In a nutshell
Marriage Mentoring is designed to tackle those things that trip up marriages, especially in the early years. Couples often think their issues are unique and can feel alone in their struggles.
Through a series of focused conversations, Marriage Mentoring normalises those struggles and brings couples into community. The result is revitalised relationships, for both the couples mentoring and those being mentored.
“We found renewed hope for our marriage knowing
we weren’t alone in our challenges.”
What are the Benefits?
For Churches
Mentor Couples are a rich resource who expand the church’s marriage intervention. The long term benefits of investing in younger couples, strengthens their marriages and ultimately alleviates the pressure on pastors to do all marriage enrichment in the congregation.
For the Community
Stronger couples become stronger parents and families, which eventually strengthens the overall church community.
Personal Growth
As you, the Mentor couple, share your marriage story, it further strengthens your own marriage.
How does Marriage Mentoring work?
A marriage mentoring couple pairs up with a couple who wants to be mentored and commit to spending a year meeting regularly to have conversations that facilitate growth.
After attending an evening of Mentoring Training you will be ready to start mentoring another couple. You will get together with them once a month over the course of one year and guide them through a series of conversations found in the Marriage Mentoring Conversation Guide.
Mentor couple Match
A FamilyLife Trained Marriage Mentor couple matches with a younger couple who want to be mentored.
Meet regularly
Couples commit to meeting once a month for a year for approximately 2 hours, and choose from 14 conversation topics that each support a healthy marriage.
Grow together
When you spend time learning from a couple who has more experience than you in marriage, it fast tracks your growth, and as a couple mentoring you’ll feel a fresh sense of commitment to your own marriage also.
You can make a difference!
This is not counselling, so you are not 'experts', and you don’t need to have all the answers.
"We were surprised how easy the Mentor Guide is to follow and understand.This is great information. We are not just helping enrich other couples’ marriages but also our own."
Becoming a Marriage Mentor couple might sound intimidating, but it’s not. You and your spouse have more to offer than you realise. Your story, with all its ups and downs, can give hope and help to a younger couple.
The best part? Mentoring another couple not only sets them up for success, it’s guaranteed to strengthen your own marriage in the process. Join a growing number of couples who are making a difference among families in New Zealand.
Becoming a Marriage Mentor couple
What is the commitment?
There is a 3½ hour training to get you started and then you will meet with your mentee couple once a month over the course of a year to guide them through the Conversation Guide. Your meetings with them will probably be 60-90 minutes. You will decide where to meet; either at your home, or maybe a nearby cafe.
Are we qualified?
If you have a healthy marriage and a heart to help others’ marriages, your life experience qualifies you to be a mentor. You don’t need a perfect marriage, just a willingness to share your story with another couple and listen to theirs.
Who do we mentor?
If your church is a Marriage Mentor Centre, they may have people wanting to be mentored right now but you can mentor any couple that is not as far down the road as you. We recommend that you be at least one stage further along in life than them and have been married for a minimum of 7 years.
Is Marriage Mentoring for me?
Neil and Sharol Josephson are the directors of FamilyLife Canada and the champions of our Marriage Mentoring initiative. In this podcast episode, we learn more about what Marriage Mentoring is and what it’s not in an attempt to also answer some of the questions you may have if you’re wondering: “Is Marriage Mentoring for me?”
Training Dates
Set up a Marriage Mentoring Centre at your church
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Marriage Mentoring is a great way to strengthen your marriage and help others strengthen theirs.
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