Marriage Retreat 2025

Rethinking the Meaning of Marriage: Human Fantasy VS God's Reality

Some couples enjoy an experience of relative bliss in their marriage. Others suffer from profound levels of relational pain and disillusionment. Wherever you find yourselves as a couple, it’s probably safe to say most of our disappointment in marriage comes from unmet expectations. Let's face it. Many of us married a fantasy. Some of what we hoped to be true, before we married the love of our life, gave way to a difficult reality; you married a flawed human! The good news is that this is actually part of God's plan to help us grow spiritually and bring glory to Him in our marriages. This class is designed to help you to reframe the meaning of marriage and find joy in the journey.

Speakers: Sean and Erin St. Jean

Dr. Sean St. Jean has been a clinical therapist for the past 15 years. He has shared his helpful insights on trauma, occupational stress, and organizational health at conferences around the world. Sean has been a disciple of Jesus since 1996. He is currently a full-time professor at King University (Bristol, Tennessee), teaching therapy at a graduate level. He is also a therapist in private practice, and has worked with hundreds of church members and ministry staff globally who are struggling with spiritual trauma, workplace stress, relationship issues or ministry burnout. His book, “Spiritual Trauma: A Guide to Healing Your Heart From Church Hurts” was published in 2023 and can be found at www.seanstjean.com. Sean currently serves on the ICOC Ministers Wellness Committee (now an Elder Service Team task force) and has contracted with HOPE Worldwide to provide counselling support to disciples internationally. Sean, his wife Erin, and their three children live in British Columbia, Canada and are members of the Vancouver Church of Christ.

Host or Publisher South Sound Church of Christ