Marriage and Family is one of the most popular biblical counseling courses at The Master’s University, to the point that the majority of students who take the class aren’t biblical counseling majors.
Dr. Greg Gifford, chair of TMU’s biblical studies department, says the class provides a theology of marriage and family while applying Scripture to the problems that can arise in those contexts. Over the course of the semester, students learn about family roles, in-laws, parenting, conflict resolution, communication, and financial unity.
Gifford believes the reason why so many students choose the course as an elective is because it deals with issues the students are already thinking about.
“Marriage and Family is highly relevant to students,” he says. “A lot of them deal with relational questions. They are curious about understanding roles — knowing what to expect of a person based on how you relate to them.”
Gifford’s goal with the course is to give his students a distinctively biblical perspective on marriage and family, rather than letting secular psychology or pop culture shape their thinking.
“God’s Word has answers that make your relationships better,” he says. “The content hits students right where they are at, and right where they are going.”
For more ways TMU is distinct, visit masters.edu/why-tmu.
