Marriages Across The United States Are In Trouble. The disintegration of the family is the most devastating internal issue facing our nation. The quality of family relationships and marriages impacts, both directly and indirectly, the success of businesses, organizations, schools, and churches in our communities. Broken marriages produce many of the social problems facing our country today. And the problem is epidemic.
• Of the 50% of couples who stay together, only 25% are satisfied. • 2,750 children watch their parents separate or divorce every day in America. • The erosion of the family as a societal cornerstone negatively impacts lives today. Religious worship, which has been linked to health and happiness as well as longer marriages and better family life, is less prevalent in divorced families. • 70% of men in prison today are products of fatherless homes. • In 90% of divorces, the father no longer has a meaningful relationship with his children within five years after a divorce. • Higher divorce rates in a society lead to higher suicide rates among children…the most frequent background characteristic among adolescents who commit suicide is the divorce of their parents. • Compared to children from intact homes, children of divorce are far more likely to struggle academically, engage in drug and alcohol use and other high-risk behaviors, commit suicide, experience psychiatric problems, and live in poverty.
Yet, there is hope!
95.9% 83%
The National Institute of Marriage, …founded as the Smalley Marriage Institute, has developed an intensive counseling model that is showing astounding success in helping save and restore troubled marriages. Most participants arrive on the brink of divorce. In exit surveys of over 1,000 participants, 95.9% say, “It will make a difference in their marriage,” and 83% of those indicated, “A significant difference.”
With your help, we can reach more couples with these life-changing principles. “I haven’t felt this way since the day I was saved.” – Pastor from the Midwest
“Our marriage is new again …something that I had almost given up on. Other than the birth of our children, it was the most life-changing experience of my life.” - Wife from Florida
“The National Institute of Marriage is teaching life-changing concepts that have revitalized my life and my ministry. I believe the training they provide will change the face of marriage in this nation.” - Dr. Gary Smalley
“In the 48 years that we’ve been married, we’ve been to more conferences and counselors than I can count. The things I’ve learned here I have never heard before.” - Husband from Wisconsin
Mission Statement:
Building, Restoring and Renewing the Promise of a Great Marriage
Our Foundation Christian Ministry Association, founded by Dr. Gary Smalley nearly 30 years ago launched a new ministry in November 2003. The National Institute of Marriage, founded by Smalley Ministries, is a faith-based non-profit organization based in Branson, MO.
watch God perform the miraculous in the lives of these individuals and couples on a weekly basis. The techniques used in our ministry and the principles taught to others are developed in the NIM Intensives – through real-life interaction with couples in crisis. This interaction has provided us the expertise to:
2. Significantly increase marital satisfaction within the body of Christ, by providing marriage enrichment conferences that teach NIM Intensive principles; workshops to teach and develop important skills; and marriage enrichment products, such as book, videos, etc.
Our Strategy The cornerstone of the National Institute of Marriage is our nationally recognized Intensive Marriage Counseling Programs. We are working with couples, the majority of which are in crisis and on the brink of divorce, and our success has been astounding. We are blessed with the opportunity to
1. Significantly reduce the divorce rate within the body of Christ, by providing Intensive marriage counseling to couples in crisis; follow-up services and support for Intensives participants; workshops for skill-based learning and development; products, such as books and videos that support healthy marriages; and, training and certification to support professional marriage counseling efforts.
3. Enrich, equip and suppport pastoral leadership, by providing resources (respite, network of referrals, sermon series, etc.) to pastors that will reduce the burden of marriage ministry; and support to marriage ministry efforts through training and development; products, resources and tools to increase the satisfaction in their own marriage.
