Paul and Lauren
When we were first introduced to the Beckers, we were in a broken place. After only two years of marriage, we had separated. We weren’t sure that our marriage could be saved, but we decided to meet with Erich and Ginny and see where it might take us.
The hope that the Beckers had in us and in our marriage gave us hope too. They helped us remember that God has a plan for our marriage. After the first meeting with them, we felt encouraged and knew that this was something that we wanted to invest our time in. Erich and Ginny made us feel safe enough to share all the deep, dark parts of our marriage and to be honest about what we were struggling with. The four of us met regularly and we also attended one of the seminars they led. With their help, we were able to work through all the pain and learn new tools to create a strong, healthy marriage.
Five years later, we are blessed to be happily married with a seven-month-old son. We wouldn’t be where we are if it hadn’t been for their Godly mentorship and we are deeply grateful for what they did for us!
Holly and Quincy
We began our journey with the Marriage Ministry in 2008 when we attended a Pre-Marital Workshop hosted by the Beckers. Since neither one of us grew up in the church, we were unsure what to expect. The workshop exceeded our expectations and challenged us to look at our relationship and how to make it stronger. Directly after, we were placed with a mentor couple to help us navigate the transition from dating to marriage. This was also an incredible experience and we felt grateful to be invested by our assigned couple. We met weekly for several months before our wedding.
Once married, we wanted to connect with other newly-married couples to talk about marriage, communication, and other challenges that a life change can bring. With guidance from Erich and Ginny, we decided to start our own life group with five other newly-married couples. We are still today in a life group with some of the couples we started with several years ago!
Since we felt that the Pre-Marital Workshop offered us so much helpful and relevant information as well as the mentorship, we wanted to be a part of that mission. We joined the Marriage Ministry team as volunteers to help with the food prep, set-up and break down, etc., and it wasn't long before we were given an opportunity to speak to the new couples about communication first and then intimacy in a marriage. We also threw our hats in to become mentors ourselves, and we have since mentored several couples.
As we approach our eleventh year in marriage, we have again found ourselves as part of the Marriage Ministry on the receiving side. We have been seeking guidance from Erich and Ginny as we try to find a balance of life with small children and demanding careers.
We are so incredibly grateful for this ministry and the constant influence it has had on our marriage. We have watched and learned from every couple we have met, and hope to bless couples with the love and guidance we have so willingly be given.
Kayla and Chad
We took the Pre-marital Workshop a week before our wedding, and we are so glad we did!
This workshop set us up to understand what goes into building a solid foundation for marriage. We continue to use the techniques and wisdom that we learned at the workshop every single day and it has changed our relationship dramatically. We are so thankful for this workshop and the men and women who taught us!
Darci and Ron
During the pre-marital workshop led by Erich and Ginny, we received foundational tools that allowed us to learn and grow in our courtship and now in marriage. This workshop had it all - a broad range of topics with faith-based teachings and interactive sessions. We highly recommend the workshop. Thank you, Erich and Ginny!
Ryan and Megan
We attended a Premarital Workshop hosted by the Beckers in hopes that God would provide us with a guide to our engagement. Led by Ginny and Erich Becker, we participated in a 2-day, fun-filled and enriching workshop that covered much more than we could’ve imagined. We presumed that the workshop would either feel like too much of a class, or too much of a therapy session. Little did we know, the Beckers’ workshop combined a variety of exercises, talks, and activities that allowed us to have both formal instruction and quality time. Not only did we laugh, make connections to other couples, and share stories - we learned effective strategies that we have been using daily. Ginny and Erich are an amazing model for God’s plan in marriage. Their story is real, their experiences are real, and they share and give advice that is authentic and rooted in the Lord’s Word.
Since participating in the workshop, Ryan and I believe that God has breathed new life into our engagement. Before the experience, it was all about survival - staying afloat and trying to make it to marriage in one piece. We have been in a relationship for 6 years, and 5 of them have been from 800 miles away. It has always been about just making it to the next visit, the next paycheck, or the next short-term goal. The light at the end of the tunnel was always being pushed back, extended, or contorted due to the loneliness and lack of intimacy that we experienced. We just didn’t believe we could be set on fire in the way we are now. We didn’t think we could begin making big, intentional, and beautiful transformations in our relationship from afar.
Since the workshop, we have begun a series of important, intentional and Biblically-centered conversations regarding the topics discussed at the worship: God’s intent for marriage, communication, finances, and intimacy. These conversations would not have been possible without the workshop. It was indeed the best weekend we’ve ever had together. We will remember it for the rest of our lives. Ginny and Erich have given us something invaluable. They have given us the tools to establish an unshakable foundation and the hope that we can do all things in tandem with the Lord.
John Slye, Jr.
My wife and I are on staff at Grace Community Church. I serve as senior pastor and my wife serves as director of women's ministry. Recently, we attended a Thrive Marriage Workshop led by Erich and Ginny Becker. It was a wonderful and informative event that was enriching to both newlyweds, as well as to mature marriages.
We were impressed by the way that Erich and Ginny used Scripture as their basis, while weaving in very practical tips and tools to provide effective communication. In addition, they used studies and material from modern-day relational experts, such as John Gottman.
They also had a way of making everyone feel comfortable, especially as they shared their own struggles and practical solutions to make lasting change. Their vulnerability was helpful in creating a healthy environment for couples to interact with one another during the workshop.
We recommend the Thrive Marriage Workshop for every engaged and married couple and feel it is of the utmost importance for churches to offer such an event.