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.
“help couples ‘form a bond that honors the uniqueness” (source)