Purposes and Audience for This Module

1. First for leaders and their families.  The family is the proving ground for church leaders – I Timothy 3
2. Secondly, to develop a “pipeline” for future leaders through godly families
3. Third, to strengthen the church in any culture by developing families that can serve and please God. 
4. Fourth, to draw people into God’s family as they are attracted by godly families. 
5. Fifth, to equip church leaders with material that they may teach to their own families and their families in the church including pre-marital counseling opportunities.

Approach to Teaching This Module

1. Present the material in as interactive a teaching style as possible.
2. Break out into small study and discussion groups occasionally during the class.
3. Give practical suggestions on how to teach this material to the class and give assignments for such teaching opportunities.
4. The amount of time given to each class will depend on the amount of total class time that you have to teach this module.  If you time is abbreviated, you may choose to assign less crucial classes for outside reading, study, research, writing, or teaching to a group in their church.

Pre-class Assignment: choose one of the books in the Bibliography to read.  When finished identify 3-4 ideas that you thought were new to you or that you believe are significant for people in your culture to grasp.  Explain how you plan to teach those concepts in your church or to a small group.  Be ready to share this at the beginning of this course.

Outline for This Course

1. Introduction and A Biblical Theology of Marriage and Family
2. Gender and Marriage in Creation, Fall, Redemption, and Consummation
3. Biblical Roles of Husbands/Fathers  & Wives/Mothers
4. Conflict Resolution Principles
5. Sexual Intimacy Truths
6. Biblical Principles for Parenting
7. Parenting Our Children the Way God Parents Us
8. Marriage and Family for Life