Oregon Churches Band Together to Strengthen Marriages, Reduce Divorce Rates
It seems to work: "The divorce rate in Clackamas County dropped by 15 percent in the first five years under the policy."
(Clackamas, OR.)—In what is called an anti-divorce effort, 170 churches in Clackamas County, Oregon, are working together to facilitate activities and programs to strengthen marriages and lower divorce rates. The driving force behind the effort, according to an ABC news report, are "marriage missionaries" Tom and Liz Dressel, whose own marriage was on the rocks before it was salvaged through "faith and a lot of hard work."
"I never could dream that we would have the marriage that we have today," said Tom Dressel.
Some of the tools used to combat high divorce rates are pre-marital counseling, support groups for married couples and mentoring. Notes the ABC report, the Dressel's plan seems to be working: "The divorce rate in Clackamas County dropped by 15 percent in the first five years under the policy."
