What is Christian Marriage in this Context?

Engage is focusing on everything a marriage between a Christian man and Christian woman can potentially be, when God is at its centre.

This type of Christian marriage has unlimited potential, but many have lost the vision for what that can involve.

We believe that the church needs to articulate this vision, live it out, and model it to the next generation and the rest of society as a witness to God’s grace and love.

Engage network organisations are working together to help the church fulfil this task.

What is unique about Christian marriage?

At the Engage Symposium 2016, Revd Nicky Lee (Associate Vicar at Holy Trinity Brompton and Co-Founder of The Marriage Courses, with his wife Sila) gave the keynote address, highlighting how marriage between Christians should convey 4 distinctive attributes:

  1. Inviting Jesus in daily
  2. Practicing hospitality
  3. Experiencing Jesus turn the ‘water’ (the everyday) into ‘wine’ (life in His Kingdom)
  4. Believing that God keeps the best till last

Watch the talk Christian Marriage – God’s powerful sign:


This was complemented by The Revd Canon Dr Adrian Chatfield (Director of The Simeon Centre, Ridley Hall Theological College, Cambridge) who spoke on the kingdom significance of Christian marriage.

Watch the talk Christian Marriage – The God Factor:


At the Engage Symposium 2014, Katharine Hill, UK Director for Care for the Family, outlined some of the unique characteristics of Christian marriage in her keynote talk, discussing:

  • The power of Christian marriage
  • The pattern of Christian marriage
  • The purpose of Christian marriage

Watch the talk Christian Marriage – Deal or No Deal:


The book cover of 7 Reasons Your Church Needs More Men

7 Reasons Your Church Needs More Men: How to lead a gender balanced church supporting healthy singleness, dating, marriage and youth (The Engage Network, 2018)

See chapter 2 ‘Theological Foundations’ and chapter 9 ‘Marriage: what would it look like if things were working well in the church?’

See also other resources on our Engagement, Marriage and Parenting resource page.

The Meaning of Marriage Book cover

The Meaning of Marriage: Facing the Complexities of Commitment with the Wisdom of God.

A key book which looks at God’s design for marriage in a biblical and practical way.

Authors: Timothy Keller with Kathy Keller.

See also other resources on our Engagement, Marriage and Parenting resource page.