“We send our children for enrichment because we want them to be better. What about marriages?”

Speaking at the recent State of the Family 2025 workshop on Reconnecting Marriages, mother of two Jenny Lie made this observation.

“What is our concept towards marriage enrichment for ourselves?” she asked.

In many families, investing time and money into our children’s education seems like the natural thing to do.

But are we placing more value on our children’s grades than the health of our relationships at home?

Or perhaps, are couples wanting help for their marriage but fearing what others might think?

Tuition a norm, marriage enrichment a taboo

Sharing from their experience, Jenny and her husband Raymond have been conducting marriage preparation courses in their church for more than 20 years.

But a few years ago, the couple responded to requests from the community and decided to offer marriage workshops to the public.

“We do it outside of the church. It feels a lot of safer,” said Jenny. It is also usually the wives who are initiating the sign-ups.

“Many couples who come say, ‘Well, I’m thankful you’re doing this outside the church,’” she shared, revealing that around 80% of their participants are Christian.

When asked why, their responses are along the lines of: “In church, when people see you (attend such courses), they go, ‘What’s wrong with your marriage?’’”

Having journeyed with couples for decades, Jenny Lie (centre) and Tan Nam Seng (right) shared their observations on the current state of marriages at State of the Family 2025. Photo courtesy of Focus on the Family Singapore.

“If you attend a marriage enrichment workshop, your marriage is in trouble,” said Jenny, noting the false narrative that many have in their minds.

“But are we kidding ourselves? Are our marriages perfect? Is there no room for improvement?”

What if our marriages are okay, but we are just making it better?

A marriage does not break down overnight, but it almost seems like “we have an A&E approach to marriage”, she observed.

Often, we only hear that a marriage is falling apart when it is too late.

Moving away from a triage approach to marriages

“The uncomfortable truth about Christian marriages is that they are hurting, and they are hurting really bad,” said Jenny.

“We see so many of this, and we wish that together with the Church we would recognise that so many families are hurting.”

If we do not do anything about it, the world’s narratives will continue to creep in, robbing families of the opportunity for discipleship, she added.

Here are Jenny’s seven recommendations for how churches can drive God’s narrative back into marriages.

1. Articulate: Share God’s design for marriage.
2. Clarity: Get a snapshot of the real health of marriages in your church.
3. Review: Look at whether we are also celebrating busyness as the world does. E.g. Are husbands and wives too busy with programmes in the church that they are not able to fulfil their responsibilities at home?
4. Design: Provide a roadmap and resources for marriages.
5. Normalise: Remove the shame of conflict in marriages.
6. Build: Create a mentoring community of strong marriages.
7. Promote: Establish marriage as a discipleship journey of loving, forgiving and godly stewardship of time, money and children.

In line with sharing resources for couples, Salt&Light has put together this guide on where to seek help for your marriage.

Whether you are about to be married or already married, it is never too early or too late to strengthen your bond or rekindle your passion.

This list is by no means exhaustive, but we hope it will serve as a starting point for those who want to invest in their marriage.

Do also reach out to your church to find out what resources that they might already have.

Marriage preparation courses and workshops

Alpha Singapore’s The Pre-Marriage Course

This course offers practical support for engaged couples or those exploring marriage, helping them to build strong foundations for their future.

Each of the five sessions usually begins with food, which gives couples a chance to connect before watching the video. Each episode explores a different topic through real-life experiences and expert insights. Couples will also have time and space for honest and intimate conversations.

While the course is based on a biblical understanding of love and includes some references to Scripture, the content is designed in a way that makes it suitable for non-believers too.

The topics covered are:

• Communication
• Conflict
• Commitment
• Connection
• Adventure

A customised report will also be given to couples based on a relationship survey that they fill out before the start of the course.

Visit themarriagecourse.org/find-a-course to submit your interest for a course online or near you.

Couples or churches who want to organise their own run of the course can also approach Alpha Singapore for the materials, which are also available in multiple languages.  

Bridging Hearts’ Before We Are Married

Started by veteran marriage mentors Tan Nam Seng and Tan Sok Mian, Bridging Hearts’ Group-based Marriage Preparation Course prepares courting couples for a lifelong marriage.

While the content is geared towards pre-marital couples, it is also useful for those who are newlyweds or within the first three years of their marriage.

The course is based on Christian beliefs, but the principles and practices are applicable for every relationship and marriage.

