In Episode One Part One, Chris Rivers and Jeremy Meyer discuss a ministry called Re|engage that Grace Church https://gracechurchsc.org/ uses that has proven to be highly effective in helping disciple and equip married couples to grow in oneness. They discuss the cultural attack on marriage and the need to disciple and equip married couples. They address the process Grace Church uses for discipling and equipping couples and the impact within the church and beyond.

Problem:

- 50% of married couples getting divorced whether church or unchurched. The number is probably closer to 45% according to most scholars.

Chief obstacles to cultivating oneness:

- People are staying single longer

- the median age is at highest in history at 30 years old (men), 28 years old (women)

- It is becoming more and more unpopular to get married as the marriage rate is down by 10% since 1990 --  'Self-Partnering”is now a thing

- Cohabitation is on the rise

- the number of couples cohabiting is up 29% since 2007 - This does not include the massive impact of the confusion of masculine and feminine genders

Typical Solution (from the church):

- Marriage enrichment

-- Short-term remedies

--- Weekend to Remember

- very helpful for healthy marriages or damaging for those in crisis

--- Marriage Retreats - taxing on staff

-- 6-week marriage studies in groups / Sunday school

--- Nice but people hide and mask how they are doing

- Meetings w/couples: We/pastoral staff become overwhelmed w/pastoral care with too many hurting couples with too little time

- Counseling: sometimes is very effective but is all about the timing, accountability, and availability (if they are good, maybe 1-2 months out)

-- Problem:

--- Interesting stat: Couples wait an average of 6 years before pursuing help (Gottman - 40years- research)

--- Quality counselors are limited

--- Typically takes 1-2 years

--- There is 0 accountability. Most counselors see couples individually without the presence of another couple to keep them accountable to what they know and commit too.

A Typical Evening at Re|engage

- Time: 2hr program + Leader dinner

-- 5:45 pm Leader dinner / Meeting (Group Leaders / A/V / Greeters team only)

--- Encourage, equip, and fellowship

- 6:30 pm Large Group

-- Worship / Video / Game night

-- Marriage Story, Interview, or Teaching

- 7:30 pm Small Groups

-- 16 Lessons over 4-6 months

---  Lessons 1-8 apply to character - learning to stay inside the circle

---- Love, Brokenness, Grace, Humility, etc.

---  Lessons 9-16 are application - learn to move toward the spouse

---- Communication, Conflict, Expectations, Intimacy, etc.

-- All married couples - not for premarital couples

-- 1 Leader Couple to 4-5 Participant Couples

--- For All couples

---- Healthy & Hopeless/Hurting

---- Crisis & Good-to-Great

---- On the verge of divorce to key leaders, elders/pastors

--- Newlyweds to Empty nesters

--- 1 year married to 48 years married

--- 1st season to their 4th season

Learn more about the Impact of Re|engage, access additional resources and sign up for coaching events at https://gracechurchsc.org/