Guiding Couples in Building Godly Marriages

As members of Prestonwood for more than 25 years, Mike and Beth Gullatt have served in many ministries, but the ministry that has blessed them the most is coaching couples in love through Before You Say, “I Do.” For more than a decade, the Gullatts have helped lay a spiritual foundation for dozens of engaged or dating couples—offering tools for intimacy, conflict resolution, finances, communications and a joint prayer life.

“It has been a true blessing to teach in the seminars and ‘coach’ couples over the years, but the biggest impact is how God has strengthened our marriage through this ministry,” Mike said. “Early on, it caused us to examine our own relationship as a couple before we could sit down and talk with other couples about building the type of marriage God desires for us…. We wanted to ‘walk our talk’ as a couple in the Lord.”

While training to be Couples Coaches Mike and Beth found themselves spending more time together in prayer, learning to keep an open mind and trusting their relationship and family totally to God. They also learned to deal with issues such as finances and communication as a couple.

“When we got married, we never talked about conflict resolution and major differences,” Beth said. “Now, we schedule a time to argue and resolve conflicts.”

The Gullatts mentor couples one on one at their home while sharing dinner or dessert. They help those planning to marry interpret a relationship assessment of their strengths and growth needs. Mike also leads two sessions, Conflict Resolution and Intimacy, in the seven-week Before You Say, “I Do” marriage course. Other sessions are: Expectations, Communications, Marriage Roles, Finances and In-Laws. The overall mission is to help the couples fully understand and embrace the marriage commitment.

“Hopefully they’re seeing in us what a godly couple is and what it means to be in a marriage making Christ the foundation,” he said. “A successful marriage happens when it’s done as God designs.”

Mike said the majority of the couples they’ve coached have not been members of Prestonwood, and a majority is unchurched. And many are anxious to avoid the patterns of failed marriages they’ve witnessed.

“We have literally had couples who looked at us and said, ‘Our parents are divorced. Our friends are divorced. You church people tell us how to make it work,’” he said. “We feel we’re impacting hearts for the Lord.”

Besides guiding couples in building a marriage, Beth and Mike are also seed planters on the frontline. They consistently see the couples they’ve coached come back to church for Bible study, get involved, and accept Christ. Many newlyweds have later shared with the Gullatts how Prestonwood has changed their lives.

“This is one place they can come and truly understand what God’s plan is for their marriage and how to build one,” he said. “A lot of people are smart enough to see that the world’s view is not working. It’s a blessing that Prestonwood understands the need and has made a commitment to this ministry, opening its arms to these couples.”

As Beth and Mike help couples chart their paths, they’re also leaving a legacy for their children.

“As long as we’ve been involved, our kids have seen a lot of our ministry couples in our home,” he said. “They have seen how this ministry has impacted lives, and they see how Mom and Dad are committed to each other. They see how our marriage can bless others…. And this also has allowed our children, hopefully, to see us as parents who love each other deeply and have a marriage built on the sanctity and love of God.”

The Gullatts, along with Rick and Pam Evatt, will begin a new six-month rotating Bible Fellowship class, “Foundations,” on Sunday, June 8. “Foundations is designed to help take newlyweds into a deeper walk in the Bible. For more information, visit prestonwood.org/bysid.