{"id":93453,"date":"2026-01-25T15:53:50","date_gmt":"2026-01-25T21:53:50","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/?p=93453"},"modified":"2026-01-25T15:53:50","modified_gmt":"2026-01-25T21:53:50","slug":"is-marriage-the-business-of-the-church-or-the-family","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/is-marriage-the-business-of-the-church-or-the-family\/","title":{"rendered":"Is marriage the business of the church or the family?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n\n\t

Question:<\/h2>\n

Hello Minister,<\/p>\n

I hope you are doing well. I have a few issues I would like some clarification on.<\/p>\n

    \n
  1. Is marriage primarily the business of the church or the family? In many African contexts, the acceptance of a bride price by the woman’s family during a formal occasion is a prerequisite for marriage. After this, couples may choose to have a civil wedding or not. However, in many churches, there is significant involvement, including compulsory counselling sessions, coordination with families regarding wedding dates, and sometimes the requirement that the couple be announced during church services and brought forward for prayers after the ceremony. What is your perspective on this?<\/li>\n
  2. With respect to dressing both in church and outside the church, what is considered acceptable? I have noticed that discussions often focus mainly on how people dress when going to church. Additionally, what hairstyles are acceptable in church or for a Christian generally? For men, are braids, dreadlocks, short hair, or clean-cut hair acceptable? For women, what about wearing wigs-especially when some have short hair and use wigs to represent long hair, and sometimes even blonde hair?\nIn I Corinthians 11:14-15, Scripture says, “Does not the very nature of things teach you that if a man has long hair, it is a disgrace to him, but that if a woman has long hair, it is her glory?” Should this be understood as a cultural consideration of that time, or as a universal standard for Christians everywhere? Could the passage have a deeper meaning beyond a literal discussion about hair?<\/li>\n
  3. I believe that the Christian life is an everyday commitment, not something limited to church services, and that our lives should serve as examples to others. What is your perspective on this?<\/li>\n
  4. Do you have any resources on Christianity and culture? Does culture have any influence on Christianity?<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    Thanks.<\/p>\n\t

    Answer:<\/h2>\n

    “So we have the prophetic word made more sure, to which you do well to pay attention as to a lamp shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star arises in your hearts. But know this first of all, that no prophecy of Scripture is a matter of one’s own interpretation, for no prophecy was ever made by an act of human will, but men moved by the Holy Spirit spoke from God<\/em>” (II Peter 1:19-21).<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

    Your questions, intentional or not, show an attitude that it is men who define religion and the traditions that accompany it. However, the Bible is the product of the Creator of our universe. It was given to us to guide us in righteous living. “Grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord; seeing that His divine power has granted to us everything pertaining to life and godliness, through the true knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and excellence. For by these He has granted to us His precious and magnificent promises, so that by them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world by lust<\/em>” (II Peter 1:2-4). What God has given to us is not limited to the worship services of the church. He taught us everything pertaining to life.<\/p>\n

    Christians influence culture, but culture should not define how Christians live and worship. See:<\/p>\n