MARRIAGE MENTOR PROGRAM

The objective of a Marriage Mentor Program(MMP) is to minister to pre-married and younger married couples to help build and maintain strong marriages in the Church, and meet the growing need in the community to save marriages and restore families.

HOW DOES IT WORK?

When a young couple (YC) requests to be married, the pastor assigns them to a mentor couple (MC) who will meet with them on a weekly basis in the MC’s home for 4 months before the wedding or as directed by the Pastor. During that time the MC will administer a marriage/pre-marriage assessment, and go through it with the YC to identify strength areas and learn to work through areas needing growth.

The MC will submit written reports weekly to the overseeing pastor. We suggest the couples continue to meet once a month for at least an additional three months. In all cases the periods prescribed by the program are minimums. If more time is necessary the Pastor and the MC can make those determinations.

Marriage & Family Savers Institute will remain available as a resource to help the local church administer the program effectively.

THE MARRIAGE MENTOR CANDIDATES

The ideal Marriage Mentor Couple should be married for 10-15 years, or more, and have had experienced difficulties in their marriage that made it necessary for them to learn how to work through problems together. Ironically, a couple that has been together for a long time without experiencing marital difficulties may not make the best mentor couple.

The mentor couple should be prepared to commit one evening each week for a four month period to minister to and develop a relationship with a younger couple.

MARRIAGE MENTOR TRAINING

The mentor couple must be certified after attending  a 20 hour course of study where they will learn mentoring skills, and how to work with the "PREPARE-ENRICH" assessment that provides the structure for the ministry. They will also learn how to recognize the limits of their abilities, and when it may be necessary to refer the couple to the pastor or other professional for appropriate ministry or treatment.

The mentor couple must always remain accountable to pastoral oversight, and submit reports on a regular basis.
The next class begins on Thursday, September 23, 2010 and continues for 10 consecutive Thursday nights. Tuition is $250 for each couple for the entire course leading to certification. Call our office or send us an email to request an application. Or you can register on line. Click "Event Registration" NOTE: Cutoff for registration is Sept. 1st.