During the five sessions, these pillars of marriage will be expanded on:

• Becoming the right one
• God’s design for marriage
• Principle of leaving
• Principle of cleaving

Tips for these practical issues will also be discussed:

• Communication and conflict management
• Financial management
• In-law relationships
• 5 key intimacy areas

Upon completion of the course, couples can opt for a marriage mentor to journey with them, with the help of assessment tools such as SYMBIS or Prepare/Enrich.

The next two runs are in July and October. Visit bridginghearts.com.sg/before-we-are-married-b-wam for more details.

Nam Seng and Sok Mian have been married for close to 40 years. They also have two adult daughters. You can read more about them here.

FamilyLife Singapore’s Marriage Preparation Course 

Organised twice a year by FamilyLife, a Cru Singapore ministry, the course aims to help couples build a strong biblical foundation for their marriage and equip them with practical skills for navigating marital issues.

Over four on-site sessions, couples who are engaged or in their first year of marriage can learn:

• God’s blueprint for marriage 
• Biblical roles and responsibilities
• How to manage expectations and handle differences 
• Communication and conflict resolution
• Spiritual and sexual intimacy in marriage 
• Financial management

Separately, the course includes a Prepare/Enrich assessment that identifies a couple’s strength and potential growth areas. A trained facilitator will also provide feedback and help you understand the results via Zoom.

The next run will be held on September 6, 13, 20, and 27. Do visit cru.sg/mpc for more information.

Focus on the Family Singapore’s Connect2 Marriage Preparation Workshop 

Couples address issues that they may face as newlyweds, lay a solid foundation in the early years and learn how to love each other for life.

This workshop is suitable for considering marriage, engaged or in their first year of marriage. The curriculum is also based on universal values that are applicable regardless of participants’ religious background.

Couples can expect to:

• Understand what love, marriage and your vows symbolise
• Identify each other’s differences and love languages, as well as engage in effective communication
• Navigate healthy conflict and have a good grasp of family finances
• Learn about sexual intimacy, the importance of romance and family planning
• Manage expectations from your spouse, children, in-laws while balancing work life

Facilitated by a trained husband-wife couple, the three sessions (two online and one on-site) come with practical tips, group discussions and couple activities. The fee also includes an online relationship assessment and a licensed solemniser if required.

Visit family.org.sg/programme/connect2-marriage-prep to find out more about the upcoming runs in May, July and September.

2=1 Marriage Ministries’ One for Life

One for Life is a Word-based pre-marriage course for couples who are contemplating marriage.

Conducted by couples whose marriages have been radically transformed through 2=1 and who have been trained to help others, they share principles from God’s Word and their personal journey of discovering the power of a covenantal marriage.

Over eight weeks (may be conducted on-site, online or a combination of both), couples will learn how to:

• Prepare themselves for a great marriage
• Leave the past behind
• Examine the impact of family ties on marriage
• Treat marriage as a covenant relationship
• Fulfil their destiny together
• Understand sexual purity and intimacy
• Make decisions together with God
• Manage finances

Go to 2equal1ap.com/singapore/one-for-life-singapore for more information and to register your interest. Classes are formed when the minimum number of sign-ups are met.

Marriage enrichment courses and workshops

Alpha Singapore’s The Marriage Course

This course is for married couples who want to invest in their relationship and build a strong marriage.

Over seven sessions, couples will learn relationship tools that will deepen their connection, gain insights from interviews with experts and enjoy conversations over food. 

The topics covered are similar to that in The Pre-Marriage Course, but they are explored in greater depth. The following are discussed:

• Strengthening connection
• The art of communication
• Resolving conflict
• The power of forgiveness
• The impact of family
• Good sex
• Love in action

The course is based on Christian principles, but is designed for couples with or without a Christian faith.

Visit themarriagecourse.org/find-a-course to submit your interest for a course online or near you.

Couples or churches who want to organise their own run of the course can also approach Alpha Singapore for the materials, which are also available in multiple languages.  

Jenny and her husband Raymond Teo ran pre-marital courses at Wesley Methodist Church for over 20 years. They have two young adult children. You can read their story here.

Art of Disagreement

This one-day workshop is run by Raymond and Jenny, seasoned trainers and coaches who are also passionate about strengthening marriages.

Art of Disagreement is meant to help couples go from conflict to connection, undergirded by the understanding that conflicts are not necessarily unhealthy.

