Premarital Preparation
If you have a desire to get married in Fountain of Life church contact Pastor Rich Raad to set up an initial appointment (preferably at least 6 months in advance) to discuss your wedding day details. At that meeting you will also meet with the Marriage Mentoring coordinators to get an overview of the marriage preparation program, fill out the necessary forms, and pay the program fee. Based on that interview and the forms you fill out, the coordinators will select a Mentor couple that is the best match for you. The Mentor coordinators will also set up a time when you can both take the PREPARE inventory, a 165 question inventory that your Mentors will use in their discussions with you. After your PREPARE inventory results come back, your Mentors will contact you to set up your meeting. If after a couple sessions, you are not satisfied with your Mentor couple, and you would like to switch mentor couples, contact the coordinators and they will do their best to accomodate your needs. We are here to serve you!

Typically our program includes 8 sessions, every other week, taking 16 weeks to complete. You should allow for this amount of time in your planning. If necessary, upon review, we can make exceptions and customize the program for unusual circumstances.

In addition to using the PREPARE inventory you and your fiancé will read through "Saving Your Marriage Before it Starts" by Drs. Les & Leslie Parrott. You will also complete the companion His & Her workbooks to help you get the most from the book. We have found these books/workbooks an excellent preparation for the challenges of married life and well worth the time to complete them. They include fun and stimulating exercises for you and your fiancé to experience together.

Program Fee
$125, which includes the cost of the PREPARE inventory and scoring, books and workbooks, and ongoing support of the program.

What is Marriage Mentoring and how can it benefit your marriage?

Marriage Enrichment
We provide Mentor Couples for all stages of marriage:

• Premarital
• Enrichment
• Repairing.

For more info regarding the Growing Marriages ministry, contact Russ or Sharon Peterson

*couples in crisis may be referred to a professional christian counselor.

Here are a few suggestions on finding a Mentor couple that's right for you.

Look for a couple who has the love that you'd like to have. Look around and see who holds hands, who acts kind to one another, who opens the door, who prays for one another or for other couples.

Look for a couple who has done what you want to do. Some careers have unique marital pressures: physicians, politicians, CEOs and entrepreneurs, media and military. Look for a couple who have not only survived in your particular fishbowl but thrived and found a life that has served them and their families well.

Look for a couple who lives in your world. They will be stronger mentors if they live in your neighborhood, are a part of your world, or attend your church. You will be able to see them in a variety of circumstances, and they will be there to answer those day-to-day issues and questions that may crop up.

Look for a couple who shares something in common with you. We have three sons, and we have enjoyed having mentors who raised all boys. We have benefited from mentors who are clergy couples and ones who are writers and speakers. We have enjoyed attending sporting events with sports-minded mentors, exercising with them, or even vacationing with them.

Look for a couple who is willing. They don't have to be perfect—no couple is! They don't even necessarily need to be trained marriage mentors or professional marriage educators. They just need to have a strong, stable relationship themselves.

Make a list of two to five couples who might be willing to mentor you. Decide which couple might be the best fit and invite them to dinner. See how the dinner goes. Ask them questions about how they met, what advice they would give to newlyweds, and the like. If this dinner goes well, make a follow-up appointment for coffee or dinner.

Ask them if they would be willing to spend some time with you. You might suggest they lead you and some friends through a marriage enrichment book if they enjoy teaching.

You might ask if they would just be willing to meet for a meal on occasion or be available for questions as they arise. Be sensitive about the amount of time they might have available for you. Decide when you will get together next, and make sure to thank them for their willingness.