Authentic Manhood

“…manhood is more than a hormonal or an anatomical matter. Manhood is a way of thinking, being, and functioning. It is a social statement of who I am and who others think me to be. It is an issue of role. What place do I have in the community, and how am I valued in that position? Who am I in contrast to women?

“I suggest that men invest an inordinate amount of time worrying over the genuineness of their manhood. It is an aspect of self-confidence that may in fact gnaw at most of us until the day we die. What mental energy is expended on this one issue alone!” (When Men Think Private Thoughts, MacDonald, 1996, p. 9)

Becoming Attached

“…the great promise of attachment theory has been the prospect of finally answering some of the fundamental questions of human emotional life…. Perhaps its most startling and controversial claim is that insecure attachment, which shows up at twelve months, is predictive of behavior not only at three, five, seven, or fourteen years of age—which has been well established in research—but also at twenty, thirty, and seventy, as people make romantic choices, parent their own children, get into marital squabbles, and face the loneliness of old age. Equally important, attachment researchers have attempted to show how insecure patterns of attachment can change, whether in childhood, as adjustments are made in the family, or later, as the adult attempts to work through his early experiences.” (Becoming Attached, Karen, 1998, p. 7).

Relational Freedom...One Step at a Time

Let relationship experts Drs. Henry Cloud & John Townsend help you to develop healthy, godly, and satisfying relationships. Solutions at Mariners Church in Irvine, CA, offers practical tools for handling issues that are common to all relationships and to people of all ages.

Join us as we look at Relational Freedom…One Step at a Time

October 8: Step I - Guilt Free Living
Our conscience was designed to lead us toward good choices and help us treat others well. When our conscience fires off the wrong messages, we can be harsh or over reactive. What we end up with is guilt. Guilt will put you in jail, far from relational freedom. Join us and discover the healthy alternative to guilt.

October 15: Step II - Sorry is Not Enough

"I am sorry." We've all said this and we've heard these words from others. It's the right thing to say when someone has been hurt or offended. Have you thought of where "I am sorry" comes from? What motivates it, and is it for the right reason? Join us to understand the deeper message of "I am sorry", it's essential if you are going to experience true relational freedom.

October 22: Step III - Name It and Claim It

Are you familiar with "name it and claim it" theology? It goes like this, just name what you want, claim it as yours and it will appear. While this doesn't work with most things, it does work with having a better relationship. Learn how to name what's going on in your relationships and how to do the work to claim the connection you desire.

October 29: Step IV - Please Release Me!

You don't have to be in jail to have a real feeling of being trapped. We struggle to get free, but can't seem to pull it off. We may not even know where this feeling comes from yet it spills over into our relationships, keeping us from being open and free. This bad feeling comes from within and often it's about us judging ourselves too harshly. Join us to find the answers that will "release you" from that bad feeling that has been interfering with your relationships.

November 5: Step V - Pardoned by Love

Still feeling stuck in finding relational freedom? It could be due to another attitude, one that has to do with someone from your past. While often justified, these feelings may be keeping you from experiencing love and connection. In this last topic on relational freedom learn how to pardon someone from your past to be free and fully enjoy your relationships in the present.

No need to register - just show up - admission is free!

Rescuing Your Love Life

This course for couples, offered by Dr. Debi Smith, will take place September 19 - November 14, Wednesdays from 7:00 - 8:15 pm, in the Family Life Center. Here's your chance to grab hold of real, workable solutions to the frustrations and disappointments that so many marriages face! OCWC provides FREE childcare. Register online.

Marriage & Family Mediation

“Separation, divorce, finances and family disputes are not easy for anyone. The Marriage & Family Mediation Institute provides positive alternatives to the costly court process. We aim to stabilize relationships and assist family members in creating their own solutions.

“Through our carefully guided process, families are able to effectively resolve co-parenting, divorce, support, and custody issues. Our mediation approach is a "big picture" approach.

“We encourage total healthy life choices, and have a network of trusted Christian professionals such as counselors, therapists, financial advisors, accountants, realtors, mortgage brokers and others. Pastoral and spiritual support and accountability are highly encouraged.” more

Creative Covenant Marriage

"A Creative Covenant Marriage (C2 Marriage) is a life-long, eternal, public commitment between two believers. The marriage reflects the eternal covenant relationship God has offered to us: A 'lay down my life for you,' sacrificial, life-long commitment to be loved unconditionally. The C2 Marriage Agreement is designed to memorialize the unique marriage covenant between two believers. It help you make a game plan - an intentional strategy for building, maintaining and protecting a healthy, joy-filled marriage."

There's Nothing More Powerful

"Carry each other's burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ. If anyone thinks he is something when he is nothing, he deceives himself. Each one should test his own actions. Then he can take pride in himself, without comparing himself to somebody else, for each one should carry his own load." (Galatians 6: 2-5)

There's nothing more powerful than a new relationship in stirring up old issues. Well, unless it's an existing relationship with old issues.

Why is that? Every person (since Adam and Eve, that is) has learned what life is all about based on their experiences with their parents. No parents are perfect, so we each arrive at adulthood with a somewhat skewed view of reality. We each believe our way is the right way. (When it's the other guy talking, we call him "egocentric.")

We do pretty well until... Read more