Pastor's Circle - Bert Harper

Bert Harper, chairman of the board and Director of Family Life and Pastoral Ministries of American Family Association, joined The Matt Friedeman Show today to talk about the decline of marriage and how we can bring revival. Below are the "CliffsNotes" of his interview.

There's a poll that says marriage is declining. Thoughts?

I saw the same article, and I remembered the push a few years ago by a certain denomination to say that we need to marry earlier.

Marriage is looked down upon in our society. The church is partly to blame. But I would say that the marriage rate in the church is significantly higher than in society.

What are the effects of cohabitation and fatherlessness on society?

The black community in  America has already experienced this trainwreck, with so much of their male population in prison because of fatherless homes.

You have close to 85% of the black population being raised in single-parent homes. If we continue to go down this road, it's going to be a disaster.

The direction that we go determines everything. God's looking for us to go in the right direction. Marriage and family is the right way to go.

How can America have a "turnaround"?

We've got to turn to God. The Bible says "repent." I know it's an old-fashioned term, but we've got to bring it back.

Let the Word of God speak. If we can let it do that, the Word has promised that it will go forth and do what it is supposed to do. It works in a home, it works in a church, it works in a community, and it works in a nation.

How can a pastor invite revival?

Demonstrate it. The thing that hurts me is how many pastors are falling into moral failure.

My wife and I are doing marriage conferences for pastors. Because if we preach one thing and do another, then it falls on deaf ears. This generation can spot hypocrisy.

And then live it. When they see Christ in you, I believe the message will ring true.