Do you ever wonder how a pastor determines what he is going to preach on each week—or each year? Sometimes it’s difficult, but other times there is a clear, strong call from God on a specific area of teaching. In this case, the area of marriage has for me been a clear, strong call from God in terms of teaching for this time in the life of our church.

The reason is very simple. Hardly a week goes by that I don’t hear of someone having trouble in their marriage, both in our church and outside our church. It is just discouraging to hear how many marriages are struggling in what seems to be a losing battle and sinking into what seems to be a hopeless situation.

We are seeing it in the culture. Both the experience of marriage and confidence in marriage is at an all time low. Marriage rates ha…