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ABOUT US

Chris & Carmen Garner have been married 41 years and have ministered to marriages for over 25 years. Chris earned a Master's Degree in Marriage and Family Therapy and they both have extensive counseling experience and training. They are proud parents of 3 adult children and have 6 grandchildren and 3 great-grandchildren. They have a passion to see marriages become healthy and strong. Fortified Marriages Ministry is a 501c3 non-profit. Donations help build strong marriages throughout the US, Latin America, Africa and around the world. 


   Donations are through Paypal Giving Fund and are not charged fees.


Our Purpose: To be used by God to fortify marriages. To make a difference in lives, marriages and families.

Our Vision: To see marriages become healthy, productive, able to withstand the storms of life and used by God to strengthen other marriages.

Our Mission: To provide direction and education through resources and training to individuals, couples and churches in order to help them define and build a solid foundation for a Christian marriage.

We are a Christian marriage ministry dedicated to building healthy relationships. We desire to see couples build close growing relationships with God and each other. We believe that once a couple knows who they are, discover their purpose and mission in life and build foundational skills for marriage, they will better be able to meet the challenges of life as a team.

Fortified Marriages Ministry Core Values

  1. Marriage is a sacred institution ordained by God. (Genesis 2:18-24)
  2. The covenant of marriage is a life long commitment. (Mark 10:9, 1 Corinthians 7:10-11)
  3. Jesus Christ is the foundation of the Christian marriage. (Matthew 7:24)
  4. Marriage consists of one man and one woman. (Genesis 2:24, Matthew 19: 5)
  5. Husband and wife are created by God equal in worth, but with differing roles and responsibilities in marriage. (Galatians 3:28, 1 Peter 3:7, Genesis 2:18, Ephesians 5:22-33,      1 Corinthians 11:11-12)
  6. Marriages must be strengthened to stand against the storms that will come against them. (John 16:33, Ecclesiastes 4:9-12)
  7. A strong marriage doesn’t just “happen”, it takes work. (John 16:33, 1 Corinthians 15:10)
  8. God hates divorce and divorce is not an option in a Christian marriage, although separation may be necessary with the purpose to restore the marital relationship. (Malachi 2:16, 1 Corinthians 7:10-11)
  9. No marriage is beyond repair if a couple will surrender to Jesus Christ and allow Him to work in their lives and marriage. (Philippians 4:13, James 4:7-8)
  10. A married couple is a team working together to meet the challenges of life. (Ecclesiastes 4:13, Amos 3:3, Proverbs 31: 10-31)
  11. The marriage relationship is the foundation of the family, the church and society. Strong marriages are necessary to the welfare of all three institutions. (Malachi 2:15)
  12. We believe in the importance of the local church in the lives of Christians and that our ministry is to be in support of the local church. (Ephesians 4:11-13)

Fortified Marriages Statement of Faith

  • We believe that the entire Bible is the inspired, authoritative, inerrant Word of God on which Christians base their faith, conduct and doctrine. (2 Timothy 3:16)
  • We believe that there is only one God eternally existing in three persons; Father, Son and Holy Spirit. (1 Corinthians 8:6, Matthew 1:23, John 15:16)
  • We believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God; He came to earth, was born of a virgin, died on a cross, bodily rose from the dead, ascending into Heaven and will return again. Jesus Christ is the Way, the Truth and the Life. No one comes to Father except through Him. (Matthew 14:33, John 1:1, John 1:14, Luke 1:26-37, Philippians 2:8, Acts 10:41, Acts 1:9-11, John 14:6)
  • We believe in the present ministry of the Holy Spirit, by whose indwelling the Christian is enabled to live a godly life. (John 16:7-11)
  • We believe that all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23), the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ (Romans 6:23), that if one confesses Jesus is Lord and believes in Him, he will be saved. (Romans 10:9 and John 3:16)
  • We believe that the Body of Christ; believers in Jesus, is the Church of Jesus Christ (1 Corinthians 12:27), and through the Church believers are built up and prepared for service. (Ephesians 4:11-13)
  • We believe God’s plan for marriage is given in Scripture and is the basis for a Christian marriage. (Gen 2:18-24, Eccl 4:9-12, Mal 2:15-15, Mat 19, 1Cor 7, Eph 5).