Putnam City Baptist Church Marriage & Family Podcast

Dr. Emerson Echrich is the speaker as he highlights parts of his book Love and Respect. His message is based on Ephesians 5:33 where a man is to love his wife and a wife is to respect her husband. He states that in a marriage when the woman goes without love, she then goes without respect for her husband, and when the husband goes without respect, he goes without love for his wife. This results in what Dr. Echrich calls the crazy cycle in marriage. Dr. Echrich uses colorful and creative examples to make his points.

Long Term Love includes interviews from three different couples who were married in 1936, 1943, and 1946. They tell funny stories about their first dates and how they have handled the problems of life. They share their secrets of a long term marriage and how God is the cement that has held them together through it all

This includes highlights from a message by Steve Stroupe where he shares the fact that there is hope 4 every marriage. He believes that hope comes from your "faith centered in God" and not yourself. A couple must believe that God can do something that they can't do in their marriage, and that God maybe knows something that they don't know about their marriage. He uses examples of how miserable he and his wife were when they first married, and how they developed a "faith centered in God marriage." He explains that God showed them how to have hope through the marriage conflicts that he and his wife endured.

Marriage Masterpiece comes from segments of a lecture to seminary students studying marriage and the home. The instructor compares marriage to being on either a cruise ship or battleship. He explains that every life is shaped by a marriage ranging from good to bad. He says that God has a design for marriage and goes through the Bible pointing out in scripture how a marriage should be a covenant, a passionate, a heroic, and one-sided marriage.

This is an interview with a couple celebrating their 40th year of marriage. Their goal is to do 40 things that they have never done during their 41st year of marriage. Some of things on their list include going on a prayer retreat; flying in a glider; going to Branson and visiting the Noah exhibit; having a picnic at a wildlife adventure park; mentoring several young couples in their church; and becoming extra grandparents to a family with three boys. Their goal is to be the "Light of the Lord" in everything they say and do in their marriage.

“Theology of the Body” includes the highlights of a message by Christopher West where he introduces the importance of the incarnation of Jesus Christ. West reminds us that God’s mystery has been made visible – in the flesh through Jesus Christ. There is a relationship between our physical being and our spiritual being that is good and not ugly. He reminds us that what we do with our body should glorify God. The beauty of marriage between a man and a woman is also strongly taught as a picture of our relationship with Christ in our salvation.

This is an interview with a couple that explains all the challenges they faced through their 14 years of marriage. Their story includes problems involving financial, mental, medical, emotional and sexual problems which they faced. They concluded that by not giving up when that was so easy to do, but to love each other and God, that they could survive. Some very dramatic experiences that many couples don't experience which makes their story unique

This is an interview with a couple married twelve years who have learned how to make adjustments in their busy lives. The husband travels every week with his job and the mom is at home with the children. The first part of the interview deals with intimacy and is summed up with the saying, "You cannot be right horizontally with your spouse if you are not right vertically with God." The second part of the interview deals with parenting and some of their faith at home habits and how to develop a schedule that fits faith into every day conversations and activities even with the dad away on business.

Intentional Couples includes excerpts from a workshop on "Marriages that Last." Steve Stroupe leads the conference and gives three pillars that a strong marriage relationship should be based on. The first pillar is "Love is a decision and not a feeling." Love is a choice and we cannot let our feelings create our choices. The second pillar is "acceptance of your mate." We must remember that we cannot depend upon our spouse to make us happy, we must depend on God instead. The third pillar is "communication" and learning how to control anger and arguments with calm constructive words. The last part of the message deals with what he calls 3D sex. He explains how sexual intimacy should include our spiritual, emotional, and physical feelings.

Strengths @ Home involves highlights from Rodney Cox and John Trent as they discuss strengths and differences in marriage relationships. John Trent is very creative in describing how God sometimes puts opposites together in marriage. Trent uses a lion, otter, golden retriever, and beaver to show how the home could be like Wild Kingdom when each person has different strengths that come out in a marriage. The goal is to use our opposite characteristics as an asset rather than a weakness in building a marriage.

Art of Marriage: Kncludes lectures from different marriage counselors, as well as a couple's interview. The couple explains problems in their marriage and solutions through God's love and guidance. The goal is to remind couples that marriage is not about them, but about Christ and His glory. A marriage should be a good testimony of God's love.

When your child trusts Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior, create a time of celebration and guide your child into believer’s baptism. Age will vary. 

Coach your child to move toward college and/or career and adult independence. Recommended focus: ages 18+.

Celebrate and give your child a vision for the future as an emerging adult. Recommended focus: ages 16+.

Prepare and challenge your child to cherish and commit to purity. Recommended focus: ages 13+.

Discuss the changes and challenges of puberty with your child. Recommended focus: ages 11+.

Establish the practice of giving and serving others for God’s glory. Recommended focus: ages 9+.

Establish the practice of adoring God personally, at home, at church, and as a lifestyle. Recommended focus: ages 8+.

Teach your child about God’s Word and establish the practice of reading and memorizing scripture as a family. Recommended focus: ages 7+.

Teach your child about prayer and establish the practice of praying as a family. Recommended focus: ages 6+.

Even though we make this kit available to parents of children ages five and above, few children are ready to fully understand the gospel or make a faith decision at such a young age. Use this material to prepare yourself to be ready when your child expresses interest. We’ve included a guide that offers practical tips and what we consider the best resources on the topic.

Establish the practice of connecting as a family while passing spiritual truths to your child. Recommended focus: ages 4+.

Establish the practice of praying for and giving a blessing to your child on a routine basis. Recommended focus: ages 3+.

Make a commitment to raise your child in a Christ-centered home. Recommended Focus: Birth – 2 years.

Second of two sermons by Pastor Bill spotlighting our Faith Path program.

The first of two sermons by Pastor Bill spotlighting our Faith Path program.