Marriage Advocacy Program
Are you feeling uncertain how to help couples in your community?
Unsure of what to say when infidelity is disclosed?
Notice couples who seem to be in trouble but not sure how to approach them?
Confused about your role in helping couples navigate difficulties?
Overwhelmed by the number of resources and unsure which are actually helpful?
Want to feel confident when walking alongside other couples?
“What do I say when I have no idea what to say?”
Myth #1
I need to have a therapy degree to help with mental health related things.
Myth #2
My marriage needs to be without fault to be an advocate. My experience won’t be helpful otherwise.
Myth #3
Our pastor would probably be better suited to help these marriages. I’m just a church member, I have no authority.
Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ, from whom the whole body, joined and held together by every joint with which it is equipped, when each part is working properly, makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love.
Ephesians 4:15-16 ESV
What is the Marriage Advocacy Program?
MAP exists to equip ministry leaders and volunteers within a church body to walk alongside couples in their community who are struggling with relationship distress. Participants will engage in a six-hour course to learn about practical tools, relationship dynamics, and how mental health impacts relationships. Participants in the program will feel equipped and confident to promote healing without shame within a loving and supportive community. MAP will equip ministry leaders to effectively disciple the couples in their church through Gospel truth, relationship tools, and relevant discussions.
What is it not?
This is not a formal course in therapy or trauma. It does not qualify participants as an expert in the field of marriage. Rather, it is a foundational training for those that serve as church volunteers and leaders.
While this course is psychologically informed, sourcing tools from research-based data, it does not affiliate with any particular theory or author.
What will I receive?
A certificate of completion
Practical tools, resources, and guidelines to guide you in the advocacy process
A support group within your church community to promote continued learning and encouragement
A workbook filled with strategies, templates and cheat sheets
What comes after the program?
Your church leaders will walk away from this training with confidence, purpose, and a clear sense of direction to walk alongside other couples within your church body. Our goal is to provide you with the education and tools you need to be confident in your role as a marriage advocate. You will have the tools to offer gospel-focused support and encouragement, as well as to provide healthy accountability and referrals to qualified professionals, as needed.
Think of this training as a launching point for a marriage ministry that can provide care genuinely and effectively. Your team will be able to confidently move forward with marriage retreats, date night events, discipleship for couples, and more.
Meet your Educators
After years of professional experience in the counseling field and years of brainstorming better ways to address mental health from a Biblical perspective, we founded Dwell Ministry to bridge the gap between the church and the mental health community. We truly believe that a strong marriage produces a healthy family, and a healthy family contributes invaluable resources to further the great commission (Matthew 28:16-20).
By bridging the gap between mental health and spiritual discipleship, Dwell Ministry equips the community through psychologically informed, biblically grounded resources, and evidence-based strategies to create dwelling places filled with Gospel-focused, healthy relationships.
Lauren Bowman, MA, LCMHC is a clinical therapist with a passion for relationships. She seeks to provide tools to create healthy families and individuals. She lives in Durham, NC with her family and is always planning her next travel adventure.
Kalie Moore, MA, LCMHC is a clinical therapist whose interests and expertise focus on relationship dynamics and maternal mental health. She lives in Greensboro with her husband and four children. In her spare time, you'd likely find her traveling, gardening, or baking.
FAQs
Who would be a good candidate to participate?
Married couples in positions of leadership within the church or married couples with a strong passion for marriage are good candidates for MAP. While we leave it up to church leadership to determine who is invited to participate, we recommend that each couple currently has a healthy, stable marriage relationship. We recognize there are no perfect marriages, but as teachers are held to a higher standard, we want to be diligent with you in training up healthy leaders.
What is the time commitment for the training?
Each church body is unique in the couples who will be participating and the flexibility of their schedules. Our goal is to work with you to best meet the needs of your members so that as many people desire to attend are able to make it! We ask that couples attend together for the entire training.
How much does this program cost?
MAP has a flat fee of $2000 to host the program in your local church. This cost includes presentation and travel costs within a two-hour radius of either Greensboro, NC or Durham, NC. Workbooks are required for the program, at least one workbook per couple. Workbooks can be purchased for $30.
How do we get started?
First, we would like to hear the needs of your church body. We will schedule a one-hour consultation to hear about your goals and identify how marriage advocacy can be a part of your community.
Second, you can select a format of training that best reflects the schedules and presentation preference of your team. You will then schedule your training!