Making a Marriage: 7 Essentials for a Strong Relationship

It's just not working. Our lives are full, but our marriage is empty.Statements like this are becoming increasingly common among Christian couples today. Studies have shown that the rate of divorce is the same for both Christians and non-Christians, proving that often the Christian life makes little or no difference in martial satisfaction and longevity. Many Christian couples share a love for God but spend little time growing the love He has given them for each other. Making a Marriage addresses the issues faced by new as well as mature couples from a biblical point of view and offers the foundational principles that help build a strong and lasting relationship. Written by educators and licensed counselors, this valuable resource educates couples on the essentials of marriage so they can honor their lifelong vows, improve their relationships with their spouses, and counter our culture's destructive influences. Whether you're contemplating marriage, struggling with communication, stress, and intimacy issues, or just desiring to make a good marriage better, Making a Marriage will maximize your marital satisfaction and lay a strong foundation for the lifelong task of building a loving and lasting marriage. For additional CLT teaching resources including FREE PowerPoint presentations and Leader's Guide, click here.

Jim Pettitt is the coordinator of Family Life Ministries for the International Church of the Nazarene and adjunct professor of psychology at Johnson County Community College.

Roger Hahn, Ph.D, is Dean and Professor of New Testament at Nazarene Theological Seminary, Kansas City, Missouri.

Larry R. Morris is Adult Ministries Director for the Sunday School Ministries Division of the Church of the Nazarene.

DAVID AND LISA FRISBIE are authors of more than 20 published books on topics of marriage and family life. They have been frequent contributors to published journals, including ParentLife, Outreach Magazine, Holiness Today, and BabyLife. They have also been named and quoted in USA Today, The New York Times and been interviewed on CBS-radio, ABC-TV national broadcast, and MoneyLife with Chuck Bentley. They currently serve as Coordinators of Marriage and Family Ministries for the Global Church of the Nazarene.

Donald Harvey has a Ph.D. in marriage and family therapy and maintains a private therapy practice in Nashville, Tennessee.