It has been said that Christianity moves at the speed of relationships. Our personal connections, both our vertical relationship (with God) and our horizontal relationships (with others), are vitally important to our ongoing spiritual, emotional, and mental health. Because we are designed for intimacy, when we stay well-tethered, we thrive. To that end, the Relationships Ministries of MDPC reflect a wide breadth of connectional experiences that will help you and your family grow deeper in the love of Christ and the love of one another. We hope to serve with you as we flourish together.

Marriage

There is no greater contribution to society today than to have strong marriages and healthy families walking out of church on Sunday and into the culture on Monday...

Yet this is no small task. Some now view marriage as one of the riskiest ventures taken in one’s life. After all, married couples are usually made up of two very different individuals who are now making a decision to attempt to live harmoniously together in a  permanent relationship for life. Frankly, it’s a ridiculous notion – without God’s help!

When reality does not match the idealistic aspirations often held about marriage, MDPC's Marriage Ministry is here to help. Couples are guided into and through the hard transformational work of becoming more selfless, and led to prayerfully experience the fullness of this special relationship designed by God.

Society benefits many times over from each successful marriage. That’s why we in Marriage Ministry are committed to encouraging, training, and equipping couples both inside and outside the church to strengthen their marriages. 

Married Life Prep

Married Life Prep, a free 8-hour series taught over four weeks, is open to dating couples, engaged couples, newlyweds, and young marrieds.

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Marriage Enrichment

“Happily ever after.” That’s what the world tells us the goal is, doesn’t it?  When we make a covenant with our spouse, we sign up for all of life’s unknowns.

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Married Life Prep

 

Many of us enter marriage with extraordinary expectations of how perfect that relationship will be. While, in reality, no marriage is even close to perfect, a marriage that is centered on and empowered by God can nevertheless be the most satisfying of human relationships. We want to help engaged and young married couples experience a rich fullness in marriage.

Married Life Prep, a free 8-hour seriess, is open to dating couples, engaged couples, newlyweds, and young marrieds. It combines Biblical teaching with the best current marriage research. Taught at MDPC by Brett and Kellie Hurst of Home Encouragement®, the course is based on The Couple Checkup, a research-based online relationship inventory developed by Dr. David Olson and Dr. Peter Larson of Life Innovations, Inc. Married Life Prep also features insights from the New York Times best seller The Seven Principles for Making Marriage Work by Dr. John M. Gottman, internationally known marriage authority. Time magazine has acknowledged Dr. Gottman as a pioneer in his field. His studies, focused on creating and sustaining happy marriages, are cited by many prominent marriage experts in the world.

Research has shown certain types of marriage preparation programs to be particularly effective at preventing divorce, lowering the risk by as much as 75% when couples practice specific relationship skills. Married Life Prep is approved by Twogether in Texas. Through cooperation with the State of Texas, most Married Life Prep graduates will be able to have their Texas marriage license fee waived.

July 2024 MLP Registration

January 2025 MLP Registration

July 2025 MLP Registration

Marriage Enrichment

At MDPC, we stand with you at each step in your marriage journey.  Our desire is to come alongside couples to help them build strong foundations for their future together.   We encourage an intimate relationship with God and one another so that married couples can grow closer and healthier through each stage of family life.

Dinner and a Marriage

Need a special date night?  Be part of a Dinner and a Marriage® live event in the Houston area presented by Home Encouragement®.

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Couple Checkup

Couple Checkup is an online assessment for couples. Whether you are dating, engaged, or married, this powerful and eye-opening tool is taken individually by you and your partner or spouse.
The Couple Checkup was developed by Dr. David Olson and Dr. Peter Larson of Life Innovations. The Couple Checkup is designed to help you and your partner build a more satisfying and intimate relationship. Just answering the questions will stimulate thoughts and attitudes about your marriage.
The results of the assessment are a great opportunity to see how your relationship is doing. Not only does it point out your strengths, but it uncovers areas that could use improvement. The results come with practical suggestions and ideas on how to approach these subjects and build your relationship/marriage muscle.
Cost: $29.95
Contact Brett Hurst:   or 713-490-0930

Learn more

Marriage to the Max

Marriage to the Max is a fun and encouraging conversation about healthy marriage! Join marriage educators Brett & Kellie Hurst of Home Encouragement as they help couples take their marriages to the next level. MTTM episodes can be accessed at the link below. You may also join listeners worldwide who have already subscribed to the free Marriage to the Max podcast on iTunes.

Listen to Podcasts

Nearly and Newly Community Group

Sundays, 11:15am-12:15pm
MDPC Room 217
Are you currently engaged or recently married and looking for a community to do life with? You are welcome to join us every Sunday morning for Nearly and Newly Community Group! We meet to connect relationally, grow biblically, and engage missionally as we study God’s work together and talk about hot topics as they relate to Christianity, marriage, and healthy relationships.

Contact Us

Marriage Retreat 2024

Join Brett and Kellie Hurst of Home Encouragement and get away for a fun and intentional weekend together focused around your married life. This special experience will include a comfortable atmosphere, excellent food, a one-on-one date night with your spouse, as well as expert teaching from Brett and Kellie, longtime marriage educators.They'll share their wisdom and personal experiences about growing deeper in their married love and life.

