Equip your people with creative ideas and proven tools to help couples connect and strengthen their marriages. From fun date night ideas to practical relationship and marriage education, your church can empower couples to build a lasting love.

Date night ideas

Hosting a date night for couples at your church or the surrounding community can be a fun, low-pressure way to encourage couples to invest in their marriages intentionally.

We recommend following the 80/20 rule for a successful date night:

• 80% fun and entertainment
• 20% skills and exercises

This balance allows couples to have a memorable, enjoyable experience while gaining practical tools to enrich their relationship.

Here are some creative ideas to inspire both the fun and learning portions of the evening.

Fun & entertainment (80%)

• Couples Game Night: Fun team games like The Newlywed Game or Charades.
• Painting & Dessert Night: Couples create art and share sweet treats.
• Love-Themed Trivia Night: Compete in marriage-themed trivia for prizes.
• Comedy Night: Laugh with a comedian or marriage-themed improv.
• Concert Night:  Enjoy a musical artist – love songs and encouragement.
• Stories & Testimonies Night: Be inspired by testimonials from couples telling their stories.
• Karaoke & Dance Party: Sing love songs and learn fun dances.

Skills & exercises (20%)

• Active Listening Exercise: Partners practice listening without interrupting, then paraphrase what was heard to ensure understanding. Source: Talkspace
• “I” Statements Practice: Couples learn to express feelings using “I” statements to reduce blame and defensiveness during conversations. Source: Talkspace
• Positive Language Exercise: Partners practice rephrasing negative statements into positive ones to improve communication tone. Source: Talkspace
• Love Map Building: Couples ask each other open-ended questions to deepen understanding of each other’s world and strengthen their bond. Source: marriage.com
• Daily Couch-Time: Couples engage in 5-15 minutes of focused, face-to-face conversation daily, free from distractions, to strengthen their connection. Source: One Extraordinary Marriage
• Marriage Check-Up: Couples assess their relationship’s health, identifying strengths and areas for growth, to enhance understanding and intimacy. Source: Prepare/Enrich
• Communication Tune-Up: Couples identify everyday communication patterns that may unintentionally block connection and explore simple ways to improve understanding. Source: Relational Peace

Relationship & marriage education resources

In the book Endgame: The Church’s Strategic Move to Save Faith and Family in America, author J.P. DeGance highlights studies showing that just 8 hours of relationship and marriage education every year can significantly reduce divorce rates while increasing marital satisfaction.

The resources below are designed to help your church foster stronger, healthier marriages.

Communicating for a Change

Building Great Relationships Through Great Listening
Equip yourself with practical skills to build trust, deepen connections, and create thriving relationships.

Format: Six-module video series with role-play practice sessions

Visit website – click here

CoupleTalk

Cracking the Code to an Amazing Relationship

Part 1: Cracking the Code to a Deeper Connection (5-part video series with workbook)

Part 2: Cracking the Code to Handling Conflict (5-part video series with workbook)

Visit website – click here

Art of Marriage

Discovering God’s Design for Marriage
Candid discussions on topics like finances, communication, love, habits, in-laws, mental health, addiction, and work-life boundaries.

Format: Six topical sessions with videos and a workbook

Visit website – click here