Meet a Marriage Course Support Couple

Derek writes: 

“One thing I have learned in 36 years of ministry is that the more transparent and vulnerable you are as a communicator, the more willing people are to gently open the door of their hearts. One of my great passions is helping to equip engaged couples with tools that help their relationships last a lifetime. I often share that my wife Cathy and I have made more than our fair share of mistakes—most of them mine—and that some of those took years to work through. 

One couple I’ve had the privilege of walking alongside in 2025 is a young professional couple in NYC. They are in their thirties, and both are recovering from the pain of a previous broken marriage. I invited them to write a short testimony about their experience. 

‘When we first met Derek, we quickly recognized we had found a kind, incredibly supportive mentor to walk us through delicate relational issues in preparation for marriage. In our three years of dating, we had never experienced anything like it. Prepare and Enrich assessment, followed by The Marriage Course, is a huge connector. It encourages serious conversations that are helping us emotionally intertwine and construct the foundation of our future family. We are seeing breakthroughs thanks to the deep insight Derek has from his own marriage that allows him to speak truth into areas of tension.’ – John and Rebekah, NYC” 

BONUS: Watch Derek share a hilariously embarrassing 4-minute video story of a shirt he bought at a thrift store.  For most people, the only sensible response would be to bury it forever and pray no one ever brings it up again. 

Unless, of course, you discover it makes a fantastic opening illustration for a TED-X–style marriage event you’re hosting for 250 couples. Watch “The Pink Shirt”