Pre-Marital Process

Step 1: Couples contact Calvary Chapel of Boise and will either pick up from the front desk or have a Pre-Marital questionnaire mailed to them.  To request one by email, click here.  Upon receiving the completed questionnaire from the couple, an appointment is made with a Pastor or Elder by the office for the explanation of our Pre-Marital Process.  

Step 2: A Pastor or Elder is assigned to meet with the couple for the initial interview to find out the status of the couple and introduce the Calvary Guidelines, discuss any questions the couple might have, what workbook to buy (Preparing for Marriage God’s Way by Dr. Wayne Mack-$16.95 per person, including tax), and the four reasons why Calvary Chapel will not perform a wedding.

They are: Sexual Purity, Co-Habitation, Spiritual Unity, and not completing the Pre-Marital Discipleship process.

1. Sexual Purity: God has reserved the gift of sex for the mutual enjoyment of a husband and wife.  Any sexual expression outside the bonds of marriage is in violation of God’s will.  Therefore, couples must abstain from any form of sexual contact with each other until after the wedding (see Proverbs 5:18-23, 1 Corinthians 6:18-20, Hebrews 13:4).
2. Co-habitation: Our actions communicate to others what we represent and what we believe.  Therefore, couples must live separately.  This action will communicate to others you want to honor God in your relationship and avoid even the appearance of evil (see 1 Thessalonians 5:22)
3. Spiritual Unity: Based upon the exhortation “do not be unequally yoked together with unbelievers (2 Corinthians 6:14) we choose not to wed a believer (Christian) with a non-believer (non-Christian)
4. Pre-Marital Discipleship Process: A strong and healthy marriage requires hard work, sacrifice and love.  Therefore we request the couple to commit to doing the homework (usually 4-5 hours per session) with the goal of preparing for marriage God’s way (Luke 14:28-32, 2 Timothy 3:16-17)

Step 3: After the introductory meeting the couple will decide if they will agree to follow the above guidelines.  The couple will then be given additional paperwork to fill out.  It is then attached to their original paperwork and given to the Pre-Marital Discipleship team, and their information will be passed on to the Marriage Facilitators.  If a couple disagrees with the philosophy of any of the four requirements above that is fine. The couple is free to get married through the regular legal process of the justice of the peace or through another church. We pass no judgment upon the couple. These above requirements are simply prerequisites for being married by one of the Calvary Chapel of Boise pastors or at Calvary Chapel Boise. They will meet with the disciplers every other week for 6-8 sessions (lasting approximately 4 months).  These meetings should always be conducted in a loving, gentle and merciful manner.  It should never be presumed that a couple, whether they identify themselves as Christian or not, truly understands what the scriptures say about these important issues.