Editor’s Note: Greg Williams has been leading the Kentucky Marriage Movement for seven years. Prior to serving in this capacity, Greg spent eight years directing a Sexual Risk Avoidance program for teens across Kentucky. This Q&A format was chosen to get to the heart of his work.
Citizen: So what’s going on in the Kentucky Marriage Movement? Greg: Wow, where do I start? Last year was our seventh, or Sabbath, year. God really blessed and is multiplying our efforts. Citizen: What does that look like?
Greg: First of all, prayer and support for this movement have grown and seeds planted in the first 6 years are bearing fruit. We finished 2017 with several Love and Lordship events, including a series at Ninevah Christian Church in Lawrenceburg. In the first 2 months of 2018 we have already conducted four weekend events, spoken at several churches and begun three series. Partners include Isaiah House, Blackburn Correctional Institute and an exciting new collaboration with the Lexington Leadership Foundation’s Fatherhood Initiative under Eric Geary and David Cozart. Several more events are scheduled into the Summer including the Sisters for Life “Family Summit” in Louisville and a Love and Lordship conference in Colorado in August. Two resources/events that we facilitate are Love and Respect and Art of Marriage. Both are DVD-based and excellent.
Citizen: Awesome! What is unique about KMM regarding marriage, family, and The Church?
Greg: With a renewed focus on marriage in light of the Obergefell decision there are many great resources to help couples thrive, to help restore marriages and to help successfully-married couples mentor other couples. The KMM’s primary offering is the live Love and Lordship (L&L) events. The L&L message focuses on healthy marriages and encourages and challenges today’s churches to recognize that God’s design for marriage goes far beyond the home and family. Marriage and family call us to help revive and restore a culture of agape (Godly love) relationships that begins in our homes.
Citizen: Very interesting. Tell us more.
Greg: The Love and Lordship message outlines four priorities that are amiss in our culture, and to some degree, in our churches. God designed each of these to happen first in marriage and family and then for Christ’s Church to benefit from and apply in the culture: 1) Understanding/Applying Christ’s Lordship (True Authority) in our daily lives; 2) Developing Agape Marriages, Families and Relationships that build The Church and impact our culture; 3) Teaching/Modeling Relational Servantleadership through marriage and family; 4) Generational Discipleship that begins in our homes, benefits our churches, and reaches a troubled world.
Citizen: How is this message being received?
Greg: With fear and trepidation! Just kidding. But it’s not always the easiest message to hear. Churches are seeing the great need for stronger marriages and families with discipleship as a primary focus. These are God’s building blocks for His Church. Love and Lordship brings these together to encourage churches and leaders toward a paradigm shift that many have been seeking or working toward. God’s plan is that each of these priorities begins in our homes. From there His Church is strengthened. Programs and ministries are helpful, but they are only fruitful for His Kingdom if we are building relationships and holding one another accountable to obedience in these priority areas. When, even with good intention, we move away from Biblical order we give the enemy territory and ammunition. We only restore that by returning to His order in our homes and in His Church. Together, these make it happen.
Citizen: So what more can we expect from KMM?
Greg: We’re excited about opportunities ahead and look to partner with more churches and groups to help build a healthy marriage culture in our churches that the world will take notice of. I’m available to speak at churches in weekend services as well as Love and Lordship conferences, retreats or multiple night events across the state.
For more information, call (859)255-5400 or go to www.kentuckymarriage.org
