The church is called to help couples strengthen their marriage relationship and to encourage reconciliation in times of conflict. The church is also to minister with truth and compassion to persons in difficult family relationships. As the family of God, the church is called to be a sanctuary offering hope and healing for families. Although family generally refers to relationships of blood, marriage, or adoption, the Scripture also describes the church as a family. Many in the church remain single or become single.
Sexual union is for pleasure and closeness and for procreation.
Through procreation, the human family continues from generation to generation. The oneness between husband and wife is a mystery which reflects the oneness of the Godhead and the oneness between Christ and his church. We affirm that Christians who marry should marry in the Lord, to a Christian spouse. Some in the church experience divorce, abuse, sexual misconduct, and other problems that make marriage and family life burdensome or even impossible. Today's church needs to uphold the permanency of marriage and help couples in conflict move toward reconciliation.