Today, we’ll look to Scripture for clarity and direction on intimacy and healthy relationships. Many people get uneasy when the preacher starts talking about these personal issues. But the fact is, sex is one of the few topics that’s addressed in almost every book of the Bible. God has a lot to say about it!

If we’re honest, a lot of us would admit that the biblical view of marriage seems pretty outdated and patriarchal. But God has a reason for the way he set things up, and his design isn’t just to set a cultural norm. It’s to reveal and reflect Christ. Pastor J.D. is talking about what it actually means for a husband to lead and clearly defines what submission does not include.

We’re in a study of Ephesians Chapter 5 called “First Love.” Today we’re jumping into the delicate and controversial subject of the biblical roles of husbands and wives. Whether you’re single, married, divorced, or widowed, you’ll wanna listen!

“Sticks and stones may break our bones but words will never hurt us.” We all know that’s not right! Pastor J.D. will give us practical wisdom for how our words can be grace-saturated during conflict. It’s part of our study in Ephesians, Chapter 5 called First Love.

Has your smoke detector in your home ever woken you up chirping in the middle of the night? The smoke detector always seems to need batteries at the worst times in my house! But I’m so glad we have them! Pastor J.D. encourages us to mind the smoke detectors of anger and bitterness before they turn into fires in our relationships.

Young couples plan their weddings with so much excitement, anticipating living “happily ever after”—just like fairy tales promise. But to live happily ever after doesn’t mean you never fight with your spouse. Good couples have learned to fight fairly, to fight Christianly. We’re learning how to resolve conflict—not just in marriage but in all of our relationships—an issue that touches the life of everyone in one way or another.

For many people, our views on love and relationships were shaped by the songs we listened to growing up or the movies we watched as a teen. But there’s only one relationship model we should care about, and it doesn’t come from Hollywood! We’re diving deep into the friendship of marriage as Pastor J.D. continues our study in the book of Ephesians, Chapter 5.

If you were to ask most couples why they got married, they would probably say something about being in love, making each other happy, or physical attraction. And there’s nothing wrong with any of those things! But Pastor J.D. reveals one of the most forgotten and important elements of marriage.

What if every time you saw your spouse, or your friends, or your parents, or boss or your employees, you had a thought, that if obeyed, would radically change everything? Pastor J.D. reveals one simple, transforming question, that if asked and obeyed, will change every relationship.

As we go through our days, we might notice the needs and interests of other people around us, and sometimes we’re empathetic to those things. But at the end of the day, those interests of others are almost always secondary to our own. Pastor J.D. shows us just how important the interests are of those we love! We’re studying Chapter 5 of the book of Ephesians.