Question
Answer
It’s hard to imagine a ministry that would formally forbid a wife from working in a non-ministry field, but assuming such a requirement exists, I’ll try to answer your question. One of the main reasons God made Eve for Adam was to provide “a helper suitable for him.” Her primary role as wife was helper. A big part of being a man’s “help meet” is to support him in his primary role as provider. That means supporting him in his work.
Specifically, if your boyfriend is pursuing campus ministry and it requires his wife’s participation and he has asked you to be his wife, part of that request, whether stated or implied, includes your participation in his work. If you’re not willing to fit in with his plans, and your goal is a godly, biblical marriage, it’s best that you not marry him.
That said, unless He’s disobeying God by choosing you over the ministry, I don’t see why he might not change his career plans to make marriage possible. As long as you’re not giving him an ultimatum — “Me or the ministry, buster” — effectively taking on the leadership of the relationship, he may indeed choose to change his plans, especially if those plans were made before he met you.
A lot of this depends on your boyfriend and his sense of professional calling. If he sees himself in ministry and you’re not willing to be a part of that, he would be wise to end the relationship now, for the benefit of both of you.
Sincerely,
CANDICE WATTERS
Copyright 2007 Candice Watters. All rights reserved.
