Greg Smalley

Dr. Greg Smalley serves as the vice president of Marriage and Family Formation at Focus on the Family. Prior to joining Focus, Smalley worked for the Center for Relationship Enrichment at John Brown University and as president of the National Institute of Marriage, now known as Hope Restored. He is the author of almost 20 books including 9 Lies That Will Destroy Your Marriage: And the Truths That Will Save It and Set It Free and Reconnected: Moving From Roommates to Soulmates in Marriage. Smalley and his wife Erin host a popular weekly podcast called Crazy Little Thing Called Marriage.

An angry young couple sit on a couch engaged in a heated argument.

What Does the Bible Say about Fighting in Marriage?

It’s normal to have conflict — and it’s unavoidable. According to the Bible, what matters most is how you handle the fighting in your marriage.

September 1, 2026

Praying for Your Wife

Praying for your wife is one of the best things you can do for your relationship!

August 11, 2026

Couple praqying together as a couple with hands clasped, sitting by a peaceful lakeside at sunset, symbolizing spiritual intimacy and connection

Praying for a Friend’s Marriage: How and What to Pray

Praying for a friend’s marriage doesn’t require eloquence, but it does guard that marriage against the demonic forces trying to dismember it.

April 21, 2026

A young couple sitting together on a kitchen counter surrounded by moving boxes, unpacking and laughing as they settle into a new home while living together before marriage.

Cohabitation: Does it Help or Hurt?

Many couples today are asking whether they should live together before marriage. At a recent marriage conference, one young man asked Greg Smalley that very question — honestly, directly, and with a desire to do what’s right. His answer, shaped by Scripture, research, and decades of working with couples, offers a perspective most people never hear.

February 13, 2026

Smiling couple holding hands on a forest trail, symbolizing unity, trust, and biblical leadership in relationships.

What is Biblical Leadership in Marriage?

Ephesians 5:23 calls men to be leaders in the home. “For the husband is the head of the wife even as Christ is the head of the church, his body, and is himself its Savior” (ESV).

February 10, 2026

Close up of a man's hand typing on a laptop as he sits in the dark, symbolizing the impact of porn on a marriage

How Pornography Impacts Marriage

Pornography — whether used infrequently or as an addiction — is a big deal. It sacrifices true intimacy, forsakes a real relationship for a lying imitation, and twists the true purpose of sex. Porn rewires the brain to focus on “you” — not on intimacy.

February 9, 2026