Growing Love in Christian Marriage Third Edition Pastor's Manual

This resource is ideal for clergy to use during pre-wedding counseling sessions. Pastor's Manual includes guidelines for mentoring couples. will help couples learn more about themselves and their future spouse and address potential problem areas before, rather than after, the wedding. This official United Methodist resource includes worksheets to be completed by each person, Scripture references about marriage, and interactive exercises. For use with couples of all ages, whether they are entering their first marriage or remarrying. A pack of two (identical) books, Growing Love in Christian Marriage Couples Manual is also available for purchase. Pastors can present this resource to the couples for personal use during the counseling sessions.

Includes everything you need to have a comprehensive marriage ministry:
The Ministry of Marriage Preparation
The Pastor's Role (expectations and perceptions; coaching and problem solving; experiences and attitudes)
Theological Perspectives (personal responsibility and christian community; God's purposes for marriage; divorce and remarriage; marriage as vocation and covenant)
Basic Goals for Marriage Preparation Ministries (religion, money, and sex; communication skills)

Working with Couples
First Session (wedding details, assessing the couple's preparation for marriage)
Sessions with Individuals (premarital questionnaire responses, surfacing potential disagreements)
Additional Sessions (finalizing wedding plans)
Nurturing Marital Growth After the Wedding
Mentor Couples (selecting and recruiting mentor couples; leadership team; training mentor couples)
Marriage Preparation in Groups
Comprehensive Marriage Ministries (relationship education for children, youth, and young adults; enrichment opportunities for married couples; support for couples in crisis)

The Pastor's Manual is a marriage preparation and ministry resource for pastors and other church leaders for pre-marital counseling and for comprehensive marriage ministries including guidelines for training mentor couples, working with couples in groups, and relationship education for all ages.  

Includes everything you need to have a comprehensive marriage ministry:
The Ministry of Marriage Preparation
The Pastor's Role (expectations and perceptions; coaching and problem solving; experiences and attitudes)
Theological Perspectives (personal responsibility and christian community; God's purposes for marriage; divorce and remarriage; marriage as vocation and covenant)
Basic Goals for Marriage Preparation Ministries (religion, money, and sex; communication skills)
Working with Couples
First Session (wedding details, assessing the couple's preparation for marriage)
Sessions with Individuals (premarital questionnaire responses, surfacing potential disagreements)
Additional Sessions (finalizing wedding plans)
Nurturing Marital Growth After the Wedding
Mentor Couples (selecting and recruiting mentor couples; leadership team; training mentor couples)
Marriage Preparation in Groups
Comprehensive Marriage Ministries (relationship education for children, youth, and young adults; enrichment opportunities for married couples; support for couples in crisis)


An extensive list of "Additional Resources" includes organizations and other marriage ministry programs that may be readily available and can be incorporated into local church and community ministries. 

Updates for these"Additional Resources, " a "Directory of United Methodist Marriage Ministry" leaders and consultants, a "Training Model" for use of GLCM, and other helps are available at www.marriagelovepower.net.