Valentine's Marriage Enrichment Seminar
 February is the perfect time of year to provide a community-wide marriage enrichment seminar. Love is already in the air. Consider a seminar that speaks to both married couples and engaged couples. Wise counsel, price and timing will attract couples to attend an event of this nature. Marriage counseling can be expensive, and some couples feel like they just don't have the time. Also, June is a very busy wedding month, so February is perfect timing for counseling engaged couples, as well. In a one-day or weekend seminar, your church can provide an excellent ministry to your community by strengthening marriages. And marriage counseling gives an easy transition to sharing the gospel by sharing God's plan for marriage.
Get the word out
Advertise in local newspapers, on radio and community bulletin boards, in grocery stores and movie theaters. Encourage church members to invite unchurched couples to attend. The key is to involve non-Christian couples.
location
Consider using your church's auditorium or fellowship hall or rent out the local community center or theater. It might be less threatening to the unchurched to have it outside your building.
seminar leaders
If possible, invite a well-known Christian marriage counselor to lead the seminar. Or contact your state convention to see if there is a marriage and family minister who is available in the area. If a staff member is capable, that's great too. Identify three or four married couples from your church who can be available at the session for encouragement, to lead any small-group time or for commitment counseling. A brief testimony by one or two couples could be effective.
Follow up
Be sure to provide books or follow-up materials for couples who attend. Possibly offer free marriage counseling for engaged couples. Consider offering resources on how to put together a wedding. All of these will provide natural follow- up opportunities for the church. Be sure to get names, addresses, phone numbers and email addresses of all participants.
Mentor Couples
Offer to partner seasoned married couples in your church with young couples. Encourage them to pray for one another and meet together on a regular basis.
Share the Gospel
Be sure to use this ministry as a bridge across which to share the Good News of Jesus Christ. Give couples the opportunity to pray and receive Christ. Provide personal decision counseling during the seminar. Record decisions and make sure to follow up! Clearly explain baptism and the importance of making a public profession of faith.
resources
There are many wonderful resources for strengthening marriages. Here are just a few.
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