“Frequently, married women come to me for counseling because they feel depressed and anxious. They often don’t realize they are experiencing oppression from their husbands; they only recognize the hurt,” a marriage counselor within CBE’s community recently explained. “This is quite common in the work of both Christian and non-Christian counselors.”
CBE’s new marriage resource is much needed to help heal the unhappiness, even abuse, that can result from an unbiblical, hierarchical approach to marriage that has long been endorsed by the church. And it’s not only women who suffer. Men, too, may feel coerced into a “manly,” dominant role they are ill-suited to or that feels stressful. Even worse, these patterns of pain and marginalization are often transferred from one generation to the next.
Rather, CBE’s planned marriage curriculum will encourage both husbands and wives to honor and value each other as partners with equal dignity, love, and authority. It will show how the Bible teaches that couples are to respect each other’s intellect, gifts, desires, needs, hopes, and dreams in a life-long partnership.
Proposed chapter topics include building friendship and intimacy, communication skills, managing conflict, apology and forgiveness, financial management, and creating meaning within marriage. The biblical basis for full equality in marriage will be woven into every chapter and topic in clear, accessible language. Practical questions and exercises will foster equal involvement from both wives and husbands.
Hear from Tim + Anne Evans’ conference workshop, “Together: Reclaiming Co-Leadership in Marriage”
We are over half-way to our $40,000 fundraising goal! Help us reach our goal so we can continue work through 2016!
