, https://www.baylor.edu/content/services/document.php?id=146523.