 |
|
Information
What Is eLifeMates?
eLifeMates is a quarterly ‘Date Nite’ event for engaged and married couples which takes place in the local church. The heart of eLifeMates is to encourage couples to not only honor their marriage vow, but to “Keep the WOW in their VOW!”
It is not about marriage recovery, divorce recovery, nor is it marriage mentoring. It is about celebrating marriage!
Dr. David and Janet Congo, founders of eLifeMates, believe that God never intended monogamy to be monotony. In fact, Christ’s words were, “I have come that you might have life and that you might have it more abundantly" (John 10:10). Christian marriage is meant to be a life adventure rather than a life sentence.
Imagine your worship center bursting with couples seated around linen covered tables. Soft music, candlelight and decorations set the mood for a ‘Date Nite’. There are sections for engaged couples, newlyweds, couples with small children, couples with teens, step-family couples, empty nesters, and a section for couples in established small groups who want to grow closer to the Lord and to each other.
What Is eLifeMates' purpose?
The purpose of eLifeMates is to challenge couples to:
| M— | Magnify the Lord |
|---|---|
| A— | Affirm each other |
| R— | Reconcile differences |
| R— | Rekindle passion |
| I— | Inspire integrity |
| A— | Address issues |
| G— | Gain insight |
| E— | Enjoy companionship |
| S— | Support each other and other couples |
Why did it begin?
Dr. David (licensed clinical psychologist and ordained minister) and Janet Congo (licensed marriage and family therapist), members of Saddleback Church, Lake Forest, California, wanted to counteract the trend toward fractured marriages in our churches and communities. Their vision was to provide a proactive, preventive and positive on-going enrichment program for engaged and married couples that would connect them with other couples in their church. Equipping healthy couples with tools to strengthen their marriage and build their intimacy was the Congos' dream.
The Congos believe that every married couple will benefit from the support of other married couples who are also committed to “Keeping the WOW in their VOW!”
Ten years ago Dave and Jan asked the Lord for 50 couples who they could influence. Little did they know what the Lord would do through their faithfulness. Thirty thousand couples have enjoyed an eLifeMates Date Nite at Saddleback Church alone and many churches are now part of the eLifeMates network.
How does eLifeMates benefit a church?
eLifeMates provides….
- A bridge event between the church and the community. Over the years eLifeMates has become a proven and effective outreach tool to the community. Couples will attend a ‘Date Nite’ designed to “Keep the WOW in their VOW far in advance of attending a church service. Outreach Magazine nominated the eLifeMates Date Nite Kit as one of the five best outreach tools to help engage a target audience with the gospel.
- A safe place for an unequally yoked couple to have fun in a church setting.
- A small group launching pad.
- An opportunity to encourage couples representing every stage of marriage together quarterly in an event that celebrates marriage.
How does eLifeMates benefit the pastor?
Pastors report:
- “The Lord is using eLifeMates to change hundreds of marriages.” —Rick Warren, (Senior Pastor, Saddleback Church and author of The Purpose Driven Life)
- “eLifeMates is helping to reduce my counseling load.”
- “eLifeMates creates a Leadership Team accountable to me that is passionate about praying for and encouraging healthy marriages in our setting.”
- “eLifeMates removes the stigma that attending a marriage seminar means you have a poor marriage.”
- “eLifeMates provides a venue for a pastor and his LifeMate to minister together.”
- “eLifeMates provides a ministry where couples serve together as a team.”
- "The couples in our church experience support and encouragement as a result of eLifeMates.”
- “eLifeMates reduces the divorce rate in our church.”
Pastors—have you noticed that there never seems to be enough of you to go around? Have you felt the frustration of spending the majority of your time dealing with the tyranny of the urgent, couples in crisis, instead of proactively encouraging healthy marriages?
Become an eLifeMates Church and allow the eLifeMates Team to support and encourage you.
How eLifeMates can support couples in your church!
Couples are saying.“eLifeMates is one way to make our marriage a priority in the midst of our hectic schedules.” “It has helped us remain committed when times were hard.”
A therapist couple who speaks at eLifeMates events said, “eLifeMates provides an opportunity to minister to couples and create a referral base.”
There are two major ways that eLifeMates could support your couples.
- An eLifeMates Conference in your setting would provide training and consulting for your Leadership Team, workshops for couples in your church and community, and you would experience an eLifeMates "Date Nite Lite”event.
- Through the eLifeMates "Date Nite" Kit which was developed by the Congos in partnership with Cook Communications Ministries. It provides the practical tools churches need to establish the foundation for a vital and effective marriage ministry.
The Date Nite Kit is couples ministry in a box, complete with a thoughtful ministry guide, event planner, CD-ROM graphics, a video, a skit book and an award winning book, LifeMates, which can be used as a couples small group resource. The kit makes it possible for even the smallest church to do effective marriage ministry and outreach.
Inspiration
Join us February 15–18, 2008, at the Wyndham Orange County, for the American Family Living Couple's Valentine Weekend! (To register, or for more info, call 714-637-7900.)
We will also be hosting a Couples' Retreat at the Mount Hermon Christian Conference Center from February 22–24, 2008.
Thanks to all who came to hear us speak at Coast Hills Church in Aliso Viejo!
Please pardon our dust while we overhaul our website! Keep checking back throughout the month of October for updated content and design.
Where do you find your marriage after the multiple moments both of you have experienced together as LifeMates? In the "Marriage Moments" section of our website, we offer nuggets of wisdom that can be applied to your own marriage.
Read more >Become an eLifeMates conference partner! If you'd like to contact the Congos about speaking at a marriage conference, please visit the calendar page to request your preferred dates.
Couple's Toolkit
How often have you assumed that you knew what was going on in your LifeMate’s head only to be surprised later? Dr. David and Janet Congo have created a tool to sharpen your connection with each other. It won’t take any longer than 10 minutes to use.
Dr. David and Janet Congo’s passion is to “Keep the WOW in their VOW” while encouraging others to do the same. They are Co-founders of e-LifeMates, an International Marriage Ministry dedicated to the celebration of marriage.
Read more >Interested in some of the resources available from eLifeMates and partners?
Click here.