Help for Pastors in Marriage Crisis

As a pastor, you know better than most the struggles married couples face. Even before the COVID-19 pandemic brought increased rates of marital discord and divorce nationwide, your congregation likely saw its fair share of these challenges on a consistent basis.

But what happens when your marriage is the one that has reached a point of crisis? The demands of ministry are intense even under the best of circumstances. Those who follow the high calling to the pastorate and who invest their lives in shepherding God’s people often find themselves depleted, with little left over to invest in their own marriages. And there is no one our spiritual enemy would like to see struggling more than those in spiritual leadership.

If this describes your marriage, I want you to know that there is hope. Too often, pastors and their spouses languish under the hidden pain of a marriage in crisis. They feel alone. They feel shame. They feel their role as spiritual leaders should make them immune to serious marriage struggles. In reality, the demands of the pastorate might actually make them more susceptible to a marriage crisis than any other couple in the congregation.

Counseling offered through Focus on the Family’s Hope Restored® marriage intensives can help. An intensive is a years’ worth of counseling over 3-5 days, allowing our licensed counselors to help you get to the root of your issues. The benefits of our biblically-based intensive counseling approach are numerous. We know how busy you are as a pastoral couple, and how difficult it can be to attend weekly marriage counseling sessions. An intensive allows you the gift of uninterrupted time, which allows our counselors to help you make the progress you want.

Hope Restored marriage intensives are all-inclusive programs (they include counseling, lodging and meals) that occur at one of our three beautiful retreat centers in Branson, Mo.; Greenville, Mich.; or Rome, Ga. The ability for you to be free from all distractions is an essential part of the path to healing that we offer. We take care of everything so you can focus on your relationship.

Our team of licensed counselors have years of experience working with pastoral couples, and they understand the unique pressures you may be facing in your marriage. Discretion and confidentiality are hallmarks of our program, and you and your spouse can feel safe and secure in attending a Hope Restored intensive. You should also know that if financial challenges are a barrier to attending an intensive, we offer generous scholarships especially for pastors.

Perhaps you and your spouse find yourselves in a relatively stable place in your relationship. If so, we rejoice with you and pray for God’s continued blessing and protection on your marriage. Even so, we want you to know that Hope Restored intensives can be a critical resource for members of your congregation. It would be our privilege to come alongside you in your efforts to shepherd and support couples in your church who are facing a marital crisis.

For more information about Hope Restored, either for you and your spouse or as a resource for your church, visit our website at HopeRestored.com. Or give our team a call at 866-875-2915 for a free consultation. They would be happy to answer any questions you might have.

As you and your spouse encounter the challenges of ministry in your own relationship and endeavor to encourage other couples in your congregation, know that our team at Hope Restored is here for you. All you have to do is reach out!