P.M. Breakout Session - Family Enrichment

Strengthening Marriages: Modern Day Marriage

Couples face unique challenges as they live out their marriages in the 21st century. The complexities of American culture continually pull couples apart.

This session will explore this reality and provide tools to assist couples, and those who work with them, as they navigate this tension. Special focus will be given to practical ways that pastors can help to strengthen marriages in the lives of their parishioners.

Presenters: Jeff and Mary Sanders

Jeff and Mary Sanders serve at Bethel University in St. Paul, Minn. They have been married for 22 years and have three daughters.

Jeff is an ordained minister and serves as the associate dean for relationship education in the College of Arts & Sciences. He holds a master of divinity degree from Bethel Seminary and has served in numerous pastoral roles over the past 25 years. In his role at Bethel, he teaches a course entitled Perspectives of Christian Marriage and co-teaches Spiritual and Personal Formation: Foundations and Traditions at the seminary with his wife.

Mary serves as the associate director of personal and professional formation at Bethel Seminary. She is a licensed associate marriage and family therapist and served in various community mental health settings for 20 years prior to joining Bethel in 2004. Mary works with seminary students in their formation process and provides counseling for students and their spouses during any phase of their seminary journey. She holds a master of arts in marriage and family therapy degree and has a part-time private practice in Roseville, Minn.

Mary and Jeff have a passion to help couples grow in their relationships. In addition to providing marriage workshops in church settings, they also partner with John Brown University in providing married student retreats to CCCU schools.