LUNDSTROM: 5 `Cs' KEY TO MARRIAGE

About 2,100 people gathered at the Show Me Center Tuesday night to hear Lowell Lundstrom preach the "Five Ways to Fire Up Your Marriage," and more than 100 people dedicated or re-dedicated their lives to Christ before the close of the service.

The evening began with a potpourri of music, including songs by a local choir from the Futrell Memorial Church of God In Christ.

Biblical scripture also was read by local pastors before Lundstrom took the pulpit in his third appearance at the Show Me Center.

Lundstrom, who leads a ministry called Impact America, said the formula for maintaining a good marriage can be characterized in five words: commitment, communication, compromise, cause and Christ.

Lundstrom said a husband and wife must be committed to each other in order to maintain a happy marriage.

"When you get married in the eyes of God, you're married for life," he said. "So you might as well be nice to each other."

Lundstrom said the average man speaks an average of 12,000 words per day. The average woman, he said, speaks almost 25,000 words per day.

"So don't be mad if your husband comes home and won't speak to you," he said. "He's just used up all of his words."

Lundstrom said communication between husband and wife are important. He said couples should use more of their words for each other.

He said compromise also is important in any relationship, especially in marriage, because of the mortality tables.

"Mortality tables say guys die eight years ahead of their wives," he said. "So guys, how do you want to be remembered? Compromise in your marriage. That goes for you too, wives."

For "cause," the fourth word in Lundstrom's formula for a happy marriage, he said couples need to have a common goal.

Lundstrom said the bond that holds a marriage together is Christ, the final word.

"It takes three to make a marriage: a husband, a wife and Christ," he said.

Also speaking to the crowd Tuesday night was Harold Kuehle, the Cape Girardeau County Collector.

Kuehle, the finance chairman for the Lundstrom event, said bringing Impact America to the Show Me Center has cost $88,000. But he said the ministry is important to the community.

"Brother Lowell is equipping us to bring people to Christ," he said. "Lowell Lundstrom is saving souls with his work, and it costs money to get the Show Me Center for this ,and it costs money for advertising so people will be encourage to come."

Kuehle said none of the money collect during the offering goes toward Lowell Lundstrom. He said the money goes toward paying the rent for the Show Me Center and the advertising costs of publicizing the event.

Tonight, Impact America will concentrate on youth ministries.

Lisa Lundstrom, who will tell of her 9-year run from her family and God, said the night is more upbeat, geared toward younger people.

"But the older folks hang right in there too," she said. "This is a night for reconciliation for the family. It's a real bonding experience."

Tonight's topic: "The False Hopes of Drugs, Alcohol and Sex." The event starts at 7:30 p.m.