Focus’ “Date Night Challenge” to Strengthen Marriages

Event to help husbands and wives take intentional steps toward thriving relationships 

January 10, 2011 

Colorado Springs, Colo. – Do married couples still take time to date their spouses?

Focus on the Family believes that by making “date night” a regular practice, marriages can thrive. To help kick-start relationships, it’s hosting a two-hour Date Night Challenge webcast on Valentines Day, Feb.14 at churches nationwide. The event corresponds with National Marriage Week USA, a yearly effort to strengthen marriage, taking place Feb. 7-14.

What constitutes a great date night? How can married couples use this experience to grow and deepen their relationship? How often should they carve out time to spend together? Event speakers including marriage experts Greg and Erin Smalley and Rev. Samuel Rodriguez, President of the National Hispanic Leadership Conference, will discuss these questions and others. Attendees will be challenged to take three dates within the subsequent three weeks.

“Most couples who actually take time for a date night – which is increasingly rare in our fast-paced world – use the evening to deal with relational issues, finances or parenting problems,” says Greg Smalley, Executive Director of Marriage and Family Formation at Focus. “We want to provide them with the knowledge and tools ‘to do’ date nights differently.”

The ministry’s goal is to partner with 500 church leaders, and see participants as a whole, take 5,000,000 dates during the month of February.

“We’re hoping couples will dine out, celebrate one another, and include this event as part of their special evening,” says Smalley. “We guarantee fun and laughter, but we’ll also encourage participants to invest in their future and the health of their marriages.”

The webcast will also feature Christian comedian, Jeff Allen, and recording artist, Michael O’Brien. The ministry encourages pastors, small group and lay leaders to register their churches and hold one event in a central location. Churches can be creative around this gathering such as providing child-care, dinner and special party favors. For more information, please see the Date Night Challenge website.

To learn more or coordinate a media interview, contact Carrie Kintz at carrie.kintz@fotf.org or at 719-531-3312.