Pre-Marital Counseling/Weddings

Standards for Pre-Marital Counseling and Weddings at NorthCreek Church:

According to biblical guidelines, the pastors of this church will not knowingly perform a wedding ceremony in our church facilities, permit an unaffiliated pastor to perform a ceremony, nor counselors offer pre-marital counseling when:

  • The two individuals desiring to be married have not made a public statement of their Chrisitian conversion (a belief in the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ and acceptance of Him as personal Savior). Ecclesiastes 5:2-4, John 3:36
  • A couple where one is a Christian and the other is not. 2 Cor. 6:14, 1 Cor. 7:39
  • Two individuals are living together, or are not committed to sexual purity until they are married. 1 Cor. 6:18-20, 1 Thess. 4:3-8, Hebrews 13:4
  • A homosexual couple
  • Those individuals who have been divorced on un-bibilical grounds. Biblical grounds for divorce include infidelity (Matt 19:9), abandonment by an unbelieving spouse (1 Cor. 7:15), and a divorce obtained when both individuals were unbelievers (2 Cor. 5:17). These situations do not mandate divorce, they simply acknowledge the freedom to re-marry.
  • Those individuals who do not appear to be ready for marriage, as determined by the requested pastor or counselor. Issues considered here would be age, lack of parental support, immaturity, resistance to counseling, excessive debt, etc.

Pre-Marital Counseling At NorthCreek

Pre-marital counseling is an adjunct of the Biblical Counseling Ministry directed by Steve Mawhorter. Our pre-marital counseling staff is committed to help equip engaged couples for marriage and to come alongside to give them a head start in their preparation. For those desiring to receive training to become pre-marital counselors, stay posted for the next training date.

“Before you walk down the aisle, do you know where you’re going?”

Statistics bear witness that couples who have pre-marriage counseling and preparation have a significantly better chance at a successful, life-long marriage. Today, more than ever, it is vital to prepare for the important, life-long task of building a Christian marriage. Pre-marital counseling is a requirement for couples getting married at NorthCreek.

NorthCreek church holds a high view of marriage because it is God’s design for partner relationships and provides the framework for society itself. Our desire is to provide tools for a successful, godly marriage; therefore, we have excellent teaching in the form of an eight-session, pre-marriage course to be taken at least six months prior to the wedding date. The only cost is $35 for an assessment described below, the couple will also receive copies of The Exemplary Husband, by Stuart Scott and The Excellent Wife, by Martha Peace.
This eight-session counseling will help a couple to:

  • Learn about God’s unique blueprints for marriage
  • Discern God’s will for their relationship
  • Handle their finances and plan for the future
  • Clarify their roles and responsibilities
  • Establish a positive, loving, sexual relationship
  • Deal with issues, expectations, and family histories
  • Evaluate their readiness for marriage

In conjunction with this course, there is an assessment called Prepare/Enrich, which is designed to identify the strengths and weaknesses that a couple will be bringing to their marriage. This questionnaire/survey is completed during the first session of the pre-marriage course, and sent to Life Innovations, Inc., in Minneapolis, Minnesota, to be compiled. The results are given to the pre-marital counselors to go over with the couple.


For Pre-Marital Counseling Only:
If you plan to get married at NorthCreek, please see the six steps below. If you are not getting married at NorthCreek but would still like to receive pre-marital counseling, contact Kathy Preeg at 925-210-9036 for more information or to request a pre-martial counseling packet.

Six Steps to Planning a Wedding at NorthCreek:

  1. Contact Kathy Preeg at 925-210-9036 to discuss potential wedding dates. A wedding packet which includes a wedding application, bride and groom profiles and informational forms, will be sent to the engaged couple.
  2. Upon receipt of the completed forms in the church office, an appointment will be scheduled with the couple and either Steve Mawhorter, Director of Biblical Counseling or the pastor performing the ceremony for a pre-marriage interview. After pastoral or director approval, they will then be assigned to their mentoring couple for the pre-marital course.
  3. The Wedding Coordinator will schedule a detail planning session to discuss wedding arrangements.
  4. Couple participates in the required 8 - 10 session pre-marriage counseling course.
  5. Meet with the Wedding Coordinator for final details of the wedding ceremony.
  6. Rehearsal.