Couples will learn:​

• Underlying narratives that lead to conflicts.
• Insights into the way they fight that damages the relationship.
• The real problem and consequences of unresolved conflicts on the marriage.
• Insights into their own personality and couple dynamics that contribute to conflict.
• Critical skills needed to resolve conflicts to build emotional connection.

Upcoming dates: March 19-20 (March School Holiday special in collaboration with Montigo Resorts) and July 6. 

Art of Engagement

This one-day workshop is also conducted by Raymond and Jenny. 

Feel like you are not getting through to your spouse? Know how to express your thoughts and emotions so that your partner hears your words and feels loved.

Couples will:

• Gain insight into their conversational tendencies and discover why certain words or tones can create misunderstandings.
• Learn different verbal styles and understand how to use these voices to nurture connection.
• Identify and manage triggers by recognising communication patterns that may cause tension.
• Develop practical skills for speaking with intentional warmth and clarity.

Upcoming dates: May 18 and July 4.

Visit playinsight.com/marriage for more information on these two workshops.

Back to the Garden

This couples’ seminar that is conducted by David and Amy Ang who have been married for 30 years and have three grown-up children.

Inspired by what relationships were like in the Garden of Eden, their desire is for couples to understand God’s original design for their lives and bring that fullness into marriage for the continued perfecting of their union.

Having experienced life-changing intimacy with God and one another, David and Amy will share revelations about the Father’s love, their personal journey and how they have overcome some seemingly insurmountable obstacles in their marriage.

The seminar encourages couples to do these three things:

• Look within to identify their own struggles, identity issues, childhood traumas and unforgiveness that make them relate to each other the way they do
• Look towards each other to sort out the things that have been allowed to affect their marriage.
• Look forward to the next generation.

To find out more about their seminar on October 17 and 18, reach out to the couple at [email protected] and [email protected]. It will be held at Father’s House, 173B Geylang Road, Singapore 389247.

David and Amy currently serve in Fatherheart Singapore. They are also available as couple mentors for those who wish to receive follow-up support after the seminar. 

Having experienced reconciliation in their own relationship with God and one another, David and Amy Ang started this new ministry a few years ago. You can read their story here.

Focus on the Family Singapore’s Connect2 Just Married

This workshop is designed to equip couples married for five years or less with tools to build a thriving marriage.

Over three sessions (two online and one on-site), trainers will share tips and resources for couples to:

• Learn the three critical skills that can make or break a marriage. 
• Gain clarity on roles, responsibilities and expectations during these formative years. 
• Strengthen communication skills to navigate tricky topics such as finances, in-laws and parenting.
• Gain practical tools to work through differences and conflicts.
• Discover ways to keep the romance alive and fireproof their marriage.

The next run is in July/August. Visit family.org.sg/event/connect2-just-married for more details. The fee also includes an online relationship assessment.

2=1 Marriage Ministries’ Married for Life

Married for Life is for couples who are at any stage of their marriage, whether barely hanging in there or happily married.

Based on God’s blueprint for marriage, couples are taught how to thrive in the covenant relationship that He created.

Over 12 weeks (may be a combination of online and on-site), the following topics will be covered:

• The Power of Covenant
• The Power of 2=1
• The Power of Synergism
• The Power of Sowing & Reaping
• The Power of Forgiveness
• The Power of Faith
• The Power of Spiritual Intimacy
• The Power of Agreement
• The Power of Physical Intimacy
• The Power of Spiritual Warfare
• The Power of Transformation
• The Power of One

The next run will be conducted from July to October. Visit 2equal1ap.com/singapore/married-for-life-singapore to sign up.

Those who are interested to know more about Married for Life and hear from other couples who have been through the course can also attend any of these upcoming events:

• March 22, Saturday, 2-5pm at Paya Lebar Chinese Methodist Church (contact Niko through WhatsApp at 81821606).
• May 18, Sunday, 4.30-6pm at Church of Our Saviour (contact Vivien through WhatsApp at 91258320).

For general enquiries, you can reach out to [email protected].

Marriage mentoring

Bridging Hearts’ After We Are Married

Bridging Hearts offers Couple-based Marriage Mentoring that aims to help couples move their marriage from good to great.

After couples complete an online Prepare/Enrich assessment, marriage mentors will walk them through a programme that focuses on their unique strengths and growth areas.

