God created the family as the first and most important institution for mankind. Strong nations are built from strong family units, but as families weaken, so does a nation. The state of our nation is weak, and the family is in decline. Will the traditional family soon become extinct? National Marriage Week (February. 7 – 14^th) hopes to strengthen marriages and reverse this decline before it’s too late.

The Death of Marriage and Resulting Poverty

When President Lyndon Johnson waged his war on poverty in 1964, 93% of children born in the US were born to married parents. As of 2010, that number has now plummeted to 59%, and the percentages of out-of-wedlock childbearing has increased from 6% to 41%.[1] According to Heritage Foundation’s Robert Rector:

As husbands disappear from the home,
poverty and welfare dependence will increase.

Today, divorce and cohabiting households (some with children) are the two greatest threats to the institution of marriage. Many are now considering cohabitation as an alternative to marriage and this growing trend is the only reason divorce rates (once over 50% and now 40 – 45%) are not higher. Unfortunately, research indicates cohabiting couples have an even higher. Unfortunately, research indicates cohabiting couples have an even higher chance of divorce.[2]Neither situation provides stability for children and are not what God intended for mankind.

Marriage is a covenant based on total trust which is never to be broken. It’s no secret the best thing you can do for a child is to give them a good marriage. And being raised in a married family reduces a child’s probability of living in poverty by 82% and minimizes many high risk behaviors.[3] Click here to read more