Hosting a SALT Marriage Seminar
Practicing Effective Communication Skills
We use the 4 lessons from the SALT Marital book and add some helpful activities after each lesson. Here’s an example of the schedule and the check list we use when we host one of these events on a Saturday.
MARRIAGE SEMINAR
Saturday Schedule
10:00 – 10:15 Registration
- Purchase SALT Marital book
- Get nametag
- Enjoy coffee & donuts
10:15 – 10:30 Welcome and Introductions
- Explain the conference schedule
- Couples introduce themselves (ask: How long have you been married? Or when is your wedding?)
- Give an overview of the SALT discipleship series
- Explain that they can take notes and draw the diagrams during the teachings
- Opening prayer
10:30 – 11:00 Teach or play DVD Lesson #1 “Two Becoming One”
11:00 – 11:05 Couples activity (Facilitators demo) – play music during activity
- Hold hands (Physical Intimacy)
- Tell your spouse 2 things you appreciate about him/her (Psychological Intimacy)
- Pray together -Thank God for your spouse. (Spiritual Intimacy)
11:05 – 11:10 Break
11:10 – 11:45 Teach or play DVD Lesson #2 “Psychological Intimacy”
11:45 – 11:55 Couples activity (facilitators demo) – play music during activity
- Use the communications diagram to share your thoughts, feelings (p. 18) and desires concerning something coming up this week. Listen to each other. Take turns being the listener and speaker.
- Silent prayer to repent of competing with God or not fulfilling your role.
- Ask forgiveness for something you’ve said or done that you know has hurt your spouse.
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11:55 – 12:00 Explain what restaurants are nearby or potluck instructions
12:00 – 1:15 Lunch break
1:15 – 1:20 Q & A or Comments about Chapter 1 and 2
1:20 – 1:50 Teach or play DVD Lesson #3 “Spiritual Intimacy”
1:50 – 1:55 Individual activity – play music during activity
1:55 – 2:25 Teach or play DVD Lesson #4 “Restoring Intimacy”
2:25 – 2:30 Break
2:30 – 2:45 Do a short teaching on Forgiveness from Social #3.
2:45 – 2:55 Pray for each couple – play music during prayer time
2:55 – 3:00 Have couples share one main thing they got out of the seminar.
3:00 Dismiss
I think you can see it’s very easy to present a Marriage Seminar by teaching the lessons using the Instructor’s Guide or the Marital SALT DVDs. The testimonies have been incredible from these events.
A Pastor’s Legacy
In John chapter 21, Jesus tells Peter that because of his love for Jesus, Peter was to ‘Feed my lambs, tend my sheep, and feed my sheep’. Praise God for faithful pastors who give of themselves to feed and tend. Thirty four years ago my “spiritual dad” and pastor fed and tended me.
Papa Jerry, as many of my group called him, was a man full of love for Jesus and others. He and his wife, Ruby, preached and taught God’s word uncompromisingly and discipled their little flock by letting us into their lives. I remember them frequently saying to me “Jesus loves you; I love you; and by the way you are called into the ministry”. These words often came after confessing faults, trials, and sins to them. They were always ready to show what the bible had to say about my questions. Even though the words “you are called into the ministry” seemed way off target at the time, the words “Jesus loves you and I love you” encouraged me to grow in my relationship with Jesus Christ. Today I look back at over 25 years in full time ministry- 12 as a senior pastor. For many of those years, Papa Jerry sat in the congregation with a huge grin on his face.
I currently work at this excellent discipleship ministry creating materials and training that assists pastors and churches to feed and tend their lambs and sheep. My most gratifying moments, however, come when I am able to encourage pastors and ministers who come to us for ministry with the words “Jesus loves you; I love you; and you are called into the ministry”.