The marriage mentors are also there to provide guidance and help the couple to identify foundational issues that cause conflicts.

This will be done across at least three sessions (2.5-3.5 hours each).

In addition, Bridging Hearts works with churches, groups and organisations to customise content for marriage enrichment talks, seminars, workshops and retreats.

Visit bridginghearts.com.sg more information.

Albert and Alison Lim’s marriage was transformed after participating in a workshop in 2017. You can read their story here.

Family Foundations Singapore’s Covenant Marriage Experience

National Directors Albert and Alison Lim offer couple equipping, engagement and mentoring using a process called the Covenant Marriage Experience (CME).

Having hit a wall with their marriage many years ago, the parents of three adult children found breakthrough when they attended a workshop by Pastor Craig Hill, founder of US-based Family Foundations International.

During the workshop, the couple learnt three principles that unstuck their marriage: 

• Marriage is a unilateral, unconditional blood covenant.
• Regular, transparent, heart-to-heart communication is a necessity.
• Conflict resolution requires effective strategy.

Since then, the Lims have brought Ps Craig and his wife to Singapore to conduct similar marriage workshops for couples. They are also organising a public seminar on marriage that will be held in November.

For couples who would like Albert and Alison to journey with them, the CME involves 10 hours over two to three sessions, followed by four sessions of two hours each for couples to process what they have learnt.

They can be reached at [email protected] can also visit familyfoundationssingapore.com to find out more about their ministry.

Marriage retreats

Art of Oneness

Organised by Raymond and Jenny, this weekend retreat is for couples to re-ignite the spark and deepen the connection in their marriage.

Thoughtfully curated to offer opportunities for couple reflections, meaningful conversations and engaging experiences, the 2D1N retreat will help couples in these areas:

• Gain a deeper understanding of their relationship’s journey.
• Strengthen their bond by aligning on shared values.
• Establish marital goals and create a roadmap for growth.
• Learn strategies for incorporating rituals into their daily lives to foster intimacy.
• Enhance their ability to express needs, desires and concerns.
• Discover the importance of creating new and exciting experiences as a couple.
• Develop skills to manage stress, set boundaries and prioritise connection, ensuring that romance thrives alongside life’s demands.

The next Art of Oneness will be held on May 3-4 (Sat and Sun) at the Singapore Yacht Club. Special programme highlights include a BBQ dinner and sunset cruise.

Do also note that couples are required to have completed the Art of Disagreement workshop before attending this retreat. Visit playinsight.com/marriage for more details.

FamilyLife Singapore’s Art of Marriage

FamilyLife Singapore under Cru offers this 2D1N programme typically four times a year.

You can expect biblical teaching, expert interviews and real-life stories to be shared at this retreat. Through six video sessions, these topics will be discussed:

• Purpose of marriage
• Drift to isolation
• Roles
• Communication
• Romance & Sex
• Legacy

Trained and experienced staff and volunteers are also on hand to facilitate couple projects and share from their own experiences.

Do note that couples will be given privacy to discuss and work on the projects on their own and with their spouse, and there is minimal interaction with other couples.

In 2025, Art of Marriage retreats will be held in April, May, August and November. Registration is open for the April and May events.

• April 5-6 (Chinese) at Changi Cove: sg/chineseaom2d1n
• May 23-25 (English) at St. Giles Southkey, Johor Bahru: sg/aom3d2n

For more information, please visit cru.sg/aom.

Marriage counselling

There may also be cases where couples require professional counselling – there is no shame in seeking help at all. Here are a few places you can consider.

Care Corner Singapore

Helps couples to identify challenges and needs, resolve differences and improve their marital relationships. Some examples of issues include adjustment and transition into marriage, parenthood, and coping with personal grief and loss.

Focus on the Family Singapore

For marriage-related counselling, its areas of expertise include extramarital affairs, communication and conflict, and abuse and violence.

Indigo & Co

For persons and families navigating sexuality and gender concerns.

Lakeside Family Services

Provides support on a range of issues, from pre-marital counselling to marital reconciliation.

Digital resources on marriage

Focus on the Family Singapore’s Connect2 Podcast

This ongoing podcast features deep conversations on relationships and marriage. Episodes delve into topics such as connection, intimacy and conflict resolution.

All information is correct at the time of publishing but is subject to change. For more details, please click on the links in each listing to contact the organisers directly.

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