The Biblical Model of Marriage in Preventing Divorce: Maintaining Healthy Relationships Among Couples

The purpose of this thesis project is to provide methods for married couples to follow as it relates to Ephesians 5:25-33 and Hope-Focused Marriage Counseling. As divorce rates increase and couples struggle to remain in their marital union, this project brings relevant data, information, research, and solutions to couples so they can maintain. This project provides insight from the perspectives of couples and ministers as it relates to characteristics of a healthy marriage, the current state of marriages, common marital issues, biblical principles, and solutions to resolve problems so that couples can have healthier marriages based on what God envisioned marriage to be. Researching methods included data analysis of interviews, surveys, and feedback from a focus group session. Acknowledging the importance of implementing effective marriage counseling combined with interventions that demonstrate suitable approaches to possessing healthier, biblically based marriages that prevent couples from divorcing is necessary. This research project stands to influence other marriage counselors, pastoral counselors, ministers, pastors, and Christian counselors in their plans to direct married couples and design plans for couples to flourish. For couples, the newly created course will allow them to gain ways to sustain their marriages using better mechanisms to maneuver through the marital journey and life