Communio Ministry Making a Difference in California

It isn’t everyday that the Globe is able to tell a positive story, especially in this highly political, highly partisan state, but we have one for you.

This Holy Week brings to mind that it is not meant to be observed in isolation; rather it is a communal experience.  

Communio is a non-profit ministry that trains and equips churches to share the Gospel through the renewal of healthy relationships, marriages, and the family, led by J.P. De Gance, bringing back faith and hope to communities throughout America. And they focus on marriage and family to do this, because as Communio concludes, “Family decline appears to fuel faith decline.”

And Communio reports that prior research has shown that the break-up of the family through divorce often produces religious non-affiliation among the children.

A Communio Nationwide Study on Faith and Relationships reveals that “the collapse in marriage and the resulting decline in resident fatherhood may offer the best explanation for the decline of Christianity in the United States. These conclusions are drawn from the results of a nationwide survey of 19,000 Sunday church attendees conducted during worship in 112 evangelical, Protestant, and Catholic congregations in 13 different states.”

“The survey found 80 percent of all Sunday church attendees in the United States grew up in a continuously married home with both biological parents at a time where this is becoming increasingly rare. This trend held across age groups and was visible among church-going young adults, especially those
under age 30.”

Speaking to De Gance recently, it became clear that Commnunio is filling a void in communities where churches once led, and were the hub of wholesome activity for couples, singles and families.

Broken homes, divorce, and secularism have taken a front row in American society. Communio seeks to change that, one couple at a time, one church at a time.

“Our objective is to help you bring more souls to Jesus Christ by evangelizing and discipling relationships and marriages. Marriage has been central to God’s plan for humanity from the beginning. Communio serves you to make marriage central to your church,” DeGance said.

Churches are the client, and the goal is to grow Sunday attendance. In California, there are 12 Catholic Dioceses which committed to the program.

The goal is for churches to host community event for couples and families. The block parties, date nights, and family gatherings create what De Gance refers to as a “non-threatening on-ramp” for people who might otherwise would not consider attending a Sunday church service, to attend, and meet community members, and discover the sincere care afforded to  them.

This meet-and-greet community events lead back to helping to make churches a hub for strengthening marriages. And, Communio finds that this is also growing Sunday attendance.

The marriage program moves couples through a high intensity skills class on marriage and relationships education, eventually completing the Ministry engagement ladder and a growth journey.

As recently reported in by Communio and Texas Baptist churches, “a significant share of children are growing up outside stable, two-parent homes. A significant share of marriages are quietly under strain. And a significant share of couples in your congregation right now have never been asked directly: How are you doing? How is your marriage?” 

Communio details the program:

Communio works with pastors across Evangelical, Protestant, and Catholic contexts nationwide to design relationship ministry that fits the real culture of their congregation — not a generic curriculum, but a data-informed strategy built around where your church actually is and where God is calling it to go.

Think about the couples in your congregation right now. The young marrieds navigating the first hard years. The mid-life couples drifting apart under the weight of work, kids, and exhaustion. The families on the edge who haven’t told anyone yet. Your church is already the most trusted institution in their lives. This partnership model — and what it has produced in Texas — shows what it looks like when a church decides to act on that trust.

DeGance said that California is unique because all of the Catholic Bishops in the state endorsed the program, representing over 1,000 parishes.

DeGance said young people today experience loneliness, face epidemics, drug addiction, and other serious issues, largely as a result of the collapse of marriage. “We’ve been teaching our young people to prioritize material things over human relationships.” The average age of first marriages now is 30. “A high number of people will never marry,” DeGance said. “This is a great opportunity for local churches to provide guidance.”

Communio is helping to build communities again through local churches, which offer something that people actually need. And in doing so, they are bringing back faith and hope to marriages, relationships and families.

On Resurrection Sunday, allow the reality of the risen Christ to transform your fears into hope and your inertia into action. Recommit to living in the newness Christ offers.