Oklahoma has the second highest divorce rate in the nation behind Arkansas. 3 story package in The Oklahoman that said 32 percent of all adults in the state have been divorced as compared to 21 percent of all adults in the United States. To illustrate the troublesome state of marriage in Oklahoma alone, Elliff pointed to an Aug. "We are concerned with building families strong in the Lord and vital in their communities but also marriages that last a lifetime," Elliff said.īesides strengthening families, the initiative seeks to preserve families and help lower the number of divorces in the state and the country. Other speakers will be Pete and Debbie Livingston, who lead the Family Ministry at First Southern and who have their own marriage ministry, "Radically Married."Īt the heart of the new initiative to be discussed at the conference, is the Kingdom Family Strategy's set of guidelines entitled "Seven Pillars of the Family." The pillars, based on Scripture, are: honoring God's authority, respecting human life, exercising moral purity, serving my church, using time wisely, practicing biblical stewardship and sharing the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Special guests include Danny Akin, academic dean at Southern Theological Seminary and author of the book, "God on Sex." Akin will speak at the conference banquet planned Monday evening. "We're very encouraged because this signals a high level of interest."Įlliff said he and several special guest speakers will unveil the family initiative over the course of five conference sessions. The conference, set for Monday-Tuesday at Elliff's First Southern Baptist Church of Del City, is the first of four two-day conferences that will be held across the country this year.Įlliff said the conferences are a way to educate people about the Kingdom Family Strategy launched at the convention's annual meeting in June.Ĭonference organizers set an initial goal of 50 pastors for this first conference, but Elliff said that estimate has doubled since about 100 pastors have registered for the event. "What we're saying to these pastors is 'Look, if you can go back and share these very simple principles with your church family, you can virtually halt, not just stem, the divorce culture." "We look upon them as the gatekeepers of the church in a sense that it would be very hard to have an emphasis if it is not embraced by the pastor and his wife," Elliff said. Tom Elliff hopes to capture the hearts of pastors and their spouses who attend the upcoming Kingdom Family Conference designed to promote the prosperity and preservation of families.Įlliff wants to fill the church leaders with excitement about the Southern Baptist Convention's Kingdom Family Strategy in the hope that they will encourage their congregations to cultivate the family strengthening concepts. “I would rather spend 28 years with you as my mother than 40 years with another mother,” Steven said.DEL CITY The Rev. Steven recalled two weeks ago his mother was shopping for her toys for his son Dylan and he came across boxes in her garage filled with toys for him the future. “For a husband to literally release his wife to heaven there is a struggle.” “Rarely do we think of death as an intimate moment,” he said. John Potter,the minister of family care at the church, read a poem he wrote about their final moment. Zinn was with her and held her head in his hands as she took her final breath. “She is about to go see Jesus,” Rob told Price when he visited them the day she died. They married three years later in 1973.Įven as they faced her death, they did not loose their faith. They met at the church when she was 15 and he was the youth pastor. The love the two had for each other was spoken of. The front of the church was filled with thousands of arrangements of flowers surrounding a photograph of her and Rob. She often decorated the church and fellowship hall for events. They also spoke of her interest for decorating. The two-hour service was not short, but it was sweet and was filled with tears and laughter as friends recalled Sue Zinn’s wit and knack for practical jokes. “She said RI want you to keep it short and sweet.'” “She looked at me and said “Walter I want you to do my funeral,'” he said. Price recalled visiting the Zinn home the day the family made the decision for her to receive hospice care and he saw her in her hospital bed in the den. “I feel a need to tell you how I got to this spot,” he said. Price said the service was a celebration of life, but tears still streamed down people’s faces as they sang “How Great thou Art.” “Every person in this place is here because they love you and they love Sue,” Price said.
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