Over this last weekend, our church hosted a Date Night & Workshop for our married couples with the goal of strengthening the marriages and families in our community.
It was so much fun and a huge success!
We decided on a 2-day format. Date Night was on Friday at 7 PM, where we served an Italian dinner, played games, gave away gifts, and had our first session. The workshop continued on Saturday morning. We hired a barista for an open coffee bar, offered a breakfast bar, and had three more sessions, along with more games and giveaways.
The decor was adorable (and affordable), and included a balloon arch and fringe backdrop.
We brought in Jeremy and Erica Gilliam to teach (Jeremy is a licensed marriage and family therapist, and together they are Apostolic ministers). And when it was all over, our couples could not say enough good things about the practical tools and information that were presented.
We live in a culture that is doing its best to destroy the family unit. Marriage is no longer valued, families don’t stay together, and the enemy of our souls is using every tool possible to pervert something that God intended to be to be a beautiful and holy union between a man and a woman.
The Church can, and should, fight back.
We can advocate for strong, healthy families. We can provide resources that will benefit the couples in our local congregations. And we can present a Biblical foundation for marriage that will stand the test of time and conflict.
I highly recommend hosting an event like this at your church or in your community. If you’re not in a ministry position, you might consider hosting something like this on a smaller scale for the couples in your circle.
At the end of our workshop on Saturday, I asked the Gilliams a few questions about marriage workshops and what the church should know.
How does a marriage workshop benefit the local church?
Strong churches are built on strong families. Strong families are built on strong marriages. Hosting a marriage workshop, conference, or seminar for your local assembly strengthens and supports the marriages in your church, thus strengthening the kingdom of God in your local context.
What kind of topics are covered at an event like this?
Generally, our marriage workshop topics deal with rules for fighting fair, communication patterns, intimacy in marriage, and strengthening your emotional and spiritual man/woman.
Why are these important topics to address?
Topics such as these look at and address just about every aspect of a marriage, dealing with our individual selves, and also the dynamics that married life brings each couple. These topics, and others like them, are designed to help marriages thrive at any season of life they’re in.
What issues are couples in the church facing that leaders should be aware of?
Some of the issues include pornography use in marriage, sexless marriages, poor or non-meaningful conversation, and children-centered homes.
What is one piece of advice you would give to married couples in the church?
While it may sound cliché, the one thing I would tell couples is to actually talk to your spouse. Have the courage it takes to bring up difficult topics or challenges that you’re experiencing in the marriage so that there can be some form of resolution.
You can request more info from the Gilliams here.
I’m so thankful that we decided to bring in the pros and pour into the families at our church. We left feeling strengthened as couples and as a church.