“Why are you involved in marriage ministry?”
That was the question we asked the marriage ministry leaders at our home church as we sat around a table at a planning meeting. We were about to launch a Sunday morning and Wednesday evening class with the future possibility of date nights, specialty classes, and discussion groups. Their answers were insightful and represented a wide range of motives for becoming involved.
Here were seven great answers. Can you relate to any of them?
- One husband quipped: “It’s cheaper than therapy!”
- A Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist told how many couples wait until they are ready to give up on their marriage. Then they seek a helpful alternative. Why not seek the alternative before you reach the breaking point—long before.
- One couple felt they had a great marriage but wanted to make it even better. They are always looking for ways to improve.
- Many couples cited the benefit of working in community. Some couples had benefited from the example of their own parents’ strong marriage. Others had grown up in single-parent or dysfunctional homes and wanted to surround themselves with positive examples of two partners working together. One young mom knew she needed the support of a strong marriage community.
- An older member reflected on how families used to be the core unit of both the church and our society but now they are disintegrating. He wanted to do what he could to make them strong again.
- Several couples welcomed the opportunity to serve with their spouse and grow together in the process. They could both serve and be served. They would be able to observe others who were stronger in a particular area and give their input in the areas where they’d had success.
- Finally, there was the group that focused on spiritual development. One wife talked about the analogy of marriage in the Bible and how important marriage is to God. Her motivation was being an example of a godly wife to her four daughters. Others saw being involved in marriage ministry as an opportunity to get answers and be real with others who were serious about having the best marriage possible.
How about you?
Are you involved in a marriage class or group now? How has it helped you? If you are not currently involved, how might participation in a marriage community help your marriage? What might God do for your marriage and your children if you dedicated yourself to pursuing Him in this area? Lastly, what do you do on a regular basis to improve your marriage?
