PREPARATION FOR MARRIAGE PROGRAM

The Julianna Poor Memorial Counseling Center of Houston’s First Baptist Church (HFBC) provides a wonderful package of marriage preparation services to engaged couples who have scheduled Houston’s First Baptist facilities for their wedding. All those who marry here are required to participate in the program*.

Even if you’re not getting married at Houston’s First Baptist, you are more than welcome to enroll in the Preparation for Marriage program; pastors from other churches recommend our program to couples marrying in their churches.

Premarital Curriculum

A specially designed curriculum has been developed for couples who wish to enter a Christ-centered marriage. In order to accommodate your busy schedule, we have developed two different alternatives.

Engaged Couples Workshop

This one and one-half day (Friday evening and all day Saturday) Workshop, held at HFBC, dives into the real issues of marriage. Through a variety of facilitators, we’ll discuss what the Bible has to say about these issues. You’ll have “office time” with your spouse-to-be to further discuss first-year issues. Workshops are held throughout the year. Listed below are the dates for 2009. Approximately 8 to 15 couples participate in the workshop-so there’s opportunity to meet and fellowship with other alter-bound couples.

Here are the six modules covered in the workshop:
• Spiritual Oneness
• Roles and Expectation
• Communication
• Conflict Resolution
• Finances
• Sexual Intimacy

Two-on-Two Mentoring
If you two prefer to go through the premarital curriculum with an older HFBC married couple, Two-on-Two Mentoring may be for you. The same six modules mentioned above are covered by your mentor couple. It’s a more personalized approach to the curriculum; the mentor couple can “customize” each module to your needs. You and your mentor couple can figure out a mutually convenient schedule for going through the curriculum—this schedule is dictated by the length of time until your wedding date. Usually the meetings take place in the mentor couple’s home.

Dates for the 2009 Workshops

January 23-24

March 27-28
May 29-30
July 24-25
September 18-19
November 13-14

The fees for the workshop or 2 on 2 mentoring are:

$100 per a couple for members (ECW)

$150 per a couple for non-members (ECW)

$120 per a couple for members (2 on 2)

$180 per a couple for non-members (2 on 2)

This program is rooted in a solemn and abiding commitment to the sacredness of Christian marriage, and may be the most important of all your plans for a successful marriage! Here are the primary steps of the Preparation for Marriage program:

1. Profile
There is an online form that you can fill out and submit to our team. A link to the form can be found on the page you sign up and pay for either the Engaged Couples Workshop or the 2 on 2 mentoring. This form will be sent electronically to the Preparation for Marriage Coordinator, Jacque Killingsworth (wedding coordinator), and Ken Kapp (Director of Engaged Couples Workshop).

Click here to sign up for the Engaged Couples Workshop or 2 on 2 mentoring. First fill out the premarital form, and then return to the sign us up page and sign up for either the ECW or 2 on 2. Only one person per a couple needs to register and pay.

2. PREPARE Profile
Once you’re signed up and we have received your payment the PMC will contact you to give you the information necessary to take the online profile. The PREPARE profile—is an inventory assessment used to reveal potential strength areas and challenge areas of the couple. The man and woman individually take PREPARE—it can be taken online or at the Counseling Center office.

3. Initial Counseling Session
When the results of your PREPARE inventories are ready, you’ll have your first meeting with one of the counselors at HFBC. Not only will you review the PREPARE results; you’ll discuss the Biblical foundation of the covenant of marriage. You’ll explore how your individual relationships with Christ form the foundation for a Christ-centered marriage. We prefer to have the initial counseling session prior to you attending the ECW, so give yourself enough time when signing up to allow for a session.

4. Final Counseling Session

After you complete the Engaged Couples Workshop or the Two-on-Two Mentoring, you’ll schedule a final session with your HFBC Counselor. During this session, you’ll discuss your experiences with the Workshop or Mentoring. Your counselor will provide feedback and give solid guidance to start a rock-solid, Christ-centered marriage.

5. One Year Newlywed Classes
Based of Deuteronomy 24:5, HFBC has three Bible Study options for newly married couples:

Newlywed or Close (NWC-AM)
Sundays @ 9:10 am - Room 300
This high-energy class is specially designed for newlywed and engaged couples, with a rotating 12-month curriculum focused on building a Christ-centered marriage. The lessons are biblically-based with lots of application. Lecture format on various topics. Average attendance: 35-50 couples. Contact Ken and Cindy Kapp for more info at nwc@thekapps.net.

Newlywed or Close (NWC-PM)
Sundays @ 5:15 pm - Room 333
This class is smaller than the morning class; with 15-20 couples in class, the dynamics are quite different (a much more intimate and close-knit class.) But the biblical teaching and application are similar. Contact JT and Jennifer Thompson for more information at icthus42@yahoo.com.

New Beginnings
Sundays @ 9:10 am - Room 332
This class is designed for engaged or newlywed couples ages 30 and over. It offers a rotating 12-month biblically-based curriculum focused on building a Christ-centered marriage. For more information contact Matt and Amy Smith at 713.957.7681.

Marriage Mentoring

This element of the program is optional. Couple-To-Couple Mentoring consists of an older HFBC couple coming alongside of a younger couple in order to help the younger couple with specific issues and adjustments in their first year of marriage. The commitment is for one year and is structured very informally. It is recommended for couples who have been married for at least three months

The Preparation for Marriage Program is part of established and uniform wedding policies of HFBC; such policies are coordinated through the Wedding Director. All Preparation for Marriage Program services offered by HFBC are aimed toward one supreme goal—the establishment of Biblically-based, Christ-honoring and Spirit-led marriage relationships.

If you have any questions (including cost and availability) regarding your participation in the program, please contact the Preparation for Marriage Program Coordinator at marriageprep@HoustonsFirst.org or 713.335.6469.

NOTE:

If you are marrying at HFBC, the payment for the Preparation for Marriage program is handled through the website, unless you need to pay in person. If you’re not marrying at HFBC but would like to participate in the Preparation for Marriage program, please contact the PMP Coordinator at the number or e-mail listed below.

If you’re marrying at HFBC and plan to participate in another church’s premarital program, you must advise the Counseling Center that you have completed a similar counseling program. Written document or evidence from this program must be submitted at least 30 days prior to your wedding date.
If you are marrying here at HFBC we ask the you read the document Premarital Covenant Agreement this will be a document that you and a minister on staff will cover in your meeting together.