Saturday-Sunday, Oct 5-6 • Noon-Noon
Moody Gardens Resort in Galveston
Sessions are on Saturday afternoon and Sunday morning. Saturday night is "date night", free for you to enjoy the hotel grounds or local attractions.

$240/couple includes accommodations, two meals, and materials. Partial scholarships available.

Register Here

Weddings at MDPC

Thank you for your interest in celebrating your wedding at MDPC! 

We believe that a wedding is a beautiful opening celebration of a spiritually rich lifelong commitment between a man and a woman. Moreover, we want your wedding to be a solid foundation of a blessed, permanent marriage. With these goals in mind, we are here to support both MDPC members and non-members and they embark on this journey, beginning with the initial planning, pre-marital counseling, and wedding ceremony and continuing throughout the marriage in a variety of courses and programs.

MDPC offers picturesque facilities and a gifted staff committed to assisting you in preparing a special event that will glorify God, honor the families of the bride and groom, and create a memorable event for all present. We invite you to tour our campus and meet those who can help guide you to a most blessed experience as you become one in Christ as husband and wife. 

To obtain more information on Weddings at MDPC, please contact Meghan Garvin, MDPC Wedding Coordinator, at . To inquire as to wedding availability, please complete the Wedding Inquiry Form below. We encourage all interested parties to read our Wedding Information and Policies Booklet, available below.

Wedding Inquiry Form

Wedding Inquiry Form

Wedding Information and Policies

Download a guide to Weddings at MDPC:

Wedding Information and Policies

For more information on Married Life Prep, MDPC’s pre-marital counseling course, click here. 

Events

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REACH (Rec) Classes

Spring Classes

Drawing & Watercolor

Session II:
Tuesdays, Mar 26 - May 21
9:30-11:30 AM
Cost: $203
Location: Room 206
Register

Instructor Beverly Lawson: 
Email for details & photos of projects

Mat Pilates

Tuesdays, Jan 16 - May 21
(No class Mar 12 & May 7)
9:30-10:30am
Location: Room 171/172
Cost: $10/class 

Instructor: Claire Danos, Peak Pilates Certified Instructor
Participants must bring a mat. FitCore Mat is an innovative fitness fusion program that combines the best of Pilates mat-based exercises, standing work, and stretching for a total mind-body workout experience. 

Pickleball Clinic

Fridays, April 12, 19, 26, May 3
10:30-11:30am
Cost: $82
Location: Gym

We’ll work on honing your skills and strategies necessary to raise your comfort levels for playing with the general Pickleball public.
Instructor Cathy Bush has been playing and competing for 4 ½ years. She is certified to teach Pickleball by the Professional Pickleball Registry (PPR).
Contact Cathy for more information:

Register for Pickleball Clinic

Yoga

Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, Jan 3 - May 31
(No class Jan 15, Feb 19, Mar 11-15, Mar 29, May 27)
9:15–10:15am
Cost: $10.00/class or $90/10-class attendance card (Card expires after 3 months)
Location: Rooms 171/172

Instructor Polly Patton Christie:
Participants must bring a mat.

Tone the body and tune the mind! Increased strength and stamina, improved balance, and flexibility are yours through Hatha Yoga.

Yoga (Iyengar)

Fridays, Jan 5 - May 31
(No class Mar 15 & Mar 29)
11:30am-12:45pm
Cost: $10 per class
Location: Room 171/172

Instructor: Jimena Lieb

A Certified Iyengar Yoga teacher can guide students of all ages and physical conditions to an experience of yoga, which is safe, accessible and rewarding. This class is designed for beginner and continuing adults as well as expectant mothers with healthy pregnancies. The use of props such as chairs, blocks, blankets, or straps may be incorporated to help students adjust or support themselves in the different postures and thereby achieve a range of motion that is effective and safe. Students will practice seated, twisting, standing, and some inverted postures to reduce stress, create strength and flexibility, and correct stuctural imbalances caused by poor posture, sports training, and daily activities. 

 

Summer Classes

Yoga

Monday, Wednesday, Friday Jun 3-Aug 30 (No class Jul 8-12)
9:15-10:15am
Location: Rooms 171-172 (Room 260 - Jul 15,17, 19, 22, 24, 26, 31 Aug 7) 
Cost: $10 per class or $90 for 10 class attendance card (card expires after 3 months)

Notes: Participants must bring a mat.
Tone the body and tune the mind! Increased strength and stamina, improved balance, and flexibility are yours through Hatha Yaga. Feel energized, refreshed, and relaxed, all at the same time, with a 5,000 year old tradition of physical poses and flowing sequences linking breath and movement.

Yoga (Iyengar)

Fridays, Jun 7-Aug 30 (No class Jul 12)
11:30am-12:45pm
Location: Room 171/172 (Room 260 - Jul 19 & 26)
Cost: $10 per class 

Jimena Lieb practices and teaches Iyengar yoga which emphasizes correct alignment of joints for maximum benefit and safety.  In this class the use of props such as chairs, blocks, blankets, or straps may be incorporated to help students adjust or support themselves in the different postures and thereby achieve a range of motion that is effective and safe.  Students will practice postures to reduce stress, create strength and flexibility, and correct structural imbalances for better overall health


Staff