Strengthening Marriages of Soldiers of Northeast Baptist Church Clarksville, Tennessee

Abstract

STRENGTHENING MARRIAGES OF SOLDIERS

OF NORTHEAST BAPTIST CHURCH

CLARKSVILLE, TENNESSEE

Melvin Dennis Felts, D.Min.

The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, 2016

Faculty Supervisor: Dr. Stuart W. Scott

This project examined biblical counseling instruction that aids in strengthening

marriages of soldiers who encounter crises such as addiction, adultery/infidelity, communication, domestic violence, and Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). Chapter 1 defines the historical, contextual, and practical issues that impact the development and implementation of this project at Northeast Baptist Church. Chapter 2 presents an exegesis of Old and New Testament passages that explain how couples can find help, hope, and trust when they turn to the sovereign, covenant, and personal God. Chapter 3 reviews the available secular, integrated, and biblical counseling agencies in Clarksville, Tennessee and Fort Campbell Army base. Chapter 4 and 5 provide the results, analysis, and conclusions of this project.

During the 16-week project, participants listened to sermons and lectures that focused on the aforementioned crises. The project goal was that individuals would experience an increase in biblical knowledge in the subject areas. That increase was measured by a marriage survey administered before and after the seminar. This project served as a foundation for the development of a ministry of biblical counseling at Northeast Baptist Church.