The Intimate Mystery, Creating Strength and Beauty in Your Marriage by Dan B. Allender and Tremper Longman III takes a deeper look at the heart of marriage. The book presents a refreshing context for relational transformation. Identifying the three “potholes” that muddy up the process of marriage: past baggage, contempt for differences and failure to grow. The course addresses how to stimulate thinking that will grow marriages within a biblical understanding of God’s design as found in Genesis 2:24.

The ten chapters examine marriage as a matrix. The concepts of leave, cleave and weave are explored and applied to the foundations of faith, hope and love. The metaphor is used to encourage thinking that moves past finding a blueprint and trying to “get it right”, to pondering how to express a wholeness and full response and “doing it well”. The authors provide clinicians a context to invite couples to explore and create, rather than perform and comply.

The Goal of Marriage is also available through bookstores in a curriculum kit, DVD and study guide, that would be ideal for clinicians desiring to host a time limited marital growth group.

Educational Objectives

• Define the meaning of marriage within a spiritual context
• Identify the matrix of marriage
• Identify the spiritual implication of leaving, weaving and cleaving
• Identify the elements of good and bad talk
• Identify the four stages of sexual movement
• Identify the uniquenesses between men and women's sexual responses

Syllabus / Course Instructions

• The Course consists of reading the selected book, successfully completing an online posttest and filling out a course evaluation.
• The book is not included. It must be purchased separately. We have supplied a link to Amazon.com for your convenience.
• Purchasing your course will give you access to both a printable copy of the test and an online version. Print the test to use as a companion as you read the book and answer the questions.
• You cannot exit the online test once you begin, so have your answers available.