Topics for Conversation When Considering Marriage

How do you handle and live with differences? How do you decide what can remain differences without jeopardizing the relationship? The following are topics of conversation that would be good to ask each other when considering marriage.

Worship and Devotion

• How important is corporate worship? What about other participation in church life?

• How important is it to be part of a small accountability/support group?

• In your life, what is the importance of music in life and worship?

• What are your daily personal devotional practices? What about prayer, reading, meditation, memorization?

• Do you believe in having family devotions? If yes, what would our family devotions look like? Who leads out in this?

• Are we doing this now in an appropriate way: praying together about our lives and future? What about reading the Bible together?

Husband and Wife

• What is the meaning of headship and submission in the Bible and in our marriage?

• What are expectations about situations where one of you might be alone with someone of the opposite sex?

• How are tasks shared in the home: cleaning, cooking, and washing dishes? How about yard work, car upkeep, repairs, shopping for food, and household stuff?

• What are the expectations for togetherness?

• What is an ideal non-special evening?

• How do you understand who and how often sex is initiated?

• Who does the checkbook —or are there two?

Children

• If and when, should we have children? Why?

• How many?

• How far apart should we have them?

• Would we consider adoption?

• What are the appropriate ways to discipline them? How many strikes before they’re… whatever?

• What are the expectations of time spent with them and when they go to bed?

• How about signs of affection; will you show them?

• What about school? Home school? Christian school? Public school?

Lifestyle

• Should we own a home or not? Why?

• What kind of neighborhood do we want to live in? Why?

• How many cars? New? Used?

• What’s the view of money in general? How much goes to the church?

• How do you make money decisions?

• Where will you buy clothes? Department store? Savers? In between? Why?

Entertainment

• How much money should we spend on entertainment?

• How often should we eat out? Where?

• What kind of vacations are appropriate and helpful for us?

• How many toys? Snowmobile, boat, cabin?

• Should we have a television? Where? What is fitting to watch? How much?

• What are the criteria for Movies and theater and video/DVD? What will our guidelines be for the kids?

Conflict

• What makes you angry?

• How do you handle your frustration or anger?

• Who should bring up an issue that is bothersome?

• What if we disagree both about what should be done, AND whether it is serious?

• Will we go to bed angry at each other?

• What is our view of getting help from friends or counselors?

Work

• Who is the main breadwinner?

• Should the wife work outside the home? Before kids? With kids at home? After kids?

• What are your views of daycare for children?

• What determines where you will locate? Job? Whose job? Church? Family?

Friends

• Is it good to do things with friends but without fiancé, or without spouse?

• What will you do if one of you really likes to hang out with so and so and the other doesn’t?

Health and Sickness

• Do you have, or have you had any, sicknesses or physical problems that could affect our relationship? (Examples are: Allergies, cancer, eating disorders, venereal disease, etc.)

• Do you believe in divine healing and how would prayer relate to medical attention?

• How do you think about exercise and healthy eating?

• Do you have any habits that adversely affect health?

 John Piper © Desiring God compiled these questions. Website: DesiringGod.org

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