What happens when a church offers to pay your rent to move out or give you a free wedding to get married? In this powerful episode, host Laterras Whitfield takes us inside Concord Church's revolutionary "Cohabitation Challenge" - a program that's helped over 120 couples transition from living together to sacred marriage. Through intimate conversations with Pastor Brian Carter, his wife Stephanie, and couples at various stages of the journey, we witness how one church is tackling declining marriage rates in the Black community with radical compassion rather than judgment. ## Timestamps and Key Takeaways: - 8:30 - Pastor Carter explains the three options offered to cohabitating couples: move out with financial support, find another pathway, or commit to marriage through their 90-day challenge - 15:45 - A couple married since 2009 shares how they became part of the very first Grand Wedding - 28:20 - The importance of intentionality in marriage and balancing work life with home life - 37:15 - A previously divorced man describes how his wife's trust in "the Jesus she saw behind him" helped heal his resistance to remarriage - 51:30 - A couple reveals their journey from high school classmates to expectant parents navigating long-distance and cohabitation - 1:08:45 - An engaged couple discusses overcoming family resistance and securing a father's blessing before their upcoming wedding The episode culminates with powerful advice for those currently cohabitating: "You're never going to be ready for anything in life... so if you took that leap to move to Dallas from your hometown, why not take the leap to be with your forever and reap all the benefits and blessings God has for your life?" Don't miss this transformative conversation about choosing covenant over convenience and building marriages that last. Subscribe now for more episodes that discover, uncover, and recover love. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
