God created the institution of marriage and it is of great value to the Lord, the church and society. When marriages break down the family is crushed and the church is overwhelmed and greatly impacted. We see the effects of the breakdown of families in the church as we experience an increase in divorce and single parent families.
Strengthening and fortifying marriages is an essential work of the church. As the church imputes in to marriages, the family is strengthened, the church benefits from the stability, and the community is impacted.
The church has an opportunity to equip people for relationships and to stand in the gap of marriages that are under attack.
The church can fortify and strengthen marriages and families by providing opportunities for growth, support, and encouragement. Various levels of impact can be offered.
Fellowship is seeking to stand in the gap by offering:
Teaching
On-going instruction, focusing on marital issues and the biblical foundation of marriage. Platforms: the pulpit, Sunday school classes, weekend focus events, etc.
Small Groups
Offering on-going small groups, which focus on marital support, enrichment, and skills.
Mentoring
Developing “mentor couples” who can come along side of another couple to encourage, instruct, and support. Mentors may target couples who are planning to marry, newly married couples, couples needing support and encouragement or couples who are not ready to participate in a small group setting and may be involved in a counseling relationship.
Counseling
Either offered by the church or appropriate counseling agency that holds to a high view of God, His Word, and the institution of marriage. The goal is to stabilize the marriage and get them into a mentor relationship or a small group.
Small Groups that focus on the marriage relationship
These small groups offer practical help to make good marriages better or to give hope and healing for struggling marriages. Challenging and Biblical insights are presented to guide couples into healthy, growing, Christ-centered marriages.
Genuine intimacy is attainable in your relationship, no matter how much you may have hurt each other in the past. Even if you feel your marriage has failed, there is hope. You are not helpless. You are not alone.
Intimate Encounters, is a practical guide to discovering the secrets of a really great marriage–a decidedly new approach to marriage enrichment that helps heal and enrich relationships, change behaviors, and create genuine intimacy between marriage partners. Based on the premise that God created us with a need for intimacy with Him and with one another, Intimate Encounters guides couples toward a fulfilled and abundant life.
You will come to understand the true nature of intimacy and learn step by step how to develop deeper empathy and closeness with your mate. No longer will intimacy be an elusive dream or a wishful fantasy. You will have clear, concrete principles to guide you, plus a workable plan to build a marriage framework with a strong foundation of mutual nurturing and love.
Whether you are preparing for marriage, want to improve a good marriage or desire to rebuild a troubled relationship, Intimate Encounters gives you the tools you need to experience the CLOSENESS you desire.