WEEKLY ASSIGNMENTS

Respect

Healthy Marriage – Unit 4

Healthy Marriage – Unit 4 – Assignments

Complete
Work on and be prepared to give your 60 Second Testimony

Have a spiritual conversation with your spouse, or, if single, your accountability partner; gain insight into his or her spiritual journey and needs

Leader Resources

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Exercises

Review the memory verse of the week.
1st year JG members should share their testimony this week.

Suggested Discussion

TRUTH – Discuss any of the in Bible questions you like. Here are some tips:
- Ephesians 5:22-24, 33; Colossians 3:18 – Some in your JG may find it hard to take these verses at face value. You may need to stress the unconditional nature of these instructions, that is, that any obedience that must be rendered “as to the Lord”, must be unconditional.
- 1 Peter 3:1-6 – Peter’s counsel to wives of unbelievers is that they submit to them so that they may be won by their respectful conduct. He also counsels them to focus on the beauty of a gentle demeanor, which will be highly valued by their husbands, and to put their hope in God without giving in to fear.
TRUTH – This week, the main points you should stress are:
- Submission does not imply inferiority, nor give license to husbands to exploit or abuse their wives.
- Wives fulfill their role of submission in marriage by learning to treat their husbands with unconditional respect.
- Wives must learn to hope in God’s care rather than fear exploitation if they submit to their husbands in marriage. With God’s help a woman can learn how to be obedient to God in her marriage even when her husband has serious character flaws or is an unwise leader.
- Husbands must understand the unique responsibility they have to set the tone for harmony in the marriage. A husband can win his wife’s trust and respect, or make her regret that she ever promised it.
EQUIPPING – If you lead a ladies’ JG, you may want to allow for an extended discussion of the second equipping question. Some ladies may wish to share their fears/worries. If you sense that any of your ladies are in an abusive situation, make sure you seek the counsel and help of your church’s leadership. All JG leaders can discuss respect as a choice one makes about how to treat someone vs. a feeling. Try to draw a parallel between this and the idea of love being primarily a choice/commitment in action rather an emotion. Discuss how both a husbands’ love and a wife’s respect can be unconditional.
ACCOUNTABILITY – allow time for smaller groups of 2 or 3 to ask accountability questions and pray for one another.
MISSION – Be sure to allow adequate time for 1st year members to share their 60-second Testimony and receive coaching.
MISSION – Invite a few JG members to share their experience having a spiritual conversation with their spouse (or potential spouse).

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