Run The Marriage Course
Why run The Marriage Course?
The Marriage Course is an easy-to-run, practical, seven-session course designed to support couples looking to strengthen their relationship. No expertise is needed to run the course. You may have experience working on your own marriage, or you are passionate to see marriages and family life strengthened in your community.
An individual can host a course using The Marriage Course DVDs, though we also recommend having a married couple on hand to offer support.
Key features of The Marriage Course:
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Easy-to-use DVD
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Leader’s guide with instructions for when to pause DVD for exercises and discussion times
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Effective whether held in a home or larger venue
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Practical material presented in a fun and interesting way
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Welcoming and accessible content for any couple
How to run The Marriage Course
1. PURCHASE the course material
You need The Marriage Course DVD with Leaders’ Guide and two guest manuals per couple.
You can purchase these at the Alpha Store.
2. PLAN your course
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Find a venue
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Ask people to help you run the course
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Decide what/if to charge guests attending your course
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Budget for food and/or drinks and promotion
3. REGISTER your course
Take a few minutes to Register your course details on our website.
This helps anyone looking for a course in your area to easily find you, using our Find a Course tool.
4. PREPARE
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Use The Marriage Course leaders’ Resources for support to run your course
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Think of ways to make your course feel like a fun ‘date night’ for your couples
5. FIND SUPPORT in advance
Do a little information gathering ahead of time to find a counselor in your area to whom you will you feel comfortable referring couples to if they need more specific professional help.
Contact Us for advice and support.
Who should I invite?
The Marriage Course is for any couple wanting to strengthen their relationship. It doesn’t matter if they have a strong relationship or are struggling, if they are married or cohabiting.
Think about inviting:
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Friends, family, neighbors and work colleagues
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Current and previous wedding and baptism candidates
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Community groups such as gym classes or mother & toddler groups
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If your church is running Alpha and/or The Parenting Courses, consider inviting current and past guests.
How do I Invite Guests?
The most effective way to encourage guests to come on your course is to personally invite them.
Promotional materials such as postcard invitations and banners are easy to use and can help generate interest and spread the word about your course to those outside your personal network.
Customizable promotional materials including posters and postcard invites are available on the Alpha Print Shop.
How to reach couples in your community:
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Promote your course at your church with a fun video or by sharing feedback from previous guests
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Hand out invites and encourage everyone to invite one couple
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Place posters and postcards in strategic locations such as coffee shops, gyms, day care centers, libraries, etc
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Advertise the event on your church website and social media
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Make sure the date, time, venue and contact information are clear on your communication
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Give the course a final push the week before it starts, as many decide to enroll at the last minute