1. What is the difference between a contract and a covenant?

2. What covenants does God make in Scripture — with Noah, Abraham, Moses, David, and through Christ? What do they share?

3. How does understanding marriage as covenant change how you think about commitment?

1. Read Ephesians 5:22–33. Paul says marriage is a "mystery" pointing to Christ and the church. What does that mean?

2. The husband is called to love as Christ loved — self-giving, sacrificial, for the good of the other. What does that look like practically?

3. The wife is asked to submit as the church submits to Christ — in a relationship of love and trust. What does that require of the husband first?

1. What threats does your marriage face — from within and without?

2. What patterns of relating have become entrenched that are working against the marriage?

3. What would covenant faithfulness — not comfort, but faithfulness — require of you right now?

1. What does "speaking the truth in love" look like in a marriage?

2. What do you find hardest to say honestly to your spouse? What makes that difficult?

3. What does repair look like after conflict — what does it actually take to reconnect?

1. What spiritual practices — prayer, Scripture, worship, service — do you share?

2. What is the vision for your marriage — who do you want to be in 10 years?

3. Write a covenant statement together: "We choose _____ and we release _____."