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We spoke with Mitch Temple — Director of Marriage at Focus on the Family — about the upcoming event, Focus on Marriage: Seeing Your Marriage Through God's Eyes, February 28th

Mitch, tell us about the event.

We'll be broadcasting the event live here from Focus on the Family, featuring five guests: Gary Thomas, Beth Moore, Dr. Del Tackett, Dr. Gary Smalley and Dr. John Trent.  And, Jeremy Camp who will be leading worship for the day.

Currently the event will be broadcast to 500 host sites across the country and Canada and Mexico.  

One of the neat things about a simulcast event is that 70-80,000 people will hear the same thing, experience the same message. They'll pray together and worship together.  We're excited about this opportunity.

Jeremy Camp is the right guy  to lead worship at a marriage event.

That's great to hear. We felt that as well, Jim. He has a very unique story about his own marriage-some things that happened in his early life-and so he's going to be sharing those as well. He has an incredible passion for marriage.   

Has Focus done this before, Mitch?

No, we have not. This is a first ever for us. Of course for 30 years, Jim, we've been talking about marriage, we've been producing books and broadcasts, but we've never done a national marriage event on this level. This is a brand new opportunity. The simulcast channel, really gave us the chance to step into these waters and offer a national marriage event.

What kinds of topics will you be covering? 

First, we'll talk about  "seeing your marriage through the eyes of God". What does that look like? How can you actually see your marriage differently?

Gary Thomas will kick the day off talking about the possibility that marriage is designed to reflect the image of God, to provide a holiness framework versus simply just meeting needs.     

Beth Moore will talk from Ephesians 5, about our relationship as a reflection of Christ.

Dr. Del Tackett will explore why God created marriage in the first place and how our marriage is connected to the Godhead, to the Trinity.

Then Gary Smalley will speak about the value of connecting to the Father in our marriage, the value of Bible study and devotions and prayer and how these daily disciplines can literally transform our marriages.

Finally Dr. John Trent will wrap up by talking about his principle of two-degree changes. How do you actually begin to see your spouse through God's eyes and what does that look like? John will break it down and give us practical ways to do that.

Are follow-up resources available for churches and groups?

Absolutely, Jim. In the very beginning we said we didn't want to do just an event. We wanted to offer churches a process to actually help their marriages, not only simply from a transcendent view seeing their marriage through God's eyes-a higher view-but also to offer them ongoing practical help to be able to help their couples as well.

While we've been developing the strategy for this simulcast, we've also been developing the first ever Focus on the Family marriage DVD series for small groups. We'll be rolling out on that day, February 28th, the three small group DVD series.

With the first  "Higher Love", a couple can take their marriage a little deeper into this issue of sin and view their marriage through God's eyes. Gary Thomas, Del Tackett, Smalley and Trent will be a part of that series.

The second series is more practical in nature covering everyday marriage issues.

The third series will address specific challenges that couples are dealing with today like finances, sexuality, emotional problems, and depression in marriage. Some of the things you don't hear a lot about, but are very real in our everyday lives.

Each DVD is six sessions that provide almost a year's worth of ongoing marriage help. We're encouraging and equipping church leaders to put their people into a small group setting within just a few short weeks after the event.

Mitch, what better an authority — what a trusted organization-to produce these kinds of materials. I'm so glad that Focus is introducing these products and this teaching.

It's exciting to think about a couple sitting in the comfort of their home while 15 of God's best marriage leaders share their specific messages and insights into marriage. Man, what a great treat. I wish I had had something like that early on in my marriage.

What's the latest couples can sign on?

Couples can sign up to attend the event right to the day before the event,  February the 27th.

Sign-up now to attend the Focus on Marriage event near you!

                         

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