This book addresses the battle for healthy Christian marriages.The failure of one marriage produces failures throughout the family, withthe young people coming from those homes and in the marriages formedby those children. We are unable to estimate the damage done whenmarriages fail. This is not just happening in the world around us. It ishappening in the ranks of ministers, within the families of ourcongregation and among our own children. We can choose to avoid this crisis, by hiding in our secluded worldof stained glass and stately music. Scott Peck in his classic book TheRoad Less Traveled, stated, avoidance is the beginning of mental illness.1.He was right. This will drive us crazy! Instead, we can choose to joinothers on the battlefield. Bo Prosser and Charles Qualls have advised us,"Let's try to frame the discussion around healthy marriages. A healthymarriage is better than a normal marriage." 2 We will have many allieswhen we do. These are dedicated physicians, psychiatrists, professionaltherapists, social workers, school counselors and an army of others whohave a role in this battle. There are several battle stations we can fill. We can providetraining opportunities for those getting married and for the married, coachthose trying to do better, and provide first aid for those wounded in thisbattle. We in the helping professions must also see ourselves as MASHunits, picking up the wounded from the battlefield and giving them achance for healing. This book is designed to inform ministers who want toenter the battlefield as a soldier.1. Some who read this may choose to enter the counselingministry with a sense of calling for long-term service.2. Some who read this may learn enough to give first aid andremember the physician's code of "Heal when you can, do noharm when you cannot."3. All who come to these pages will be helped in some way tojoin the battle.Several stations we can fill:Guarding those married and getting married,Coaching for those doing battle,Giving first aid for those getting wounded.While we in the helping vocation of professional counselors see ourselvesas the MASH unit, picking up the wounded from behind the front line andgiving them first aid and care, we need help. Our best allies are ministers.Some of them are on the battlefields, while many are cloistered in theircathedrals unaware of the battle scene.We intend for this book to be a practical guide for ministers inmarriage counseling, presented in everyday language. You will indicate tous to what degree we were successful by your response to the call to helpbuild healthy Christian marriages.