A faith-based marriage preparation program
Our staff has many years of marriage preparation and marriage counseling experience. We are Christians who believe that Christian Marriage is a sacred and serious vocation ordained by God and should be prepared for in a serious, prayerful and timely manner. Our program is Christ-Centered but sensitive and respectful to all faiths.
Knowing that there are many demands on your time, energy and resources, we offer a solid program to prepare your engaged couples for marriage and hand them back to you having had a positive, comprehensive and spiritual experience that they will also enjoy.
The evaluations that we receive from engaged couples consistently say that they were pleasantly surprised at how valuable, practical and even fun their experience was. Couples don’t forget the important skills and lessons they learned even if they don’t yet realize how much they will need and use them in their future upcoming marriage.
Our staff are also available to provide follow up counseling to couples who may want or need it.
OUR MARRIAGE PREPARATION PROGRAM
Couples will complete 2 different inventories and attend a 2-part workshop. The first part is the ARNO TEMPERAMENT PROFILE which is an incredibly accurate tool we have used with over 10,000 people in the Twin Cities area.
The second part is the pre-marriage inventory called PREPARE. This well-known and respected premarriage assessment has been used successfully nationwide for over 35 years.
Throughout our program, the importance of prayer and the scriptures will be emphasized and practiced.
Part 1:
Arno Temperament Profile
Couples will also attend an ARNO TEMPERAMENT workshop where they will learn about God’s gift of their Temperament: how God “hard wires” each of us uniquely. Through a review of and teaching about their own and one anothers' Temperaments, they will be guided in:
• Understanding themselves and their partner
• Accepting themselves and their partner
• Respecting themselves and their partner
This includes their own and their partner’s strengths, weaknesses and unique and non- negotiable needs and how to work with differences respectfully with God’s help. This workshop is about practical and real issues that couples often struggle with and how to eliminate common issues by starting with more understanding of self and partner than most couples learn in lifetime of marriage.
Part 2:
PREPARE
First, couples will attend a day-long workshop where they will review the results of their PREPARE INVENTORY together as a couple. Our staff will facilitate couple, small group and large group discussions. The day will also include teachings on all the important topics that couples need to discuss together before entering a life long marriage with one another. These topics include:
• Spiritual life together
• Making Christ the center of your marriage
• Couple prayer together
• Good communication
• Ability to resolve conflict in healthy ways
• Family backgrounds
• Attitudes about finances
• Children & parenting
• Decision making
• Stress
• Sex & affection
• Relationship roles & expectations
A RESOURCE FOR YOUR CHURCH
What is your role?
Simply refer your couples to our website or if you'd like to hand them our postcard, contact us and we can provide you with some. We will handle the rest and provide you and each couple a Certificate of Completion so that you know your engaged couples are ready for the commitment to Christian Marriage.
If you have a larger group of engaged couples, we may also request the use of space at your church so that we can offer our program in more than one convenient location.
What is the cost?
There is no cost to you or your church. The engaged couples pay for the program. We are aware, as are they, that the cost of our program is probably the least expensive part of most wedding costs today, yet we know that it is the most valuable.
The cost is $750 per couple plus the cost of the scoring of their PREPARE INVENTORY ($35 per couple) and ARNO TEMPERAMENT PROFILE ($45 each). Lunch, snacks, and resources are included.
Our experience has been that when couples have to make a financial investment in their marriage preparation, they take it seriously and appreciate the benefits.
ABOUT OUR TEAM
MEET OUR TEAM!
DR RON KELLER
Ron Keller does Temperament-based counseling and consulting for personal advancement, pre-marriage, and marriage renewal and business leadership. He has an undergraduate degree in business/advertising, a Masters Degree in Theology, and a Ph.D. in Counseling Psychology. He has been counseling/consulting for more than 45 years and is the author of several published books. His latest book, Discover Your Course for Life, One Step at a Time can be found at Amazon or through the course, Discover Your Course for Life.
NANCY KELLER
Nancy Keller was on staff as the Director of Marriage Ministry at the Basilica of Saint Mary for 23 years and was in full time ministry with the Archdiocese of St. Paul/Minneapolis for almost 43 years. She completed her Masters Degree in Pastoral Ministry and Theology at the University of St. Thomas and has years of experience in Temperament Therapy/Counseling with training through the Sarasota Academy of Christian Counseling and the National Christian Counselors Association. She is also a member of the American Association of Christian Counselors.
Ron and Nancy often work together in counseling, workshops and retreats. Much of their work together has focused on Marriage Enrichment, Remarriage and Blended Family issues and encouragement through understanding of Temperament. They have coauthored the book, Marrying Again- Practical and Professional Advice on Navigating Your Way Through the High Seas of Remarriage and Step Families. They create “tailor made” workshops and retreats for a variety of groups and couples looking for help and guidance in their relationships.
STEVE SHELDON
Steve is a "Jack of All Trades" who loves to try his hand at all kinds of things. He graduated with a Masters in Higher Education, and worked in Residence Life at two different colleges for 8 years. After traveling around the world for a year with his wife, he made the leap to working for a tech company, being a consulting manager and Systems Administrator. He's worked for the owners of this tech firm ever since. Steve enjoys all types of handyman projects, training for rollerblading marathons, and binge watching the latest shows. He is looking forward to helping couples as they get started on this journey of marriage.
NICOLE SHELDON
A home town girl, Nicole Sheldon grew up in Minnesota but has lived and served all over the world, mainly doing Christian missions work. She spent the first part of her career doing youth ministry with teenagers, and for the last ten years served with Operation Christmas Child, sharing the love of Jesus through shoebox gifts. She lives with her husband and 2 fur babies in South Minneapolis, where she is looking for the perfect pho and relaxes by walking her dogs at the creek and working on her garden. Nicole has been counseling since her youth ministry days, but became an official part of the Ron Keller & Associates team in 2018.
MARILYN THEESFELD
Marilyn Theesfeld grew up in Iowa, but moved to St. Paul to attend Bethel College. She worked for many years in the insurance industry and lived in back East and Chicago before returning to the Twin Cities in the early 90’s. In the meantime she graduated from Roosevelt University in Chicago with majors in English and Psychology. Back in MN, she obtained her Master’s Degree in Gerontology from Bethel University, where she also took theology and counseling coursework. Other work experiences included county social work, church ministry, and Medicare counseling/presentations to senior and disabled adults. Marilyn has 2 adult children and a grandson. She lives with her husband in St. Paul and Mesa, AZ. They enjoy hiking and biking and traveling together, as well as family time often focused on their grandson’s school and sporting events. Marilyn became an official part of the Ron Keller & Associates team in 2018.