Growth Counseling for Marriage Enrichment: Pre-Marriage and the Early Years by Howard John Clinebell

"In the burgeoning new field of marriage enrichment, we greatly need sound and authoritative literature. Few people know this field better than Howard Clinebell. Of those who do, few indeed have his skill and experience as a writer. And hardly anyone who could write about marriage enrichment would be able to do so with the contagious enthusiasm, and at the high spirit level, which this book communicates so effectively. We hope it will be widely read."

David & Vera Mace,

Association of Couples for Marriage Enrichment, Inc.

Howard Clinebell's purpose here is to make good marriages better, to turn crises into opportunities for growth, and to activate congregations of faith as communities of caring. His concrete suggestions range from a detailed description and utilization of the "inten-tional marriage method" to a variety of realistic programs for innovative parishes that would seek to come alive in a new way.

Although exceedingly practical, the book does not purport to have all the answers. What it offers is a rich sharing of experience and enthusiasm, plus a beckoning to creative ventures in marriage enrichment that can help pastors, persons, couples, and congregations in their own growth and ministry.

Howard J. Clinebell, Jr. is a clergyman in the United Methodist Church and Professor of Pastoral Counseling at the School of Theology at Claremont, California. He is past president of the American Association of Pastoral Counselors.