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Marriage Enrichment

Re|engage

Lesson 1: Love Leader's Guide

Important Note: If this is your first week with the couples, go back and review Lesson 0 for recommendations about what to do the first week.

KEY CONCEPT

Embrace God’s definition of love.

The goal of this lesson is for participants to realize their view of love is too small. God’s standard of love in 1 Corinthians 13 is enormous, and you need his help to love your spouse as you should. For couples that express little hope for their marriage, reinforce that love “hopes all things” so encourage them to trust in the Lord and in the re|engage process.

QUESTION HIGHLIGHTS

  • Q1: This question sets you up to look at the world's view of loving someone versus God's view. Some individuals will come to the unsettling realization that their idea of love is based largely on what they can get from love instead of what they can give.

  • Q2: Since you have not heard everyone’s story yet, this question cracks open the door to stories of origin. It is a great way to encourage individuals to begin sharing their background without a ton of pressure.

  • Q3: This is a great question to camp in. Allowing them to share both a natural and difficult answer prevents them from saying “I stink at all of this”. Affirm ways they naturally show love in order to build some positive energy between spouses.

  • Action Item 2: This seemingly simple act can have a very profound impact on a spouse. Some spouses have never received a note from their spouse. Even if it is a single sentence scribbled on a napkin, encourage your couples to take this step!

REMINDERS

  • Not every question must be discussed during group time. Couples have already discussed the questions with each other. During group, camping out on one or two questions allows for space to see where God leads the discussion.

  • Continue to emphasize the safety of this group. We all can share honestly without fear of judgment or lack of confidentiality. Re-reading the Small Group Ground Rules to the group might help reinforce this.

  • Remind couples that despite battles that might be raging in their relationship, the real enemy is Satan, not their spouse. Each lesson wraps up with a common lie from Satan and God’s truth that debunks the lie. The Truth About Marriage is often a major take-away from the lesson!

  • The group dynamics might still be awkward so be patient as they get to know each other. These couples that are total strangers right now will likely be dear friends by the end of the group.

  • When someone shares, affirm them! So few adults receive positive feedback, plus it will encourage them to share more in the future.

  • You and your spouse should be actively scheduling 1:1s and planning how to cover life maps with the group.

DID YOU KNOW?

For participants interested in more information on the current week’s topic, at the end of each lesson is a link to additional resources on reengage.org, like blogs, books, podcasts, and videos. Make sure your couples see this link. Satisfy the thirst of those participants who want more!