Frequently Asked Questions
DO YOU HAVE ANY COUPLE-TO-COUPLE MENTORING PROGRAMS?
Yes, We have couples trained to work with engaged couples to help in preparation for marriage. We also have a program called Reconciling God’s Way, which is a 12 step program designed to help challenged marriages. This is a workbook program using a support partner which could be a married couple that has experienced problems in the past and is now reconciled.
WHO WOULD MAKE A GOOD MARRIAGE MENTOR?
A couple in a healthy marriage would be a good mentor couple. To mentor engaged couples the mentor couple needs to be married at least 10 years. Couples enjoying the “empty nest” make ideal mentors for those preparing for marriage.
A couple that has experience challenges in a marriage and recovered makes an ideal mentor for other couples that are struggling. CMB will be happy to train couples to mentor others.
WHAT IS A COVENANT MARRIAGE CHURCH?
This is a church that has signed the Covenant Marriage Policy which states that the church will encourage marriage preparation of 4-6 months, using a premarital inventory and a mentor couple. This church will encourage married couples to attend marriage enrichment seminars and work with troubled marriages toward reconciliation. This church also believes in fidelity within marriage and sexual abstinence outside of marriage.
HOW CAN MY CHURCH PARTNER WITH COMMUNITY MARRIAGE BUILDERS?
It’s as simple as calling the CMB office and setting up an appointment or inviting CMB to speak to the leadership of your church. 812-477-2260 or 800-443-8594.
HOW ARE CMB'S PROGRAMS FUNDED?
CMB is a non-profit organization dedicated to educating and equipping the community for lifetime marriages. Funding is provided by donations from churches, individuals, foundations and other interested in supporting healthy marriages.
WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS OF MARRIAGE?
In spite of rising divorce rates and changes in the way society views marriage, many couples still aspire to be happily married. This is good news! Perhaps this is because marriage is still considered to be a fundamental social institution, providing many benefits for men, women and children. For men and women, marriage is directly associated with:
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lower mortality rates
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lower rates of chronic illnesses
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less depression and anxiety
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less substance abuse
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greater financial well-being
Children who grow up with two happily married parents are:
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More likely to experience better physical and mental health
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Less likely to drop out of school
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Less likely to engage in criminal behavior
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Less likely to experience conduct disorders
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More likely to have a stable marriage of their own
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More likely to have career success in adulthood
Research* indicates that married people are better off financially, live longer, are healthier, and have better sex.
*Marriage Savers Manual by Michael J. McManus pp. 14-15 © 2000
DO OPPOSITES ATTRACT?
Did you notice that you probably married someone very different than yourself? There's the old saying that "opposites attract." In most cases spouses are very different. Our brains are wired differently; we come from different backgrounds; and we have differing personalities.
Women are relational creatures, sharing feelings easily and talking through problems. Men tend to be more fact-oriented, desiring to quickly fix or solve problems. Men tend to focus on one thing at a time and women are good at multi-tasking.
Differing families of origin can cause conflict with something as simple as which way should the toilet paper be hung on the roll? Over or under? The more a husband and wife know about the family of their spouse the better he or she will understand the differences.
All spouses experience personality differences. There are four major categories of personality; easy-going, goal oriented, peacemaker or detail-oriented. When we identify our personality and that of our spouse, it is easier to understand each other. Learn to accept each other and appreciate your differences. Learn to laugh about how different you are. Understand that you are different.
