Did you know that couples who have done premarital counseling programs have shared that the program gave them a good foundation for their marriage? My wife and I are one of those who think it was a great investment for our marriage.
Am glad you are here looking for the best premarital counseling programs in Kenya. In this article, I will share with your the best places you can find them, the criteria to choose, and what to look for in a premarital counseling program.
Here are the best resources that go hand in hand with this guide. (Available on Amazon--Start a 30-day free trial here)
- Preparing for Marriage Couples Guide
- Preparing for Marriage Leaders Guide
- The Meaning of Marriage-Timothy Keller
- Devotions for Engaged Couples- Gary Thomas
Not sure where to start with a premarital counseling conversation, start here.
If you are looking for a good premarital counseling program I assume you already understand the purpose and goal of premarital Counselling, if not you can check out our previous article here where we talked about it in detail.
Before I share with you a list of some of the best pre-marital counseling programs in Kenya, I would like to address a few things to look for as you choose a PMCC program.
What to look for In a Premarital Counseling [PMCC] Program
- Are there other couples doing it. If people are referring their friends to the program it should be a good one.
- Is the program facilitator a mature believer?
- Is the program facilitator mature couples?
- Is the guideline/ manual or a coursebook.
- Is the program facilitator a couple?
Best premarital counseling programs in Kenya
I haven’t gone through all these programs, but I know friends and family members that have gone through them in these different churches. I know other churches offer this program but these here are the ones we recommend because we know people who have done them. If your church is not highlighted here don’t worry, let us know in the comments we are still researching to add to our list the best of the best.
- Nairobi Chapel
- Mamlaka Hill
- ICC
- Kenya Marriage Counseling
- Mavuno
- Deliverance Church
- Paklands Baptist
- Nairobi Baptist
- Life spring Chapel
- Citam
What makes a good Premarital Counseling program
A premarital program might make or break your relationship. When my wife and I were looking for a good premarital program when had to have some things we were looking for.
We needed a place that we can feel safe to share without the fear of being judged, a place we can interact and allow other people to speak into our relationship. We also wanted a place where we can get genuine accountability.
The group we got wasn’t that good not the people but the experience. First of all everyone in the group was already married, people were a bit closed up and no one was sharing deep stuff.
I struggled, I felt safe in the group but the environment was not that real. If you ask me, I won’t advise you to find a group that contains unmarried couples. It will be more genuine and at least all of you will be sharing stuff from the same perspective.
Okay, enough of myself… Let’s talk about you, what are you looking for?
You need to sit with your partner and agree on what is important for you both, your personality will also determine what kind of a group you will be comfortable with. For introverted couples, they might want a small group while the extrovert might want a large loud group. Whatever the case, you must find something that works for both of you.
Remember the goal of doing premarital counseling is to help improve your relationship by giving you skills, tools, and resources to navigate the present and future issues.
Below is a list of some important aspects to look for in a premarital counseling program.
Course manual or book.
Even though I struggled in our premarital class, I thank God for the book. It was so helpful for me and my wife. We got to discuss some of the topics together and share a lot, even more than we were willing to share in class.
Having a coursebook or manual will help you as a couple to continue the conversation outside the class. It also allows you to wrestle will the question before and discuss it with your spouse way before you get to the session. Some of the issues you have will be dealt with outside the class environment.
I highly recommend it.
Time
Quality time makes a difference in a group conversation. You need to be in a program that has enough time and few people.
You don’t want to be in a group that rushes things because of time. It’s recommended to be in a session that takes at least 2 hours. Covering every aspect and achieving the goal for the sessions.
Group dynamics
Managing a group is a skill, you want to be in a group that has a good facilitator that can manage the different aspect of the group. It’s very rare to find a group with people of the same personality. Different personalities come with different dynamics, you need to be in a group that everyone is treated equally and respectfully.
Having a large group might not give you quality time to listen to everyone’s experience, ask questions, and address issues. It’s recommended to be in a group of 3 to 5 couples. Anything beyond that it’s too big.
Real stories [vulnerability]
Premarital counseling is a conversation and experience led program, you need facilitators that are real, vulnerable, and easy to talk to.
Real opens the opportunity for others to also be vulnerable and share their story. Even the Scriptures say clearly the truth shall set you free. But it’s very hard to share the truth in an environment full of fake people.
Safe
With vulnerability comes the fear of being judged or treated differently. It’s is very important for you to be in a safe group.
You and your partner need a place you feel safe to share your issues. Your environment and the energy of the group will determine how much you share.
Especially for men, it’s hard for us to be vulnerable and once we are, we want to feel safe and not judged. It’s also easy for us to accept our faults and take responsibility.
Otherwise, friends, these are some of the premarital counseling programs and criteria for choosing a good premarital counseling program.
Let us know in the comments, what do you look for in a premarital marriage counseling program?
