I have often said that I would rather officiate one thousand funerals than officiate one wedding. It’s not that I hate weddings, it’s just that I prefer to officiate funerals, especially if they are for unbelievers whom I do not know. Many pastors have told me that that is not their preference, and I understand. The prospect of officiating a funeral for someone you don’t know, especially an unbeliever, can be hard.

I haven’t always had this preference myself. In fact, there ...