“What an awesome privilege that God allows us to play a part in restoring individuals in relationship to Him and restoring their marriage.” – Mark Pyatt, Co-President, NIM
Meet The NIM Team Members:
Dr. Robert S. Paul Co-President, National Institute of Marriage
Mark Pyatt Co-President, National Institute of Marriage
Christine Arnzen, LPC, Director of Professional Development, National Institute of Marriage
Dr. Brett Sparks, LP, Intensive Therapist, National Institute of Marriage
Nathan Phillips Co-Founder of Battlefield Ministries, Intensive Therapist/Speaker
Gary Bruegman, MA, Intensive Therapist and Program Coordinator, National Institute of Marriage
Dr. Bob Burbee Founder of the Relationship Center of the Ozarks, Intensive Therapist
Dr. Shawn Stoever Director of Programming, WinShape Marriage Retreat Center Intensive Therapist/Speaker
Tricia Cunningham, MA, Director of Support Resources National Institute of Marriage
Cynthia Irwin, MFT, Intensive Therapist Pat McLean, MFT, Intensive Therapist Verlette Bernt, MA, LPC, Intensive Therapist Jane Phillips, MA, Intensive Therapist Co-Founder of Battlefield Ministries
Our Board Of Directors: Jack Hershend Chairman of the Board NIM, Chairman Emeritus, Hershend Family Entertainment Corporation Gary Oliver Executive Director of the Center for Relationship Enrichment, Professor of Psychology and Practical Theology, John Brown University
Dr. Greg Smalley Director of Church Relationship Ministries, Center for Relationship Enrichment, John Brown University
Cary Summers President, The Nehemiah Group
Carrie Oliver, LPC, Director of University Relationships Initiative, Center of Relationship Enrichment, John Brown University
Gary Allen National Coordinator Ministerial Enrichment, General Council of the Assemblies of God
Michael Boerner Executive Director, Mission Media
“These four days have been the most powerful of my adult life.” Our Opportunities Over half the couples in our country getting married today will divorce. The result is the devastation of our economy, society, children and families. At the National Institute of Marriage (NIM), we are committed to rebuilding families and ‘Building, Restoring and Renewing the Promise of a Great Marriage.’ In completing the following projects, we will take the first steps to participating in a revival of marriage that will reduce the divorce rate in America. “I came wanting a miracle and it happened.” “Purpose built” facility Owning a facility would allow us to significantly reduce expenses and enhance the experience of our Programs. Our new facility will include 15,000 square feet of space for: z 12-15 guest/participant rooms z Office space for 15 employees z Lunch room seating for 30 z 2 individual counseling rooms z 2 group counseling rooms z 30-40 parking spaces z 1 Training room/chapel z 1 Board Room A facility would also create additional ministry opportunities on weekends for pastoral training, marriage retreats, pastoral respite, training chaplains, and much more. The cost of developing this “purpose built” facility will be $1,600,000.
Scholarships Couples who cannot afford the Intensives can apply for partial scholarships. Resourcing this scholarship fund will require $500,000 over the next three years. “My husband and I are on the brink of divorce. I really think it will take a miracle for us to stay together right now. We have no money saved in the bank and we are behind on payments. It would take years to save this kind money. We don’t have years to wait. Can you please help?” – Wife from Oklahoma Leadership Training NIM now has the opportunity to train professional counselors, pastoral leadership and lay-leaders in the principles of our Intensive Programs. This training will multiply the number of lives that can be touched exponentially. The cost of providing this program over a three year period is $245,000. “We don’t know who worked out the scholarship for us to attend, but please inform them that it was a life changing experience for our marriage and family. We also pray God’s blessing upon them for their unselfishness and willingness to support hurting families.” Marriage Curriculums We are developing curriculum for churches, small groups and military chaplains, that would equip leaders with resources to enrich their marriage and impact others that have been entrusted to the care of their ministry. Each of these curriculums would include DVDs, participant guides and leader guides. The cost of developing, writing, filming and editing these curriculums is $150,000.
Research We are confident the Lord is accomplishing amazing things through the Intensive Program. We are developing research that will add to the validity, evidence and credibility of our work. The cost for this ongoing research will be $75,000 for the first 3 years. “Our marriage is new again …something that I had almost given up on. Other than the birth of our children, this was the most life-changing experience of my life.” – Wife from Florida Additional Counseling Faculty Though the demand for intensive therapists is high, our current capacity limits how many marriages we can help. Currently, we have an 8 week waiting list to attend an Intensive. For $180,000, NIM will be able to provide 3 years of therapist training, Intensive marriage counseling to over 360 additional couples per year, and training and enrichment to countless marriage leaders. If we needed marriage therapy, we’d head to the Mayo Clinic of Marriage, the National Institute of Marriage.” – Dr. Gary and Barbara Rosberg Our total financial need to accomplish these objectives over the next three years: $2,750,000.
Conclusion
We are convinced that God is using the life changing principles of the National Institute of Marriage to impact couples and ‘Build upon the Promise’ of a great marriage. Over the last five years we have seen the Intensive Programs grow into a quality, nationally recognized program. We continue to work and improve the quality of the program; we see the volume of participating couples growing at a rapid pace, yet we know God is calling us to more.
In order to make a real, substantial difference in marriage, we have to find ways to make what we are learning and experiencing available to those who are working with couples throughout the nation. We are already developing networking opportunities to help us accomplish the goal of giving these principles away. In the past year we have trained over 50 Chaplains in the principles of our model and provided enrichment events for over 750 soldiers and their spouses who had just returned from deployment and will be deployed again within the same year. NIM has also developed denominational relationships to enrich and equip pastors. Through these relationships, we have begun providing Intensives for Pastors who are having difficulties in their own marriage and training for Pastors in the principles of our model. It is our hope that this type of relationship is extended across many denominations. These opportunities are just the tip of the iceberg. There is so much to be done and as you know, there are costs associated with accomplishing this work. With the help of friends of the National Institute of Marriage, a purpose built Facility, Intensive Scholarships, Leadership Training, Marriage Curriculums, and Research will soon be in place. Additionally, the number of couples experiencing healthy, thriving relationships due to the Intensive principles will be greatly increased. The family is God’s primary instrument to reveal Himself from one generation to the next. If you feel the Lord is connecting you with this vision, please consider partnering with the National Institute of Marriage, in a revival of marriage.