On August 16, 2009, Sara and I were married.We had a covenant wedding and did not get a state-issued marriage license. God instituted the plan of marriage, so through study and prayer, we made the determination long before we were married that we did not need the government's permission to be married.


- Driver's License
- Social Security Number (we refer to this as the 'slave number')
- Bank Accounts
- Paychecks
- IRS Forms (W2, W9, 1099, etc.)
- Filing Status
- Bills / Mail
- Employer / Associates
- Children
*Update: Email link removed. I am no longer able to respond to inquiries concerning pastor / officiant searches. Please see 11/20 update at the end of this blog post.


"Wherefore they are no more twain, but one flesh. What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder." -Matthew 19:6
Update 11/20/13: First off, Sara and I are still happily married and remain active and dedicated to the liberty movement. Since the time this article was published in 2011, the response has been phenomenal. We have received many emails from across the country. We have found that the biggest roadblock for most couples is in finding a pastor who is willing to perform a marriage ceremony without a license. This has been both disheartening and eye-opening.
We must apologize to many of you, as due to time limitations, we have been unable to respond to each inquiry. Sara and I have future plans to write a detailed addendum or update to our article concerning the covenant wedding. We also have plans to develop a small book and get even further involved to help others learn about the covenant marriage; and to begin talking with pastors across the country. However, for now, our time is currently occupied with other pursuits. So these endeavors must be put on hold.
On the topic of searching for pastors, we only have a small network of pastors here in North Carolina who are willing to perform ceremonies for couples who made the choice to forgo the license, but we are not currently set up with the proper infrastructure to network with pastors across the country. Even so, we would like to express another thought on the topic.
Many of the emails we've received from readers seem to indicate that our usage of the word "pastor" has been taken quite literally. When Sara and I were married, we were fortunate to find an actual pastor of a church who would marry without license. However, as we've discovered from the myriad of correspondence, locating a pastor who is supportive of a purely covenant wedding is not that easy. In most de facto states, it is illegal for an actual pastor or ordained minister to officiate over a marriage ceremony without a license. That being said, we would like to encourage readers to think outside the box here. We truly believe that it is not specifically required that the officiant of your wedding be ordained or be a pastor. It is important to understand that being married through the vehicle of a covenant does not indicate some recognition or need for approval by a state or government body. Therefore, by performing a covenant wedding ceremony, we are reverting solely back to God's requirements. The state's "appropriate methodologies", "requirements" or "recognitions" are irrelevant. As stated in the post, you simply have to decide which "benefits" you are willing to forgo.
Ultimately, this decision is up to you, your comfort level, and resources. If you can find a willing pastor, great. However, we believe that it would be much more important to find someone who has similar beliefs and would be willing to perform a ceremony the proper way, rather than to require that person be a pastor, and/or to be ordained at the risk of having to ask the state for permission. In today's modern society, where licenses are accepted as the norm, there's honestly not much information out there on the topic. At least that's what we've found. But if we look at it simply -- which I believe God does as well -- we see that the marriage covenant is a simple 3-part relationship: you, your spouse, and God. These are the three most important parts. Outside of this, adding the accountability of several witnesses, and someone to officiate the wedding if you like -- this is all you really need. Remember that in a covenant, you are looking for God's approval, and His alone. I would encourage you to research for yourself HIS requirements.
Sara and I are hopeful to continue our writing in the future on this topic, as we realize there is a lack of information available. And again, we would also encourage you to do your own research and to become a help to those around you along the way. Talk to your neighbor, your pastor, your families. Feel free to print out this blog and the resources linked here and share them with others. Together, we can spread truth and knowledge.




