Before God and These Witnesses: How to Start a Marriage Ministry to Grow Your Church, Reach Your Com

Most pastors, especially in the years following the pandemic, are searching for fresh ways to reach young families and re-engage their communities. But what if the key was already knocking on the church door? What if young couples were not just open to connection with pastors, but actively looking for them?

The answer is weddings.

In Before God and These Witnesses, Rev. Dr. David Anderson reveals the overlooked evangelism opportunities hidden in today's wedding industry. Far from being a mere ceremony, weddings can open doors to premarital counseling, gospel conversations, and long-term church relationships. Anderson calls pastors and churches to reclaim a space where the church was once central-and where it can be again.

Young adults often leave the church after high school and only return for weddings. At the very moment churches struggle to connect with the 18-30 demographic, weddings provide a natural mission field. Instead of standing on the sidelines, churches can step in with hope, hospitality, and the gospel. Weddings can revitalize ministry, spark evangelism, and even breathe life into declining congregations.

Drawing from more than thirty years of ministry-including over 1,800 weddings-Anderson offers both practical strategies and inspiring vision. Whether you are a pastor, church planter, or ministry leader, this book will equip you to see weddings not just as events, but as opportunities to reach a generation.

Rev. Dr. David Anderson has served as a pastor and minister for more than thirty years. He is the founder of Wedding Chaplain, where he has officiated over 1,800 weddings and guided countless couples in preparing for marriage. David is also the host of The Wedding Chaplain Podcast, a practical and encouraging resource for engaged couples, and the author of Before God and These Witnesses, a book that equips churches to launch marriage ministries that strengthen families and communities.

In addition to his ministry work, David pastors a thriving congregation in Ohio and speaks regularly on marriage, family, and leadership. He and his wife, Misty, share a blended family of seven children and three grandchildren, and their own story continues to shape his heart for helping others build strong, lasting marriages.