Our Mission:
At Calvary Chapel our hope and desire is to help fulfill the great commission by establishing and making disciples through our premarital program. In Matthew 19:4-6 Jesus answers the Pharisees in regards to marriage and divorce,
“Have you not read that He who made them at the beginning ‘made them male and female,’ and said, ‘For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh.’ So then, they are no longer two but one flesh. Therefore what God has joined together, let not man separate.”
Premarital Discipleship Prerequisites
Whether you have never been married or are remarrying, we at Calvary Chapel, with the guidance of the Holy Spirit, want to help equip you both with tools to be successful. We want you to have a long, Christ-centered marriage that is satisfying and fulfilling for you both. This is best achieved by building a foundation on God’s principles for your marriage. We start with some foundational prerequisites.
-
Maintain sexual purity
God has reserved the gift of sex for marriage. (1 Thessalonians 4:2-3, Hebrews 13:4) God had our best in mind when He gave strong directives about sexual purity before marriage. Therefore, we request couples abstain from any form of sexual contact with each other until after the wedding.
-
Living separately before being married
This honors God in your relationship and avoids even the “appearance of evil” (1 Thessalonians 5:22). A couple that is living together is assumed to be sleeping together. Living together is also a tremendous temptation for immorality. The Bible tells us to flee immorality, not to expose ourselves to constant temptations to it (1 Corinthians 6:18).
-
You both need to be Christians
This means you both need to have begun a New Life in Christ. God’s Word says “do not be unequally yoked together with unbelievers (2 Corinthians 6:14). It is important that you share the same spiritual priorities. Calvary Chapel will not marry a believer and a nonbeliever.
Premarital Discipleship Process
All couples that marry at Calvary Chapel, or plan to have a Calvary Chapel Pastor officiate at their offsite wedding, must complete premarital discipleship. The discipleship typically involves six to eight sessions (lasting approximately three months).
Step 1: The Premarital Discipleship Request and Questionnaire Form
This form can be picked up at the church office. The Premarital Discipleship Request and Questionnaire Form will be submitted at your initial interview with a pastor. These forms must be completed and submitted approximately four months prior to the intended wedding date.
Step 2: Initial Interview with a Pastor
The interview is designed to help us become acquainted with you, to discuss some guidelines, and to answer any questions you may have. Following your initial meeting, you will then decide if you want to follow through with premarital discipleship at Calvary Chapel.
Step 3: Beginning Premarital Discipleship
The purpose of the premarital discipleship program is to establish a firm foundation on which your marriage relationship can be built. All sessions of the “Seven Steps to a Successful Marriage” book must be completed. The book can be purchased at the front office.
Step 4: Completion of Premarital Discipleship
The couple is required to meet with their discipleship leader every other week for six to eight sessions (lasting approximately three months).
Due to the many requests for weddings from our own church family, we are only able to provide the use of our facilities to couples that include at least one regular attendee of Calvary Chapel If you have been approved by a Calvary Chapel Pastor and you would like to have your wedding ceremony at Calvary Chapel, please schedule an appointment with the church wedding coordinator by e-mailing secretary@calvarywesthouston.org or by calling the church office.