Often it is the “problem side” of marriages that comes up first. And that while there is so much positive to say about marriages!
How can marriages be more in the church spotlight in a positive way? Here are three great tips from church leaders in the country.
- Take opportunities to chat about relationship
“Hey, I saw that you’ve been married for five years. Congratulations! I’m actually curious, how have you experienced marriage in recent years and how do you look ahead to the next five years?’ It can just be a reason for a more extensive conversation over coffee, or for a pastoral visit from a positive approach. - Preach a sermon on marriage/relationships with a practical slant
It may feel safer to give a theoretical bible study on marriage, or to preach about the metaphor of marriage as the relationship between Christ and the church. But it is precisely the open talk about your own marriage that contributes to an atmosphere in which it becomes easier for others to start the conversation about their relationship. A short example or funny anecdote already gives that ‘Aha, we are not the only ones who sometimes find it quite difficult to be married’ feeling.
A short example or funny anecdote already gives that
‘Aha, we are not the only ones who sometimes find it
quite difficult to be married’ feeling.
- Avoid the occasional and work towards the structural
When a culture emerges where it’s normal to talk to each other about your relationship, it feeds the whole community. It is encouraging and offers couples where things are really not going well the space to sound the alarm. That is why it is good to give structural attention to marriages in the church. One way to do that is by, for example, is organizing the Marriage Course.
Over 600,000 couples have attended the Marriage Course in over 100 countries and 45 languages.
99% of the couples said the course had a positive impact on their relationship.
Here is a sneak-peak on what you can expect from the Marriage Course, click here
We at Alpha Gulf are here to support you in your ministry. We offer a range of courses and train pastors and ministry leaders to run these courses successfully.
